Why the prejudice against big dogs (and small dogs too)? And why do people insist big dogs are "outside dogs"?

People who assign "gender roles" & stereotypes to dogs based on size or breed, are ignorant :).

Most people who make judgement calls about certain breeds, have no idea of the origin or function of that breed. A "little" Patterdale Terrier will require 10 times as much stimulation & exercise as your average Great Dane. My Basenjis run circles around Rottweilers.

I don't understand the obsession with people and their "toy" dogs, especially assigning ridiculously low weight requirements. "ooooh it's gotta be under 5 pounds fully grown and its gonna be sooo cwwwuuuute!" I've heard of full grown dogs not weighing more than 2 lbs. My 20 lb dogs *poop* bigger than that. However, different strokes, different folks.

As for the "big dog outside, little dog inside" stuff.....I hear that ALL THE TIME where I live now! I moved to SD from Florida 2 years ago. In FL, people did keep "outside dogs" but I swear in 25 years I NEVER encountered the phrase, "big dogs are outside dogs and little dogs are house dogs" until I moved up here. In 2 years I've heard it repeated at least 20 times. People get *adamant* about it, too.....at my last, very short-lived job I ended up in an argument with a co-worker about it!

I think some of it stems from the fact that more folks up here actually DO hunt or utilize their dogs for farm work. Meanwhile "the wife" chooses whatever yappy thing she wants to keep her company indoors. I see lots of Labs & Pointers; plenty of "farm collie" types and variations on the Cattledog. Working dogs in any capacity do tend to be kenneled outside, wherever you go. I don't have any problem with an "outside dog" if he is properly housed and is worked regularly.

But you get a lot of people who grew up on these farms, with their "outside dogs"....they grow up, move to the *suburbs* and start a family. Inevitably they end up with a dog....Labs seem to be the "default" dog for folks who can't think up anything more creative. (Meaning- I have never seen so many people unsuited for Labs, buy Labs, because they don't seem to know of any other breed). And inevitably due to the ingrained idea that Labs are "outside dogs", the poor thing gets kenneled in a suburban backyard and NEVER worked or given a chance to run around.

Suggest to any one of these people that they bring the dog inside & give it entertainment with the family, and they look at you aghast. "That's a BIG DOG. He's an OUTSIDE DOG. I can't have him in my house!" Either the dog is Clifford the Big Red Dog, or you're living in a very small house....if the dog somehow won't "fit" inside your dwelling.

I don't get it. Lots of folks in this area are 20 years behind the times....but it's tolerable I suppose :)

I think part of it is, people think that small dogs are like dogs that stay puppy-size for life. Everybody wants a puppy.

Another part of it could be in people's mind, smaller dogs=less training and less work. Their small, how hard could it be. Of course you and I know this is wrong. I know little dog=little bladder=pain in butt to house train.

However, I'm sure there are lots of people who just really like smaller dogs. Maybe they had one as a kid and really enjoyed it.

You bring up a good point. I've read on the internet about BBDS (Big Black Dog Syndrome). Dogs most likely to sit in shelters, not get adopted, and be put to sleep are black dogs, big dogs, or both. Very sad.

Edit: I don't understand how owners can let their dogs live outdoors, big or small. This is something I don't do, and I can't begin to understand why others do it. Good luck in your quest to find a good reason behind it. Maybe check it out with the organization Dog Deserve Better, which try and curb owners from keeping their dogs chained up outside all day long.

We have an assortment of dogs here from Great Pyrenees to Acds to little guy. We keep the little one mostly inside llike at night and stuff because he is not built to with stand the cold like out other dogs. Even when it is -40 our Pyr refuses to stay inside and prefers to sleep outside but then she has a job to protect our sheep. Companion dogs can be little or labs for heaven sake it is just that most people prefer to travel wtih little dogs. Plus they eat less and cannot clean off a table with one swipe of their tail. You answered your own question rally about big dogs hunting and stuff. Thats what they are BRED for. We have a pyrenees that will take on a coyote but will cuddle with kittens and lambs.That is in her breeding. Same with the doxie. They are small prey ratters essentially whereas your lab is a retriever not so much with the prey drive. OUr ACD is not very bug but high high prey drive that's why they are good workers. Little dogs fit in the sink to wash big dogs need a tub. Little guys can sit on your knee not so much with the big ones although they want to.

Ask this question in the next pet store you go in as to why theree are so few accessories for big dogs.

I prefer big dogs and that is why we have 9 Great Pyrenees right now. 2 Stumpy tail ACD and a little crossbred something or other.

1. I dont know but it drives me crazy! Its like why people think that if a dog was bred to work outside they should live outside. A lot of these people actually believe the dog is happier outside. To me a dog is a dog, and while they are different sizes, temperaments, and drives one thing remains the same, they are pack animals bred to be around people and to enjoy being around people. Herding, carting, sledding, hunting, all ment they where around people all day, not outside alone. A mastiff needs companionship as much as a chihuahua.

2. I feel that any dog can do well in any size living area. As long as they are exercised properly they are going to sleep most of the time they are in the house and as long as you dont mind walking around them there are no issues. Giant dog breeds actually make for some of the best apartment dogs since they tend to be pretty sedentary, need less trips to the washroom, and are quieter.

3. My fathers Min Pin took on a shepherd that came after their birds (I think they had geese at the time) and won. Little dogs can be drivey and feisty. And big dogs can be lazy sucks, Ive seen Newfies get along with pretty well every creature on the planet and are fantastic with children. Its just a stereo type that small dogs are more better suited to be a companion

4. Small dogs are fine and do suit many peoples lifestyles better. I know an increasing amount of offices that allow small dogs to go to work with their owners, or shops that let in small dogs. My grandmother has a shih tzu (who far surpasses the 7 pound mark) and for her a small dog is easier to walk, lift into the bath (its easier for her to wash him in the sink, less bending), and handle while she grooms (he needs more grooming than my big dogs do ), and needs less exercise (that has more to do with breed than size but again she feels more comforatble walking a smaller dog), she also takes him everywhere with her and he is pretty portable and fits into her tiny car easily

I have two great Pyrenees and two rotties in my town house. They do fine, I take them to the park twice a day and have a doggie door out to my fenced 50'x50' back yard. My block love them as they have stopped a robbery and the Pyrenees guard the kid on the block like they belong to them. The male Pyrenees is 165 pounds any all together they weigh just under 550 ! They are very mellow in the house and quite easy to please. They never mess in the house and are not they cost around 11 dollars a day to feed for all 4. I can sleep without locking my doors. They are every bit as loving and cuddly as any small dog just as easy to maintain. The rotties just get baths and the Pyrenees is like grooming a large Shih-Tzu. Big dogs get a bad rap.but when we walk them many people want to pet them and talk about them. I WOULD NEVER BE WITHOUT MY GENTLE GIANTS.

That is not prejudice, that is ignorance.

I'm a giant dog lover myself, Danes, Mastiffs, etc...

And I currently have multiple large dogs, all of which stay inside with me where they should be, as the family members that they are.

I also know that many giant breeds, including the Great Dane, are just fine living in an apartment.

I don't know why so many people want small dogs, other than for want of a fashion accessory. It's a question I have often asked myself.

Besides, I find larger dogs to be much better companions as far as being a loyal friend; all the small dogs I have met are very wriggly and don't want to sit still.

Personally, I see small dogs as being poor substitutes for 'real' dogs, since small dogs don't really act like dogs, or at least their owners don't allow them to act like dogs. But that's just me.

Add: And many people argue that small dogs are easier to care for, but that is totally untrue. They take just as much care, attention, and training as any large dog, if not MORE.

Every dog needs some type of training. The first class I ever took a dog to was https://tr.im/gPKax

It's a very basic kind of class. They will help you with your dog, and show you how to work with your dog at home.

They'll also answer any questions you have about your dog's particular problems and how to handle them. The most important thing in dog training is to be consistent and work with your dog at home on the lessons. The PetSmart class teaches sit, down, come, and the very basics every dog needs to know. They will also help socialize your dog. You are unhappy with an untrained dog, and believe it or not, the dog is actually unhappy to. You need to take your dog now, as the older he gets, the harder it will be to correct your dog's bad habits. Plus the classes are fun for you and your dog. My dog went from that first PetSmart class on to advanced obedience classes. You might also contact your local humane society. The one in my area offers obedience classes with a very good trainer at a reduced price.

Small dogs generally take less food, less grooming, ect; i.e. less cost. and they aren't as prone to knocking things over and having as much need for exercise as big dogs. I like big ones personally, because I find them easier to train and I can wrestle with them without worrying about breaking a leg. My family is all over me cuz my wolf mix weighs 60 pounds and she's a inside dog; I couldn't care less what they say because all they've ever had is little yappers.

I agree that big dogs should live inside, but you're arguing against thousands of years of history. Most small dogs were originally bred to be companions. They were intended to be indoors with their owners, who were almost always upper-class women. Small breeds that were used for hunting (Terriers, for example) were kept in outdoor kennels. Large breeds were working dogs, and they were kept outside. It was unusual for their male owners to have a strong attachment to the dogs, and they were only kept as long as they contributed to the household.

Today the distinction between companion and working dogs is much less clear, but there is still a tendency to think that large dogs belong outside.

edit: I actually wrote a paper about the history of pet keeping in the Middle Ages for a college history class. I know what I said is true. You're right that small dogs served a purpose, but that purpose was to keep rich women company. Breeds like the Bichon Frise, Pug, Pekingese, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Chihuahua, Maltese, Papillon, and Shih Tzu were bred exclusively for companionship. Large dogs were owned by men and were not seen as pets. They always lived outside, although wealthier owners had kennels built for them. Small dogs that were bred for working were treated like other working dogs; their small size alone did not automatically make them house pets.

some people think small dogs are girly because a lot of women get them and carry them around in purses and put clothes on them...and the prejudice against big dogs is their size, people expect them to need more room cause they're larger...also i think people feel sorry for small dogs because of their size and that they should be pampered and carried around..... personally i have larger dogs just because i like to play rough and i'm also afraid i'm gonna step on a small dog and seriously hurt it. i like my 50lb pit mix she's stocky and athletic, i love having a dog i can go running with and then come home and cuddle up in bed... and what really bugs me about people rather than prejudice against dogs based on size is prejudice based on breed....i personally never know what kind of dog i have, it could be a teacup chichaua or newfoundland i don't pick the dog it picks me.