Today, small breeds of dogs are characterized by the presence of the most heterogeneous reviews: some perceive them as very demanding and restless, while others, on the contrary, are cheerful and perky, which are impossible to look at without emotion. Nevertheless, irrefutable fact What remains is that when living in a city apartment, both raising and keeping such funny dogs is much more convenient and easier than pets of larger species.
In addition, it is not at all necessary to lock them alone in the apartment. After all, these animals can be safely taken with you on a shopping trip or to cafes and restaurants, transported in a car or on the subway. Moreover, today there is such an accessory on sale as a carrier bag for small breed dogs, which facilitates the process of transporting these little pets.
Light weight, small size, amazing character and cute faces - these types of dogs are incredibly popular. Abroad, these animals are even used for therapeutic purposes. The most compelling argument for buying such a pet is its compact size.
Also a significant advantage that determines that these small dogs so popular is the simplicity of their maintenance and upbringing. This article will describe below some representatives different breeds small dogs, indicating their most characteristic features And distinctive features
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Chihuahua breed Chihuahua dogs are very ancient breed
animals that were known to the Aztec and Mayan tribes. Today, such a pet is incredibly popular. And the point here is not at all insignificant size, but in strong devotion and affectionate character. And boots for small breed dogs look especially endearing on these pets. At the same time, Chihuahuas are very fearless. This species is in great demand not only among domestic dog lovers, but also among residents of America, Europe and Latin America . By the way, the first person in Russia to have such a dog was N.S. Khrushchev. It should be noted that despite its small stature, such a pet is truly. They are loyal to their owner, to whom they become strongly attached. True, to maintain health during walks, they need winter shoes for small breed dogs to protect their paws.
Yorkshire Terrier breed
The Yorkshire Terrier is also a fairly popular dog, enjoying the love and attention of tens of millions of dog lovers around the planet not only for its working qualities, but mainly for its talent to please, to win friends and attention, qualities given by nature itself. 
Sometimes these animals are so active that it is necessary to use sedatives for small breed dogs, which somewhat reduces the pet’s excitability.
Despite the fact that dogs of this breed are very friendly, they are distinguished by their courageous and independent disposition. Having amazing tolerance, so necessary in the process of grooming, he will not every time agree to nestle in the arms of his mistress or owner. And if it senses the presence of strangers, it will emit a warning and loud bark. In addition, a bag for small breed dogs is hardly applicable to this pet.
Russian Toy breed
The Russian Toy dog breed is the most common ornamental animal in Russia.
Despite its rather small size, such a pet is completely fearless and copes well with the duties of a guard. 
True, during the maintenance process it is better to use Akana food for small breed dogs as the main diet.
Such a small pet will be an ideal companion for every person, regardless of age and gender. Distinguished by their high unpretentiousness, the dogs are completely undemanding in terms of care. It is usually used as a “cushion option”, although some dog lovers consider it a good and formidable guard. Having excellent hearing, they are able to detect the slightest movement. For training, a ladder for small breed dogs is recommended, providing normal development pet.
Breed Chinese Crested Dog
Such a pet is on a par with the most popular decorative and indoor dogs, whose world fame was brought by her rather exotic and completely wonderful appearance. Since these animals are practically naked, to transport them you need to use carriers for small breed dogs of various shapes.
These pets are characterized by a very memorable appearance, as well as a rather curious and friendly character. They are distinguished by strong affection, which is expressed in significant gratuitousness and devotion to their owner. Since such a pet is somewhat demanding in terms of care, feed it better food Hills for small breed dogs of any age.
Prague rat breed
Representatives of this breed are also called “ratlik”, which is translated from German as rat. Indeed, despite their small size, these pets are real hunters. They are characterized by high liveliness and mobility, for this reason, to maintain health, you should often walk with such a pet. fresh air, using harnesses for small breed dogs, sold in specialized stores.
Such walks will allow the animal to maintain its shape. These dogs simply love outdoor games, participate in agility, and run after the ball. And since this breed has a rather short coat, during a walk in cold or winter time It is recommended to wear boots for small breed dogs on their paws, as well as warm clothes.
Bichon Frize breed
The Bichon Frize is a small pet with a curly, silky coat. For example, Henry the 3rd simply adored his dog of this breed. He carried it everywhere in a basket around his neck as jewelry. A little later, dogs began to participate in circus performances. Thanks to their activity, they can easily climb steps for small breed dogs of various designs.
Today there is hardly a person who can resist these cute dogs. They are wonderful companions, cheerful, cheerful and very active. Having short legs and a strong skeleton, these animals turned into good decorative dogs companions. They love to lie around, dance, and play with children.
West Highland White Terrier breed
Representatives of the West Highland White Terrier breed are very smart, inquisitive and cheerful dogs. They are quite popular nowadays. A cute face, playful and funny character cannot leave anyone indifferent. Among other things, these pets are also excellent underground hunters. This type is the only one white terrier in its own form.
The animal is characterized by a rather attractive, sometimes even doll-like appearance. Moreover, tenderness and softness hide such traits as determination, intelligence, intelligence and hard work.
By the way, normal temperature in small breed dogs it is about 38.6-39.3 degrees.
Pomeranian Spitz breed
With their unusual appearance, these pets resemble teddy bears, although this animal cannot be called a toy. After all, the Spitz is distinguished by very great devotion, intelligence, and attentiveness. In addition, one cannot fail to mention his rather cheerful disposition, which makes him an irreplaceable friend. Despite its small stature, the dog is characterized by a bright personality.
The Spitz is able to completely charm a person, even one who is completely indifferent to ornamental animals. According to the standard, this pet is a small dog of strong build, with small ears, voluminous chest, as well as a short face. In the cold season, shoes for small dog breeds may not be of any use to him.
Papillon breed
is a representative of a very ancient decorative dog. Its history goes back about 700 years. The exact place of origin of the breed is unknown; presumably the first such dogs appeared in Belgium or Spain. These animals are best kept in apartment conditions. This pet has a pliable, friendly disposition, which can also be an excellent protector.
During walks it is an ideal companion. Among other things, the gestation period for small breed dogs is only 62-63 days, and childbirth will occur unnoticed. This decorative dog is beautifully built and has thin bones. The size of the animal is 28 cm, while body weight ranges from 1.8-2.5 kg.
Breed Rabbit Dachshund
Representatives of this breed are simply born hunters for burrowing animals, especially rabbits, who simply love to hide in burrows. 
True, modern dogs are no longer hunters, but simply decorative pets. Since this animal is very small in size, it is also called dwarf. It should be noted that toilets for small breed dogs can be purchased at any specialized store.
Judging by the reviews of dog lovers, these dogs are very friendly, and this quality is inherent in both puppies and adults. They are able to adapt to each family member. They have a proud character, for this reason they cannot tolerate rude attitudes.
Alaskan Klee Kai breed
It should be noted that the breeding of these mini Huskies was started by Linda S. Spurlin, who lived in Alaska in the 70s. Initially, these dwarf Huskies had one common name - Klee Kai, but due to political trends in 1995, they began to be classified as Klee Kai and Alaskan Klee Kai.
Having a very similar appearance with the Husky breed, the character of these animals still differs. Miniature breed He has a rather cheerful disposition and loves to play active games. Always happy to play outside or long time take a walk. By the way, coughing occurs in small breed dogs much more often than in larger dogs.
Domestic fennec fox
If we compare with other animals, then in its size the Fenech is more like a small decorative dog or domestic cat. Its body is about 34-36 cm long, and its tail is 28-30 cm. These pets, which are just gaining popularity among dog lovers, are distinguished by their very insignificant height - only 25-27 cm with a body weight of 1.5 kg.
The animal is characterized by a small, pointed and cunning face, with sharp and small teeth. The eyes are large, however, the main decoration of the pet is its huge ears. Fenech's coat is soft and thick, very pleasant to the touch and has a light red color. It should be noted that a tray for small breed dogs is perfect for this pet.
Popularity of small breeds
Summing up the results of this article, we can conclude that today small breeds of dogs are especially popular, which can be explained quite simply. In addition to their amazing external characteristics, these animals are not very demanding in terms of conditions of keeping, care and feeding. They don't need a lot of space a large number of There is no need to devote time for walking.
Small dogs room- ornamental breeds some people simply call them "live toys", "purse dogs" or "fake" dogs. However, in the past there was a completely different attitude towards these dogs, some breeds were considered brave hunters, others were revered as deities, and still others often had more ancient history than many "real" dogs.
Soldier Mustache (translated from French as Mustache) was a famous warrior in the Napoleonic army. The authorities noted his intelligence; ordinary soldiers liked his cheerful disposition most of all. Mustache bravely participated in the battles and especially distinguished himself at the Battle of Austerlitz. For saving the regimental banner he was awarded a military order.
And no one was embarrassed by the fact that the order bearer was poodle. A big, cute poodle who marched with Napoleonic’s regiment across half of Europe. Moreover, Mustash remained not only in history, but also in French. WITH early XIX centuries, this is the name given to brave warriors with a lush mustache.
Nowadays, poodles are readily used by customs officers to search for drugs and weapons: these dogs have an excellent sense of smell, their intelligence is beyond praise, and they do not cause panic in the crowd, and a criminal will not be wary if he sees a cute curly dog at the airport or train station. Here's an indoor decorative breed for you.
Oddly enough, in the distant past the poodle was hunting dog. True, we didn’t go bear hunting with him. But the poodle’s ancestor willingly tracked down all kinds of water birds and took them out of the water. And even earlier the poodle was shaggy shepherd dog and joyfully drove sheep through the mountains of Hellas and Asia Minor.
In general, most indoor and decorative dogs have a glorious and very ancient history. For example, Pekingese, or chinese spaniel. No one counted how many centuries these dogs ran around the gardens of the imperial palace in Beijing. They might have been happy to run around in other places, but they were forbidden to be taken out of the palace under penalty of death. And it was impossible for anyone other than the emperor to keep Pekingese. Because the priests declared these cute dogs to be the incarnation of Buddha.
There are two legends about how the Pekingese conquered Europe. According to the first, the Anglo-Franco-Chinese War of 1860 is to blame. When the British and French took Beijing, the Empress ordered all the Pekingese to be killed so that the sacred dogs would not be captured by the Europeans. But five of them survived and were brought to England.
Another version is more peaceful. The English General Dunn, after a long service in China in 1860, while leaving for his homeland, asked the Chinese Empress for permission to give Queen Victoria of England one Pekingese. The Empress refused, the general did not argue and went to the port.
But when Dunn was already boarding the ship, an unknown man approached him and handed him a basket, asking him to open it only at sea. There was a small Pekingese in the basket. Maybe the Empress officially could not give sacred dog, but unofficially respected the general’s request?
The second “wave” of Pekingese reached Europe in 1900, after the suppression of the so-called Boxer Rebellion in China. Dogs began to be bred in England and Germany, and they looked after them so diligently that they even brushed their teeth (in those days, not everyone brushed their teeth).
Japanese temples had their own sacred dog - hin(Japanese dwarf spaniel, in Japanese this word means “treasure”). Its origin is shrouded in mystery. The Japanese believe that he is a native Japanese breed.
The Chinese believe that chins came to Japan from China... as part of a tax paid in the 8th century. Europeans insist that the chin came from european dogs. Allegedly, in the Middle Ages, the Dutch brought spaniels and Maltese dogs to Japan, from which Japanese dog breeders developed this breed.
Japanese Chin
Maltese(Melita, Maltese) is considered one of the most ancient decorative breeds. Darwin dated the first appearance of dogs similar to the Maltese as 6 thousand years BC. It has been established that such dogs existed in the ancient cities of Egypt, Rome and Greece. It is possible that the ancestors of the Maltese caught rats in the seaside ports of Mediterranean cities.
Later they became a luxury item. The presence of Maltese dogs indicated the high status of the owner and testified to his enormous wealth. The further spread of Maltese dogs was facilitated by the Crusades. The victorious knights brought white silky dogs to their ladies, which immediately gained popularity in all the royal courts of medieval Europe.
There is a bit of geographic confusion surrounding the Melites. Long-haired dogs were found on the island of Melita (and the breed was named after the island). And in the Middle Ages there were two islands with this name. Then one became Meleda in the Adriatic Sea, and the other became Malta. Of course, everything was mixed up, and the lap dogs began to be called not Meled, but Maltese. Although there were none in Malta.
Although, it is possible that Malta could have been the birthplace of this breed. After all, at that time it was a highly developed center of civilization and, of course, for many centuries, Maltese could exist there.
There is also a French lap dog. Although it was not the French who brought her out, but the Italians. So there are some geographical inaccuracies associated with both lap dogs. The French lapdog has curly and short hair because it was obtained by crossing a Melita and a Poodle. And Melita has long, straight hair.
Now Famous Tiny Babies Yorkies ( Yorkshire terriers) are considered descendants of the Waterside Terrier. These small dogs were famous in the 18th-19th centuries in Yorkshire (Great Britain) and were very much valued by peasants, as they protected houses well from rodents (rats and mice). Among the ancestors of Yorkies, hunting Skye terriers, Clydesdale terriers and Paisley terriers are also indicated.
In the twentieth century, Yorkshire Terriers became especially popular after World War II due to famous dog named Smokey. In February 1944, Smokey was discovered by an American soldier in an abandoned trench in the jungle of New Guinea. For the next two years, Smokey was stationed with her owner, Winn, in the Pacific Theater. She survived through at least 150 air raids and two typhoons in Okinawa.
During the lulls between battles, Smokey learned many tricks and entertained the wounded with their performance. According to Winn, Smokey learned more tricks than any other dog of her time. In 1944, the Army Yankee magazine named Smokey "The Best Mascot in the Southwest Pacific."
Smokey, thanks to her skills, helped military engineers build a military airfield in Lingguayen Bay on Luzon, which made her a real heroine. Smokey's help in laying a communication cable through an underground pipe made it possible to avoid the need to use 250 workers and 40 combat aircraft.
Smokey
After the war, Wynn and Smokey's story was published on December 7, 1945, in the Cleveland Press. Soon after, she became something of a sensation. Over the next 10 years, Wynn and Smokey traveled to Hollywood and even abroad to demonstrate the dog perform various tricks, including walking on a tightrope while blindfolded.
In total, there are six monuments to Smoky in the United States. In addition, Yorkshire Terrier National Rescue (YTNR) awards an annual 'Smokey Award' to the most outstanding rescue dog of the year.
Feather ball with legs, aka pomeranian spitz, the smallest representative of the Spitz. The breed gets its name from the area between East Germany and Western Poland known as Pomerania. At the same time, the early ancestors of these dogs were used to transport goods on sleds and hunt in the ice-covered regions of the Arctic.
They were different large sizes, their weight reached up to 15 kilograms. It is believed that the Pomeranian Spitz inherited its thick coat from them.
At the beginning of the 17th century, the ancestors of these dogs were brought to Pomerania, where they were used to guard livestock. The glorious rise of these dogs as court favorites began in the mid-18th century. At that time dwarf spitz was known in several European countries.
At first the breed enjoyed great success among ordinary people, later the nobility drew attention to her, and Spitz dogs appeared in the courts of kings. At the same time, the size of the breed began to decrease (probably for ease of carrying). Behind short period Over time, through selection, these dogs became two to three times smaller than their ancestors - from 14-15 kg, their weight decreased to five to seven.
Many people in modern world dream of buying a dog small size. In addition to their cute appearance, such pets have cheerful character, are very attached and love their owners, they are convenient for transportation in a car or plane. The choice of breeds is very rich: Chihuahuas, Toy Terriers, Spitz, Petit Brabançons, Yorkshire Terriers, Biewer Yorkies and many others. But before you start little friend, you should be well aware of their features and possible problems in care and health.
In the first year of life, puppies especially need attention. The very first veterinary procedure is deworming, followed by two vaccinations - at 2 and 3 months. It is necessary to pay attention to the fontanel, it must be completely closed. Indeed, in the case of the opposite, the brain is not protected from injury bone tissue, which is especially dangerous for small dogs and, unfortunately, very common due to their anatomical structure. As a rule, from 5 months, dogs begin to change their teeth. A feature of small breeds is the untimely loss of milk teeth, especially canines. They have the longest roots, which is why the teeth can grow in two rows or have incorrect location. Some permanent teeth may not grow at all. Such problems have to be eliminated by tooth extraction under anesthesia. Pathologies such as undershot and overshot are quite common. Therefore, it is important to show your puppy regularly veterinarian so as not to miss time and make the necessary correction in time. As dogs age, they can suffer from periodontal disease and plaque buildup. A smell appears and teeth begin to fall out. Sometimes by the age of 5 many are missing permanent teeth. Regular inspection and rehabilitation oral cavity mandatory for such patients.
Puberty occurs quite early in small breeds. Males, as a rule, from the age of 6 months begin to exhibit unwanted sexual behavior (marking), the activity of hormones throughout their lives is very high, which leads to diseases prostate gland. Diagnosis of these problems is carried out by ultrasound examination. Among small breed dogs, there is a high number of cryptorchids - dogs with one or two testes that have not descended into the scrotum, which is due to genetic heredity. Due to all of the above factors, they are medical indications, must be castrated. “Girls” have no less problems. Small breeds many people get sick gynecological diseases- pyometra ( purulent inflammation uterus), polycystic ovary syndrome, neoplasms of the uterus, ovaries and/or mammary glands. As for pregnancy, not all females are able to bear fruit; childbirth often ends caesarean section. After the birth of puppies, eclampsia may occur - a decrease in calcium levels in the blood to life-threatening levels, leading to convulsive syndrome. After estrus, false pregnancy often occurs, manifested by psychogenic disorders, the appearance of milk in the mammary glands, and, as a complication, mastitis.
Concerning respiratory system, then collapse of the trachea is common here - a narrowing of its lumen, which manifests itself in the form of cough or shortness of breath, especially with emotional and physical activity. The diagnosis is made based on x-ray examination, bronchoscopy. Severe cases This disease requires surgical placement of a stent.
Support - locomotor system especially often exposed to trauma. Any careless jump, even just from the owner’s hands, can lead to fractures. Often dwarf breeds Perthes disease occurs, or aseptic necrosis heads femur, which develops by the age of one year, and is manifested by lameness on the pelvic limb.
A special place is occupied by the “weak” gastrointestinal tract, diseases of the liver and pancreas. It is important to note here that your pet’s diet is correct. Unbalanced feeding natural food or poor commercial food can cause gastroenterocolitis, which can also be ulcerative. Such dogs often experience vomiting, especially on an empty stomach, bloating, diarrhea, sometimes with mucus and streaks of blood. Diseases of the gallbladder and bile ducts are widespread; these can be either cholecystitis or stones in the lumens of the ducts and gallbladder, formation of thick and heterogeneous mucus, polyps. Among liver diseases, severe pathology occurs - porto-caval shunt - anastomosis between veins gastrointestinal tract and caudal vena cava. Due to availability of this vessel the blood flowing from the intestines is not purified in the liver, but enters directly into the body. Normally, all blood flowing from the intestines passes through the liver, where ammonia and other toxins are cleansed, and only then merges with the rest of the body’s blood. To examine these organs, it is used ultrasound examination, blood tests are taken, and x-rays are taken.
The range of neurological problems is very wide. The most common is hydrocephalus (an increase in the volume of the ventricles of the brain). The most typical clinical signs intracranial hypertension are circling in a circle, wandering without a goal, tilting the head, throwing the head back, epileptiform seizures, blurred vision. Another commonly encountered symptom complex is atlantoaxial instability. Incorrect anatomical interaction between the first and second cervical vertebra can lead to their displacement and compression of the brain. A pathology of sharp pain appears when turning or tilting the head, its forced position, poor sensitivity in the thoracic limbs and their poor motor activity. If you suspect these diseases, you should consult a neurologist.
Nowadays, in pursuit of excessive diminutiveness, breeders are breeding smaller and smaller dogs. smaller sizes without complying with selection standards. When choosing a small pet from a breeder, you should not choose a dog that is too small and clearly does not meet the breed standards. Such an animal will most likely be susceptible to many diseases, and you risk losing it in a few years. It is better to see a veterinarian right away so that he can rule out underlying problems and talk in more detail about caring for the puppy.
26-10-2014 6:06 am
Not long ago we published an article by Anton Volkov about small dogs. Today we are publishing an absolutely wonderful note from Anna Rossolenko, the owner of a dog named Rika, who from a tiny, timid creature has turned into a confident dog who can do everything, everything, everything! Anya shares her observations about life with small dogs, as well as funny photographs from the family archive.
Start of the day for a small dog
A normal day off, I wake up to a small elephant trampling on me, namely my dog. chihuahua breed. In the morning, Rika wakes up in her bed, located on a chair and covered with a warm blanket, and watches when I wake up. And as soon as I wake up, this 3-kilogram baby elephant rushes to tell me that it’s time for breakfast and the dog needs a portion of attention.
Small dog and other family members
Then Rika happily runs to each family member, says hello and jumps into the kitchen. Rika eats boiled meat with porridge and vegetables, and also treats himself from the table. Rika knows how to approach everyone, even the strictest family members. She pushes someone with her paws from a running start, sits down next to someone in the corridor in a “bunny” pose and looks sadly, a la a poor relative, does not stand on ceremony with someone, jumps onto her knees and reaches under the arms, showing what she would like to try from the table. Rika is great at reading people and loves her family. Therefore, it is not possible to separate him from the table. And thanks to educational games, Rika learned not to give up in achieving her own goals!
Toilet for a small dog
When it comes to care and feeding, there are some differences compared to keeping a larger dog. A small dog's toilet may not depend on a walk - a litter tray is quite suitable for the dog's needs, and there is no need to go for a walk in the cold or rain, this can be done during the day. The dog does not need to endure, and this is a significant advantage for the owner, who cannot come at the same time.
Feeding a small dog
C natural feeding we have no problems. Rika eats everything.
When we adopted Rika as a puppy, they gave her to us with a bag of dry food in addition. At first I fed her food. But gradually we switched to natural feeding. The impetus for this was the advice of relatives who felt sorry for the dog: after all, everyone around them eats whatever they want, and the dog was offered strange, smelly crackers for all meals! So, through trial and error, we created a diet for Rika from natural products. We also have handouts from the table, and I think that there is nothing wrong with the dog trying our food, for example, vegetables, fruits and dried fruits, cottage cheese and other fairly harmless dishes. I also let her chew on the cartilage that I come across while cooking. In addition to meat, I cook offal, which Rika loves very much.
Regarding the dog's resting place. I noticed that many small dogs love warm soft houses with a roof or blanket so you can wrap yourself up more comfortably and warmly.
Toys
Our favorite toys are Kong and various balls where food is placed. Often, when I sit down at the table, I ask Rika to bring a ball or a Kong. The toy is filled with cheese, and Rika tends to it while we sit quietly at the table.
Ammunition for a small dog
Rika goes for a walk in a beautiful Haqihana harness with an attached address card. We have a lot of leashes, but most often we walk on a fixed tape measure for small dogs - because it is 3 meters long and has a small, light carabiner. On a walk in the city I I always lock the leash at two meters, in the yard at three, and in the forest I let the dog off the leash. Be careful: an unlocked tape measure can cause discomfort for your dog and teach him to pull on the leash!
Clothes for a small dog
We need clothes. The main thing is that the clothes are not restrictive and do not get under the dog’s feet. In the rain it’s a raincoat, in winter it’s a warm blanket, and in summer it’s sometimes a light cotton suit soaked in anti-tick agent. This is necessary because the dog is small, and all the chemicals and dirt from the road almost eat into its sensitive skin.
Fearfulness in small dogs
Since the dog is small, and the world around is large and sometimes scary, plus a lack of understanding of the importance of socialization by breeders and owners, all this can lead to the dog being fearful, overly excitable, and overly reactive to various stimuli. It's important to know here your dog and anticipate her reactions and the actions of strangers.
A small dog often calls increased attention. People are delighted with the smallness and charm of the dog, and are ready to hover over it to stroke it, look into its eyes without interruption, lovingly, make sudden movements - simply because they did not notice the small dog next to them - and do other uchi-paths ! In these cases, I use a separation signal to show the dog that he does not need to be afraid of the stranger. I also use feedback, switching attention, or - only in extreme cases! — lifting the dog into your arms (for this we have a special “hands up” signal, after which Rika is ready to rise).
At home, before guests arrive, I also prepare Kongs and food balls and warn guests to try to walk slowly, not look at the dog and give it a treat - then everything will go smoothly.
Great intelligence of a small dog
A small dog is not inferior in intelligence to large dogs. Rika knows commands from regular training, from stunt training, knows how to search for things and treats by smell, copes well with educational games of all complexity and cracks toys made with her own hands from scrap materials like nuts. She also knows things by name, knows how to imitate and is well versed in Russian. Her most amazing achievement is expression of desires. When Rika runs and rubs around a person, it is reasonable to ask her the question “What do you want?”, and then Rika happily shows: she needs to go outside, and she runs to the front door, then to the balcony, then to lift her to the windowsill, then to give her a treat. , then open the door, etc. Everything is very clear.
And Rika is also an excellent assistant - if you call someone loudly, Rika runs and barks to tell this person that his name is. If necessary, Rika can be asked to close the door, or make sure there is no one behind the door, bring slippers, find the TV remote control, or collect the trash.
A small dog meets other dogs on the street
My Rika is afraid big dogs, runs away from them, and I’m afraid to let her near them. Because it is impossible to know anything about the experience of a large dog from a distance, and for a small dog the troubles of meeting a large dog may be too dangerous. What do we do in such cases? We're coming to big dog either on a leash or in our arms, then we greet the owner, observe the dog, and I decide whether to let Rika closer. I often let dogs in the yard without foreplay - however, if they don’t have puppies and if it’s not a pack. We say hello to medium-sized dogs and other small ones, play with some, like some, and not like others. Everything is like people.
conclusions
As a result of my short story, I can say this - a small dog is not much different from large ones in terms of its needs, in some ways it is absolutely not inferior to large ones in terms of abilities (for example, intellectual!). But at the same time, small dogs are quite sensitive and can easily become fearful and excitable. We humans are often to blame for this - if we do not attach importance to the socialization and support of our dog. That's why living together with a small dog requires us to be even more attentive in assessing the different life situations in which our dog finds itself, and its internal states.
A final note from the editor
Anya Rossolenko and Rika have come a long way. Until recently, Rika was a little coward who barked at the sight of strangers. And Anya was a housewife who didn’t quite understand what to do with it. But, being a responsible owner, Anya, when she first discovered Ricky’s problem, began searching for a solution. Not finding answers in traditional cynology, she found a new cynology: these were