I was inspired by Don’t Make These Comments To Great Pyrenees Owners on It’s Dog Or Nothing to write this post. Kelsie’s Pyrs, Mauja and Atka, might as well be a different species than chihuahua-type dogs like Matilda! At the same time, we can all relate to dealing with hearing the same comments over and over again.
Here’s a few things which, if I had a chi for every time they were spoken, I’d be a very, very happy lady.
This is Rosie, a rather extreme example of the dangers of backyard breeding in Chihuahuas.Table of Contents
1. You should let her have babies!
I’m flattered that you think my dog is cute, but no, she’s not going to have puppies for you to take home. Chihuahuas are the second most surrendered and euthanized breed in shelters besides pit bulls. They’re especially abundant here in California.
Moreover, breeding dogs isn’t something to do willy-nilly. Chihuahuas are prone to genetic problems like luxating patella partly because of generations of careless backyard breeding. The only way to breed dogs responsibly is to get health testing for both parents and take serious consideration to improving the breed.
2. My dog could eat your dog as a snack.
I know. And I’m scared to death of that.
In my chihuahua Facebook groups, I see frequently see chihuahuas with fatal injuries from attacks by larger dogs. While most dogs we meet just want a quick sniff, I always fear the worst.
I’m careful to read a dog’s body language before I allow it near my dog. I look for a relaxed face, forward-shifting, curious ears and a friendly, wagging tail.
I raised Matilda to be confident by biting my lip, feigning calmness and resisting the urge to pick her up whenever we see a big dog. Picking up your little dog can make her an intriguing target for a larger dog, and can make her associate all dogs with anxiety and panic.
But sometimes big, playful dogs come at us so fast, I have milliseconds to make a decision. It’s scary, especially when the dog is loose and unattended.
So, please don’t remind me of how tiny and edible my dog looks.
3. You could pretend she’s a service dog and take her anywhere!
When I first heard about sites that send you fake service dog accessories and convincing doctor’s notes signed by shady Belgian “physicians,” I didn’t see any harm in it – and I seriously considered it. After all, one of those phony service dog deals is cheaper than the cost of dog airfare (I paid $125 each way for our domestic flight). Being able to fly with Matilda for free would save us hundreds.
But then I started hanging out in science-based dog training groups, where many members are disabled, and depend on their dogs to live a normal life. The rise of fake service dogs makes it harder for disabled people to do the everyday things we take for granted, like go grocery shopping or attend college classes.
Untrained, fake service dogs can distract their hard-working service animals. People sometimes mistake real service dog teams for imposters, and may ask invasive questions or ask for proof, which can be stressful to the individual.
Even faking Emotional Support Animal (ESA) status to avoid renter’s pet fees and airline fees could contribute to stricter regulations that may complicate life for a real ESA. I wouldn’t want to do anything to make a disabled person’s life more difficult.
Now, my stance on smuggling a chihuahua around in a purse, without claiming it is a service animal – fair game. If you can smuggle your dog around in public without getting noticed, or disturbing other people, or making your dog unhappy, I feel that’s totally acceptable.
4. You don’t have to pick up her poop, it’s small anyway.
Yes, yes I do.
Picking up poop is part of being a good dog owner, no matter the size of your dog. Even Matilda’s little tootsie roll turds could ruin someone’s day – their kid could try to eat it, their dog could roll in it, or it could get on their shoe. I am a firm believer in poop karma. If your abandoned dog turd ruins someone’s day, then the Universe will manifest a day-ruining poop in your life. It could be weeks, months, or just hours later. I don’t mess with that.
5. Ow my face!
When you give Matilda love, you’re putting yourself at risk.
When you’re caught off-guard, she will jam her tongue up your nose and into your brain. She will French kiss you. She has Frenched at least three grandmas with no shame at all.
She will use the fullest extent of her tongue. She will make your nose burn. She will put her paws on your face and neck so you can’t get away, wagging as she does it. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
In retrospect, I probably should train my dog to not love people so hard, but where’s the fun in that? She will stop if you tell her “off” or gently move her away. But if she were to truly discouraged to give people “The Matilda Treatment,” life just wouldn’t be the same.
So, endure those sweet, sweet Chihuahua kisses, and just smile through the pain.
What are you sick of hearing people say about your dog?
She also uses her pet copywriting business to make sure the best pet products and services get found online through catchy copy and fun, informative blog posts. She also provides product description writing services for ecommerce companies.
As a dog mom to Matilda and Cow, she spends most of her days taking long walks and practicing new tricks, and most nights trying to make the best of a very modest portion of her bed.
You'll also find her baking bread and making homemade pizza, laughing, painting and shopping.
Oh my gosh, I can still relate to these! People tell me all the time that Mauja and Atka should have puppies and can’t fathom why I won’t breed them. Also, everyone with a small dog who sees my two goes, “they could eat you as a snack!” Never quite understood why people with small dogs would be the ones making that comment.
Kelsie | It’s Dog or Nothing recently posted…I Have Celiac, but That’s Not Why I Feed Grain-Free #GrainFreeForMe
Haha! I think a lot of small dogs go through life acting like they have no idea they’re snack sized.
Lindsay Pevny recently posted…How To “Write For Your Audience” To Write Better Blog Posts
Ugh so much yes. I remember when someone asked me if I’d breed Wynston with her dog, I almost went nuts! Spay and neuter, people!!! Not to mention the fact that Arizona is running rampant with homeless Chihuahuas…
Same here, if someone wants a dog like Matilda, they could pretty much just drive around for a while and find one. Speaking of.. don’t you just wanna swoop up all those homeless chis sometimes?
Lindsay Pevny recently posted…How To “Write For Your Audience” To Write Better Blog Posts
I totally do. It’s hard not to take them all!
My husband was the worst oh yea he spoon fed ours and everytime he seen one on the street oh honey there gonna be cold tonight or oh honey look at that face just look if u can sit for 5 minutes and still walk away then we will I can tell u for the 18 yrs we were married we were never without a Chihuahua(he passed 5 yrs ago guess what i went and got the other day yep a Chihuahua we at one point had 3 and that was enough he cooked for them he had them so spoiled before he had passed we only had 2 one had already passed while he was in hospital within a week of him having a stroke then Baby his world passed 7 days after he did he passed at home she laid on his chest for 18 days while he was in a coma and i had to even put her food on his chest the bet told me do what u have to so she will eat but she started not letting nurses and me medicate him and bath him cause even though he was in a coma I still wanted him to be clean and if he did wake up he was not shamed he was a very proud man worked out everyday reason i tell u is because of all his muscle he went 18 days no food no water just pain meds dr said longest they had seen but then the dog went on a no eat no nothing and i tried everything but she wanted her daddy and she is with him sorry it was a sad post but he loved his dog and i needed to share if im in wrong please let me know oh one more thing I came home from a small vaction week and he had told me oh honey I finally found something baby really likes to eat Oh really what is it “””OH HONEY U HAD SOME SMALL ROUND MEAT IN FREEZER AND IT HAD BACON WHAT YEA U GOT IT AND IT WAS HARRIS RANCH WELL SHES HAD ONE EVERY NIGHT THAT U BEEN GONE WERE CAN I GET MORE BABE U CANT THEY COME AROUND AND SELL THEM THERE LIKE 7 DOLLARS A STEAK DARN MAN”””” when u get home i take u out honey oh i know u are…….
Wow, what a moving story! Your husband sounds like he was a really sweet man, I’m so sorry for your loss. Thank you so much for sharing. It’s amazing how dogs even make our relationships with other humans richer and more wonderful. <3
Lindsay Pevny recently posted…34 Places To List Your Local Pet Services For Free
Oh my goodness! You are so right on all these points! I have a little chihuahua and, yes, she is adorable. But, no, she will not be having babies. And, you got my on the french kissing! Little Bit does the same thing!!! She will run her tongue up your nose or in your mouth so fast you don’t know what hit you. So funny! I think my pet peeve is people picking at her just to hear her growl. They seem to think it is funny to make her mad – go figure!
Miss Molly Says recently posted…How to Know When It’s Time to Put Your Pet to Sleep
Oh yes, why do people think it’s okay to tease a little dog? It can be tough for me to speak up sometimes, but it’s scary for her when people put their fingers in her face.
Lindsay Pevny recently posted…How To “Write For Your Audience” To Write Better Blog Posts
Our previous dog was a Yorkie and we heard “my dog could eat your dog” comment a lot, too. Ugh. I had no idea they were the second most surrendered dog after PitBulls.
Our current dog, Ruby, is a mixed breed with lots of fluff on her face. The comment we get all the time is “can she see under all that fur”.
I grew up with a Yorkie that had no idea he was so small! His favorite thing to do.. chase after the deer that would pass through the yard.
I too have heard the ‘my dog could eat your dog’ comment and it always irked me.
BOL…. love this list! 🙂 I’m sick of hearing people say they want Penny .. although I suppose that’s a compliment, huh?
Nichole recently posted…Satisfy Your Dog’s Primal Cravings with NUTRO
Great list! People love to pick on small dogs saying that their dog could eat ’em up…sigh. I’m tired of hearing people call my dog a Westie LOL I plan to write a post about Westies vs Mini Schnauzers soon!
Kia recently posted…10 Mini Schnauzer Instagram Accounts You Should Follow
I did think your pup looked like a westie puppy at first, actually!
Lindsay Pevny recently posted…How To “Write For Your Audience” To Write Better Blog Posts
These are strange things to say – especially the baby one. I’ve been so tempted to tell people to get their dogs fixed. (I now live in a more rural area and I can’t believe how many people don’t. I thought it was basically mandatory for pets). I have a schnoodle and I don’t get too many weird comments other than sometimes, ‘there’s a leash by-law you know.’ He’s too much energy to keep leashed and we are in the country. I once countered this with, ‘Yes, and pot is still illegal,’ to which he cycled away quickly. One good thing about the country is someone is always violating a by-law so if you want to point figures …. well, there’ll be a lot of fingers…
LOL, as long as your pup is under control, it doesn’t sound like such a big deal.
Lindsay Pevny recently posted…How I Got My Pet Blog Post To Rank #1 In Google Seach Results
Pierre is guilty of #5 on a daily basis. I worry about larger dogs with my boys and they are bigger than Matilda. I saw a “Service” donkey was let on an airplane recently.
M. K. Clinton recently posted…Putting Petnostics to the Test
Actually when we meet a tiny dog, we tell our guys they could end up a breakfast LOL
Jana Rade recently posted…Cookie’s Musculoskeletal Challenges: What Supplements Am I Using?
Oh my goodness, poor Rosie! Yeah, I see a lot of Chihuahuas here in California. I feel so horrible that people get them because they are cute but aren’t ready to be pet parents and then just surrender them. Great list!
Rachel recently posted…Photo Fun Friday with Olive
I get the snack comment a lot. And oh your dog thinks he’s a guard dog/Pit Bull etc. I also get my cat is bigger than your dog comment quite frequently.
Aw, yes. To be fair, some cats are just massive!
Lindsay Pevny recently posted…How I Got My Pet Blog Post To Rank #1 In Google Seach Results
We don’t have a dog but I can see how you would get really annyed about the small dog comments!! They are sweet and fun.
The Dash Kitten Crew recently posted…2016 BlogPaws Nose to Nose Nominee ‘Our Wish’
This is such an awesome post – this is what I’m sick of hearing: your dog is old, do you even need to walk him? That must be nice since he probably doesn’t need a lot of exercise…!
Christine Caplan recently posted…Fuzzy Felties of the Dogs: A Q&A with the Etsy Artisan
I always feel big dog owners in the park especially think those that have small dogs are not real dog owners and it makes me so mad – their ego needs to be popped like a balloon
Ha, yes! Like on Parks & Rec, when Ron says “Dogs under 20 pounds are cats, and cats are useless,” lol. Little dogs are so real dogs!
Lindsay Pevny recently posted…How To “Write For Your Audience” To Write Better Blog Posts
My cats are ESAs. It definitely makes it more difficult for people when others pretend to have service dogs or ESAs when they actually do not. Thank you for making this point.
I LOVE THIS POST! You and It’s Dog or Nothing have inspired me to write one of these for Pit Bull owners right now! Seriously, the #1 question I’m asked about Piper (my pittie mix) “Is she going to bite me?”
Also, I will admit to having been accidentally frenched by two labs and a pit bull. Thankfully, there are no pictures 😉
Sarcastic Dog recently posted…Positive training? Correction training? What works?
It is amazing what people who are not knowledgeable about pets will say. I’m glad that you stand up for yourself and your dog when these things come up. I get similar comments about my cat when it comes to breeding – “Why did you pay all that money to get her spayed? She’s an indoor cat, isn’t she?” Umm….live with a cat in heat for one day, people. They are loud, obnoxious, and they will find a way to get pregnant.
Robin recently posted…Funny Cat Picture: Happy Girl
I had no idea Chihuahuas were the second most surrendered dog in shelters. I get irritated with some of the comments I get because I am owned by two beautiful Persians.
Sweet Purrfections recently posted…Memorial Day 2016
Oh yes, I wish I could just adopt them all!
Lindsay Pevny recently posted…How I Got My Pet Blog Post To Rank #1 In Google Seach Results
I think little dogs have a bad reputation. I’ve had little dogs as well as big and medium dogs, and I think that dogs are one case when size really doesn’t matter. The way you train a dog, plus the dog’s personality are what is important. That being said, I am no longer able to just get any kind of dog, I need one who already knows how to walk fairly well on a leash or is small enough that it can’t pull me along.
Beth | Daily Dog Tag recently posted…Fetching!
Great post! With Siberian Huskies, I have heard some crazy things, too. Of course, my favorite (insert sarcasm here)…”With all that fur, they must be hot. You should shave them.”
Grrrr.
Shaking my head.
FiveSibesMom recently posted…Happy Birthday, Hu-Dad!
I’m totally sick of people telling me that my Chihuahua is too noisy for their size. They are absolutely clueless about the cuteness level that Chihuahua has. It’s totally off the scale!
I have a min pin x chi mix named Ginger, and I really feel this article! I’ve been asked to breed her multiple times (no way!) Plus everyone has to share their “mean chihuahua” stories with me too. I wish people knew what great dogs they can be when trained with R+ and treated with respect.
Matilda is the same type of mix! With big dogs, people talk more about R+ training because it’s more typical for people to feel the need to control them with force – but I want to start more conversations about R+ for small dogs, because it’s so easy to control them with fear, but so worth it to train them positively.
Lindsay Pevny recently posted…34 Places To List Your Local Pet Services For Free
I can’t believe how right you are! There is always someone out there with these kinds of comments. We really are sick of hearing them over and over again.
Olivia Williams recently posted…5 Best Dogs for Senior Citizens
Thanks for sharing! I had no idea about the backyard breading! How sad! I think all little dogs think your face is fair game for them, I had a miniature schnauzer so I understand. She wouldn’t do so much licking, just putting her face in your face and staring at you.
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Love your ideas! Thanks for tips:)
orthoseatinghq.com
“I don’t really like chihuahuas, but yours is cute and friendly. I like him.”
I get this a lot and it always feels like a very backhanded compliment. #chihuahuapride
And we can’t forget… every single person who meets my little Bane.. “he’s the coolest chihuahua I’ve ever met” “aren’t they all supposed to be yappy mean ankle biters??” I’m yet to meet a chi who meets that stereotype. My chi has the personality of a boxer or lab. Harmless and super cool. I feel sorry for anyone who hasn’t had the blessing of a chi in their life! #chimomforlife
when Bane does rarely bark at someone it’s always the same “what are you gonna do?” “He’s not a very good guard dog, who’s he gonna protect” like Ok first of all, not every dog is supposed to be a guard dog that’s with the Rottweiler is for LOL ! And Chihuahuas have a little dog syndrome so I don’t underestimate the power of a Chi