We've all fallen in love at some point with a cute little furry puppy. If you've seen one, you've probably exclaimed "Oh how cute! I want one!!" They really are quite adorable to have as companions, but there are a few considerations to be met before a decision is made to acquire one as a pet.
The main points to be made here seek to make you aware of the fact that (1) these dogs are quite "high maintenance", requiring a great deal of time commitment and (2) they live longer than their larger breed counterparts so the commitment is for a longer period of time.
It is a fact that longer fur would become tangled easily and quickly. Therefore, owners must be aware that brushing daily is a must. The fur around the eyes sometimes grows enough to physically irritate the eyeballs and cause medical complications. Even with daily brushing, grooming (trimming of the fur) should be done at least every 3 months. If these duties are not performed, and the fur is allowed to tangle, it eventually becomes matted. At this stage it can no longer be brushed, the dog will suffer from added heat stress, generalized discomfort and skin irritation that may lead to redness or even bruising.
With longer fur dogs it is much more difficult to observe ticks and fleas on the skin. These parasites hide more easily, causing skin irritation and transmitting diseases. Unless the dog is brushed everyday and the skin examined everyday, the problem will not be noticed until they are already so copious in number that treatment becomes more complicated and difficult.
Purebred small dogs are not widespread in our country. Because of this and their high demand, breeders often inbreed (females and males that are related are lined to produce offspring). These can lead to birth defects and malformations in the puppies that are produced and can also make them more susceptible to other problems such as skin rashes.
Breeders also sometimes line purebred small females with slightly larger males, creating a cute little puppy that would eventually grow up to be larger than expected. In this case the cute puppy fur may even change with age to something the owners never desired and these pups may become abandoned or ill-treated. Also, owners of the small breed female will encounter problems if a larger male accidentally lines with her. In some cases, the pups will be too large to be delivered vaginally and a c-section will have to be performed which would be costly. If the dog goes into labour and encounters difficulty and too much time passes before a c-section is performed, the pups may die in the mother and she herself may become ill.
Smaller breed dogs live longer than larger breed dogs. Because of this they are more likely to experience medical issues associated with age, such as breast cancer. The likelihood of dealing with this problem reduces significantly if the female is spayed before her first heat cycle, but most times owners are not aware of this and spaying is done later in life, if at all, when it no longer helps to prevent the condition.
Lastly, the temperament of the breed must be considered. Some small dogs are as lovable and cuddly as they look. However, a lot of them are quite noisy, barking at seemingly nothing. At times, this causes problems with neighbours or even family members who may complain about the noise. They sometimes become aggressive and territorial as well, so they may not be suitable for children. Keep in mind that not all are aggressive, and part of this behaviour may be attributed to their upbringing.
The purpose of this blog is not to deter you from your dream of owning a cuddly little companion, but rather to make you aware of the commitment you are making by bringing some points to your attention that you may or may not have been aware of. For any further advice please feel free to contact your veterinarian.
