Aggressive small dogs

diamount · 16 Jul 2014 at 20:02

9/10 when I take my dog out for walk, the dogs that are aggressive tend to be the smallish types. Like today for example a pug went for her, but since she was so small she couldn't get a hold of any skin when trying to bite Shelby (my dog)

It's like the assumption is because they're small, they cannot do any damage so why bother and train its behaviour? Anyone else experience this?

bitslice · 16 Jul 2014 at 20:05

Small dogs are all naturally neurotic.

cat > dog

Mynight · 16 Jul 2014 at 20:10

Hmm small dogs do seem to have a nut loose.

Always get little dogs attacking my collies when out on walks.

Worst one was a terrier looking thing took a lump out of my dogs leg absolutely no provocation just ran over and bit her

my dog picked it up in its mouth I thought she was going to kill it. Obviously owners going nuts whilst I'm trying to get my dog to release it.

Worst walk ever!

Never saw them again thankfully.

One · 16 Jul 2014 at 20:12

Never heard of short man syndrome?

Feek · 16 Jul 2014 at 20:14

Small dog syndrome is the canine equivalent of short man syndrome.

Sliver · 16 Jul 2014 at 20:14

My Border Terrier has never attacked another dog but has been attacked by a larger dog. Some big dogs are jerks.

diamount · 16 Jul 2014 at 20:24

One said:
Never heard of short man syndrome?

Never heard of short men spontaneously trying to beat a taller person up.

Mynight · 16 Jul 2014 at 20:25

diamount said:
Never heard of short men spontaneously trying to beat a taller person up.

Should go out on fri/sat nights more then. I've seen it enough times. Been on the receiving end once as well.

diamount · 16 Jul 2014 at 20:31

Mynight said:
Should go out on fri/sat nights more then. I've seen it enough times. Been on the receiving end once as well.

I don't go out to pubs. So you've had someone just randomly chin/punch you out of the blue?

Mynight · 16 Jul 2014 at 20:35

diamount said:
I don't go out to pubs. So you've had someone just randomly chin/punch you out of the blue?

Yeah some 5' bloke punched me out of the blue shouting "you think you're a big man".

Didn't do anything to him before hand I hadn't even seen him before lol.

Sliver · 16 Jul 2014 at 20:37

I stopped going out regularly years ago. Too many young bucks who can't handle their drink and just want to punch someone in face to show their mates how hard they are. Size doesn't seem to matter from my experience. I've been in kerfuffle's with huge guys and small ones and everything in between. It's not the size of the guy, it's how he is when he's drunk. I think dogs are similar. When two dogs meet sometimes one feels it needs to assert dominance over the other. It's not really a size thing, more a psychological thing.

MB101 · 16 Jul 2014 at 20:41

My dogs would kill. They like me, and they just about tolerate the Mrs.

Mine are trained guard dogs though, not really house pets like most folk here.

MofoKilla · 16 Jul 2014 at 20:45

volley em over the nearest bush problem solved?

jk

DanTheMan · 16 Jul 2014 at 20:46

I definitely have the opposite problem, our small Spitz dogs are harmless (albeit a bit yappy when on a lead and another dog comes close) but they seem to bring the worst out in big dogs. We've been attacked by 2 German shepherds when out, had a staff trying to chew one's tail and a big mongrel that wouldn't stop following one at the beach.

Haggisman · 16 Jul 2014 at 21:15

Mynight said:
Yeah some 5' bloke punched me out of the blue shouting "you think you're a big man".

Didn't do anything to him before hand I hadn't even seen him before lol.

Maybe you stood on him?

mattyg · 16 Jul 2014 at 21:27

Dogs don't know how big or small they are.

The normal reason for aggressive little dogs is that the owners molly coddle them because they are small and cute and wont punish them because its ok he's only playing.

Seen it many many times.

Mynight · 16 Jul 2014 at 21:32

Haggisman said:
Maybe you stood on him?

pretty sure I didn't. The bouncer definitely did afterwards though

opethdisciple · 16 Jul 2014 at 21:35

<trolling>

Short man = Better balance and center of gravity, making for a harder opponent to knock down.

More muscle per pound body weight = heavier more viscious strikes.

Shorter arms = better deliver mechanism for punches

</trolling>

Traffic_Warden · 16 Jul 2014 at 21:39

yes this is the case with my dog too (japanese akita), we just walk slowly every night on the usual route he likes, and all the yappy little dogs are barking, snarling etc as they pass on the oposite side of the road...he just stares at them and wags his tail a bit (never barks back or anything) and I have to tell him to "come on" as the other dog isn't exactly being friendly

and we continue walking...they have a chip on their shoulder i think! other larger dogs he is fine with and they don't bother kicking up a fuss as much

opethdisciple · 16 Jul 2014 at 21:41

It probably an insecurity thing with smaller dogs. They have to make up for size with a loud bark.