Why Do Little Dogs Instigate Fights with Big Dogs? The Surprising Reasons
This podcast episode, suggested by a fan named Becky, discusses the question of why small dogs often instigate conflict with larger dogs and, more importantly, why this behavior is frequently tolerated by owners and the public.
The Root of the Behavior
Laura & Kim acknowledge they can't ask the dogs, but offer several educated guesses about why small dogs act aggressively toward big dogs:
Insecurity and Overcompensation: It's often not about wanting a fight, but a lack of confidence. The small dog adopts an aggressive "best defense is a good offense" posture to appear bigger and tougher.
Owner Reinforcement/Tolerance: Many owners inadvertently encourage or reinforce the tough behavior when the dog is young because they find it cute or think their small dog "needs to act tough."
False Confidence: Small dogs may feel backed up by their owners, who are ready to "swoop in and save the day," even by simply picking the dog up. This can give the dog a false sense of security and power.
The Double Standard: Why It's Tolerated
The core issue highlighted is the double standard applied to small dog aggression versus large dog aggression:
Minimization of Harm: Owners often minimize or excuse the behavior because they assume the small dog can't do any major harm (physically), or they believe it's "all talk."
Liability and Public Perception: If a large dog, like a Pit Bull or Rottweiler, exhibited the same behavior, the owners would be incensed, and it would be seen as a major liability. However, when a small dog does it, the public often finds it amusing or cute, saying things like, "Oh, it's okay, she's all talk."
Risk to the Big Dog's Training: Allowing a small dog to constantly aggress at a well-behaved large dog can teach the large dog to become defensive toward all small dogs, leading to future problems where the big dog will inevitably be blamed.
Key Takeaways for Owners
The hosts emphasize that owners need to stop viewing the situation as "big dog vs. little dog" and start seeing it as simply dog behavior:
Treat All Dogs Equally: The standard of behavior should be the same regardless of size. If a behavior (aggression, excessive barking/yapping) is unacceptable in a large dog, it should be unacceptable in a small dog.
Small Dogs Can Cause Harm: Small dogs can still inflict pain and serious injury (especially to people with thin skin or on sensitive areas like the face) and cause behavioral harm to other dogs.
Avoid Constant Carrying: For small dogs, the best way to raise a confident, well-adjusted dog is to never constantly pick them up and to treat them as if they weighed 100 pounds. This allows them to develop independence, body language skills, and the ability to handle their environment.
Intervention is Necessary: If your small dog is aggressing at others, the owner needs to stop it. The hosts suggest using tools like Citronella spray (which is effective) for neighborhood-training or self-defense against off-leash aggressive dogs.
The ultimate message is that small dog aggression is primarily a problem of owner tolerance and that this tolerance puts the small dog on a "collision course with problems" with dogs who won't put up with it.