I realized something about myself today. Ever since I can remember I’ve always said that if I ever owned a dog, it would be a large dog. This opinion was derived from the beauty of certain large dog breeds such as german shepherds and irish setters. It could also be from the fact that the family dog during my childhood was medium-large. I know that I consciously belived that a large dog would be a better home guardian than a small one. Also somehow in my brain small dog = yappy & annoying. Somehow I believed that small dogs were for people who carried them around everywhere, dyed them pink, and named them Froo-froo. I managed to continue in this assumption despite the fact that I know many owners of small dogs who are nothing at all like that.
Today my assumptions have shifted because I finally recognized something about my own behavior. When I am confronted with a dog, I am reluctant to touch it. I’ve always told myself that this reaction is due to my animal hair allergies. But the fact is that it is only large dogs I am reluctant to touch. I’ll imediately pet, scratch, pick-up, and snoogle a small dog with no concern for allergies at all. This finally clicked in my head today when Gleek found a pair of cat-sized poodle-mixes in our front yard. I scratched them and found a stray hope in my head that their owners would not be found so I could keep them because they were so cute. That stray thought was despite the fact that I have no intention of taking on the responsibility of a dog right now. We found the owner visiting next door and returned the dogs. But now I’m left to ponder that maybe I’m not a large dog person and maybe I never have been. The insight is fairly moot since I don’t intend to acquire an animal right now, but it is fascinating to notice how I’ve been fooling myself for years.
Funny you mention this.
I also thought of myself as a big dog person as we alwas had medium to big sized dogs in our home.
The small ones we had were yappy. I really dislike yappy dogs.
My mom and Dad got a German Sheperd about 2 years ago.
It amazed me how much I did NOT want to play with it.
I didn’t want it jumping on me, licking me, etc.
My hubby wants a big dog. A Dogo Argentino to be exact.
I have always found Great Danes to be beautiful, and have dreamed of owning one.
But after my experience with my parents dog, I don’t know if I should get a dog at all.
I am happy with my two Tonkinese cats after all 🙂
Stew dogs versus roasting dogs
Dogs can kill. The best way to overcome fear is to confront it. If one is reluctant to touch a big dog, touch it. Get a rag or a rope and play tug-of-war. Wrestle with the dog. Fight over a tennis ball. The dog will love it. One may die from allergies, but that will solve the problem, too.
Small dogs are are inbred, rat-brained, yapping mutants beaming dog-rays from their twin antennae. When you find yoursef saying things like, “Snuggles is just so cute” or “…but Fluffy is different”, you have been overwhelmed with dog-rays. Dogs should not be cute; dogs should be fierce and terrible. Whereas a small dog might die defending you, a big dog can kill to protect you.
Mongrels are better than breeds. Mutts are cheaper, mutts don’t generally look so weird, as many breeds do, and mutts have the advantage of hybrid vigor. Mongrels capture more of the essential wolfness of dogs.
If one prefers small, stick with cats. Just keep them outside. Cats can kill, too.
Re: Stew dogs versus roasting dogs
Fear isn’t the issue. I’m not afraid of big dogs. I have had loving/affectionate relationships with big dogs. But those relationships grow slowly over time. Small dogs I seem to be able to love instantly. Could be something maternal I guess.
My wife and I have a running debate over dogs. We both like them, and we both know we have to wait until we have a larger, stand-alone house to get one.
But all her life, her parents kept enormous dogs–in the house– and I mean, St. Bernard-size dogs.
I like little dogs: terriers, min-pins, etc.
If I did get a big dog, there is no way I’m letting it live in the house. She, on the other hand…
This has been going on for a while.
Re: Stew dogs versus roasting dogs
What Wulf said. It’s all true.
(But I keep my cats inside unless I know they’re safe. They die easier, roaming around loose outside.)