There are plenty of oxymorons in the world: jumbo shrimp, pinpoint estimation, even odds, a little pregnant, and then there’s Presley the chihuahua. Presley is one of many small dogs that belie his diminutive stature with his HUGE personalities. Who knows why little dogs like Presley have such big personalities, maybe it’s the canine version of a Napoleon complex. Maybe it’s his way of trying to find his place in a pack that he considers much bigger than himself. Or perhaps, you can dismiss it as one of nature’s mysteries, or God’s “cosmic sense of humor.” The point is that a dog like Presley is proud, quirky and difficult to train, and that causes problems.
Miniature breeds like the Maltese, Pomeranian, Chihuahua, Yorkie, Dachshund and many others can be very helpful when it comes to training. Why is that and how can you manage it so your dog doesn’t go to waste? Presley, and other small dogs like him, are often seen as prudish and moody. This, sometimes, is just because they are not properly trained. This is not fair to Presley, to his small dog compadres, to you, or to others who may be deterred from purchasing a small dog because of a bad experience. You don’t want others to miss out on letting such a great and loving personality into their lives, just because your dog isn’t well-trained, do you? Also, you don’t want to find yourself in a situation like Presley’s before you realize the importance of training.
Presley’s big problem
What is Presley’s situation? Well, Presley lives in a friendly neighborhood, so one of the neighbor’s little kids came over to play with Presley, who was tied up in the yard. When the boy picked him up, Presley bit the boy on the hand and even drew blood. The boy’s parents agreed that it was partly the boy’s fault, as he walked up to Presley and picked him up without asking, but Presley’s owners were distraught. This was one of the few warning signs Presley had shown lately: chewing, urinating in the house, barking uncontrollably, and now nibbling. They had always let Presley do whatever he wanted, never felt right punching him in the nose or looking for proper ways to correct his behavior when he was so young, and now they were paying for it. Presley began an intense training regimen immediately after the incident.
where to do your business
To teach Presley, or any small puppy, where to relieve himself, try taking him to the same spot in the yard every time you take him out. Make sure you walk him up and around that spot each time until he finds a spot he thinks is suitable, and don’t get impatient. If he finds out that place is your place, he’ll be happy to bookmark it very soon.
If you urinate or defecate in the house, clean it immediately and, above all, make sure to neutralize the smell; white vinegar works well for this. Small dogs often relieve themselves in the house to mark their territory. Because they are small, they are not as capable of defending their territory, so they are much more vigilant about keeping it marked. Eliminating Presley’s scent, and believing that if small dogs have a big personality, they have a big scent to go with it, will teach him that it’s not his territory to mark. Spraying some of your own cologne or perfume on the area can help him understand that it’s yours.
when to do your business
Small dogs have small bladders. Presley may be urinating or defecating in the house because he doesn’t go out often enough. He tries to take him out on a routine basis, once every 1 1/2 hours or so, so he knows his potty needs will be met. Some dogs with nervous temperaments are actually nervous for fear that their needs—food, potty, and other things—are not being met. You will find that your dog’s mood improves with this security.
Have pee pads available around the house for emergencies and reward Presley for using them. Small dogs are smart, no joke. If you are interested in trying to teach Presley a signal for him to give when he wants to go out, you can teach him to wait at the door and bark, or even ring a bell when he needs to go out.
chewing
Small dogs will chew. This is how they clean their teeth and entertain themselves. You can’t control if they chew, but what they chew. Make toys and treats readily available to them, and make sure these toys don’t resemble anything you don’t want them to chew on. If you have children with stuffed toys, don’t give them stuffed toys to chew on. Don’t give them shoe-shaped chew toys or people food. Raw hides, deer antlers, rope, and squeaky balls are good choices to avoid confusion. You can’t be mad at Presley for mixing a toy shoe with a real shoe.
Scathing
Nibbling is unacceptable. Period. A light blow to the nose is punishment enough for this. If he’s not comfortable with that, when Presley bites, pick him up and gently place him on his back on the floor. Nibbling is a display of dominance and putting him in a submissive position reaffirms your position as pack leader. But beware, this takes practice. The idea is not to hurt him, but to show him that, despite what he has been led to believe, he is not the boss. Say firmly, “No.” and keep his mouth closed for a moment with your fingers. Nibbling is never okay.
Don’t toy with Presley teaching him that nibbling is okay sometimes, because he’s not likely to learn the difference.
bark
Barking is a constant battle with any dog, but especially a small dog. They are one of the canines for which the saying “A dog’s bark is worse than his bite” is true. Small dogs are territorial and defensive, but much of their ability to scare anything lies in their barking. Therefore, it will be a constant battle to discourage this behavior. There is no one correct answer, as every dog responds differently to different training. Do not use shock collars on small dogs. They bark when they are alarmed, and so when startled they will bark more and become more startled. Shock collars are quite cruel to them for this reason and are very controversial. This author is not convinced that the end justifies the means.
puppy school
If you’re having trouble training your puppy on your own, or maybe you don’t have as much time as you’d like, consider enrolling your dog in puppy school or training classes. This is helpful not only because you have a professional trainer to help you when you get stuck, but also your dog learns good habits for his interaction with other dogs.
So, at the end of the day, training a small dog in a way that fits their big personality can be difficult, but it’s essential that that personality is “on the leash.” Small dogs are viewed in a negative light when they are not properly trained, and it just isn’t fair. For one, imagine if a large dog bit a small child like Presley did. Chances are the dog is in big trouble, maybe even euthanized. Letting a small dog get away with it because he’s small is tempting, because in general, there’s not much harm he can do, but your little dog will inflate the wrong parts of his big personality if you don’t train him properly. You don’t want to be left with a bratty, unfriendly dog, and no one to blame but yourself.