Longhaired Chihuahua on Her Way to Work Is the Bossiest Little Commuter
If you're lucky enough to work somewhere that you can take your dog to work with you and live in a big city, chances are you might commute by walking to your office. Eleanor Harmsworth's husband commutes to work with their Longhaired Chihuahua sometimes, and she recorded the pooch and her dad walking down the streets of NYC at the beginning of November. The sassy dog will crack you up!
The walk starts out just fine, with the trio crossing a busy street. The dog is looking around, checking out the goings on of the city. Make sure your sound is on as you watch to see what happens when she approaches another dog. As mom says in the video's caption, "She will be taking no prisoners on her way to maximize shareholder value!"
That is one sassy little dog with a personality much bigger than she is! Commenters had mixed reactions to Eleanor's dog's behavior. @Ladybug shared, "She stands on business every single time!" @B didn't think the dog's behavior was acceptable, "It’s not cute or funny. It’s bad and dangerous aggression. That’s how little dogs die in dog fights. My Chihuahua is just simply trained." @Neuro.Spicy said, "I feel like she needs a shorter leash; I have a firecracker dog too and it helps them feel secure to have a smaller area to defend."
Are Chihuahua's Aggressive Dogs?
Commenter @Hillary B. pointed out, "Lmaooo! It’s always the little ones fighting!" to which Eleanor replied, "Little dog syndrome." Little dog syndrome, also known as small dog syndrome, is a term used to describe some behaviors that small breeds (Chihuahuas are the smallest) commonly exhibit.
Like the Chihuahua in this video, they may display exaggerated dominance to compensate for their small size. It's like they're saying, "Don't mess with me because I am tough!" Dogs that display little dog syndrome can be aggressive, including barking, growling, or nipping at animals or people. Excessive barking is also a common behavior.
I agree with the commenters that pointed out this isn't cute behavior, although it was cute to watch. This behavior can be dangerous for the small dog and for the humans that were involved in the dogs' interaction.
So how do you fix it if your dog has small dog syndrome? Training is key and needs to be consistent and ongoing. It may even require the help of a professional trainer since dogs with these behaviors already in place can be stubborn and hard to correct.
Early socialization is crucial for all dogs, as it helps them to build confidence around other dogs, people, and unknown situations, and reduces fear-based aggression. Establishing boundaries and rules is also key, which takes us right back to proper training.
Dogs often resort to aggressive behaviors out of boredom, so make sure that your small dog is getting enough mental and physical stimulation each day through exercise, toys, and play. Make sure to enforce positive behaviors and correct negative ones. Once they understand that the behavior is not acceptable, they may quit doing it entirely.
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