If you are new to this site, Matilda, my 5-pound Chihuahua, is my mix. Cow, my 30-pound… Well, her DNA tests say she is a Chow Chow, German Shepherd Jack Russell Cocker Spaniel.
Matilda is able to get away with many things Cow can’t.
It is a very personal thing to do. You can always change the rules.
Some dog owners prefer that their dogs always walk to the left, never sniff unless they are given permission and only eat if given approval.
We all have our own rules. Some are more relaxed, while others may be stricter. That’s my story.
Matilda has “little dog” privileges.
1. Matilda is able to go potty inside.
Our apartment is small, so our walks are usually 4-5 per day. Cow has only ever had accidents indoors when sick. Potty training her was never something I did formally.
Matilda was the opposite. She had many accidents and it took her a long time to learn how to be housetrained. She was pretty well trained by the time she turned a year. Potty bells helped her communicate.
She had accidents in cold weather or during storms, as well as at night.
You might have observed that potty training large dogs and small ones are very different. Matilda, a small dog like many others, has a hard time controlling her bladder and bowels.
Matilda now has a potty in her bedroom, next to my cat’s litterbox. It’s clean, she rarely uses it and it has been for several weeks now. It’s almost odorless. It’s a mess. I immediately clean it and then deodorize, sanitize, the potty.
Although it works for me, I can’t say that anyone else would find this disgusting. Many people dislike the idea that their dogs will have to relieve themselves inside after they are puppies. It’s fine if you don’t.
Matilda will never have an accident, even though she is not able to hold the weight.
If you regularly walk your dog, they will prefer going outside. It is better to let them go outside and smell and mark than to bring them inside.
2. I can be jumped on by my small dog.
A dog jumping up with its front paws is considered to be “bad canine manners”.
Cow is not allowed to do that. I find it painful when Cow’s nails irritate my skin.
Cow can boop my nose instead if that’s what she wants to do.
Matilda’s jumping on me to get my attention is one way she gets it, but I am not hurt. It’s okay.
Matilda will jump up to let me know if there is no potty-bell available. Matilda can tell me if she is hungry, if she wants picked up or irritated by Cow.
3. Matilda sleeps in my bed.
The surface area of small dogs is greater than that of larger dogs.
Many of these dogs are more inclined to be lapdogs. They feel compelled to touch you constantly.
Cow is a very active sleeper. She has been in my bed several times. She kicks and barks while she sleeps.
She can bark at an intruder in my living room. She might seem intimidating to some because she is large.
Cow seems to be fine with sleeping in her living-room crate. It’s so comfortable, I even put my old comforter in it. She probably thinks she is sleeping right next to me.
It all comes down to this…
It’s all about making sure your relationship with your dog is as comfortable and safe as you can. What other people do with their dogs or your own rules in the house don’t really matter. They love unconditionally, and don’t care what other people do.