Cute fluffy little dogs

[Savannah]

Now, I don't really hate the little ones (although I much prefer big dogs), but I hate the reactions I see when I'm volunteering at the animal shelter.

Cute fluffy little dog which doesn't like kids and has no concept of "quiet":
Potential adopters: "Awww, he's sooo cute!!! I want him!"
Dog is adopted in three days. A week if the behavior problems are bad or there are health problems.

Big bland-looking dog who loves everyone and likes to cuddle:
Potential adopters: *crickets*
Dog is lucky to be adopted in two weeks. Most take a month or two. (I've seen 6 months )

Why does "cute" override "nice" when people are looking for pets?

We get a broad range of "niceness" across all sizes of dogs, but it doesn't seem to matter as much as size and cuteness when determining how long it takes a dog to get adopted. I hate it.

[jackfaire]

Humans are like that just think potential Significant Others.

"She is so cute"

"Uhm dude she is a bitch"

"But she is so cute"

"Uh huh how about that girl she is nice and actually likes you"

[Boozy]

As someone who finds all dogs overwhelmingly adorable, I don't really understand it.

Those pictures I see of the World's Ugliest Dogs? I think they're the sweetest things. So ugly they're cute.

[XCashier]

Why does "cute" override "nice" when people are looking for pets?

We get a broad range of "niceness" across all sizes of dogs, but it doesn't seem to matter as much as size and cuteness when determining how long it takes a dog to get adopted. I hate it.

Part of it may be the whole Paris Hilton/cult of celebrity thing. Wannabees see their favorite celebrity with a purse-sized dog, think they want to be like her and adopt a cute tiny dog, not realizing that it is a living creature with its own personality and quirks, and it actually has to be taken care of.

It could also be that the "nice" ones don't stand out as much as the "cute" ones. When we adopted our two cats (one adult and one kitten), there were many beautiful and boisterous cats on display, but we didn't notice Millie until we went in a second time. She was just sitting there quietly, a pretty, mild-mannered tortie tabby adult, watching everything from her cage. I'm glad we went back a second time, she's been a loving addition to our family.

[protege]

Cute fluffy little dog which doesn't like kids and has no concept of "quiet":
Potential adopters: "Awww, he's sooo cute!!! I want him!"
Dog is adopted in three days. A week if the behavior problems are bad or there are health problems.

Ugh. My former neighbor now has a dog like that. She's an annoying, yippy, tiny white furball...who several people have said that they'd like to punt her over the fence Seriously, the dog does *not* shut up! Seriously though, many people will adopt the cute animal, because "OMG!" and then return it later because it's "not working out." Unfortunately, the cycle will repeat itself

In fact, that's how I got my white kitty, Snow. I'd already lost one cat 6 months prior, and it was too quiet in the house without a cat. As usual, I checked out the local shelters before adopting her. Even though Snow was only 2, nobody wanted her. Why? She was completely deaf. Other than that, there was nothing wrong with her--she was a very sweet and playful kitty. As such, I brought her home...after I'd read up on kitty deafness. That is, was I going to have to do anything special because of it? I wanted to make my home as comfy for her as I could. Sadly, she had a heart attack and died in my arms about 6 months later

[AdminAssistant]

I heard a news report once that shelters have an especially hard time adopting out black dogs, because they don't stand out as much.

I personally don't care for little yippy dogs. I'd rather have a big, dopey, lovable dog - like the one at my parent's house.

[McDreidel09]

Could it also be the area where you live?

If I had to get a dog right now, I would pick a smaller one. Why? Well, at home, I don't have the space for a big dog. It would be very cruel to have a big dog in such a tiny area. Now, if I lived out in the country, I would get a big dog because there is much more room for it to run around and play.

So adoption could also be based on the area where you are. If you're in a city or town, more than likely, more people will adopt smaller dogs because they just simply don't have enough room for the bigger dog. If you're in the country, more than likely, they will get a bigger dog.

I find all dogs to be cute. A friend of mine has seven dogs. I will squee for the biggest one as much as I do for the littlest one.

[Fashion Lad!]

The only thing I can't stand about cute fluffy little dogs is the mentality if they bite or nip at people, they're cute. However, if a big dog bites or nips at people it's a danger to society.

My mom has a cute little min-pin (he adopted me) and he bites and nips at people. I'm working really hard on getting him to stop that. If my black lab (who has since passed away, nearly 4 years ago on the 16th of this month. Greatest dog in the history of the world. No, I'm not biased.) bit anyone, she would be in big trouble.

But, people are fickle. It's the reason I got my gecko. Everything was good and fine with her until she went blind. Then the owners couldn't get rid of her fast enough. They're cute until they require work, and people hate extra work.

I'm not a good one to judge though, I'm a sucker for *ALL* animals.

[LadyBarbossa]

I'd also say it might be due to housing issues, etc. A smaller dog is less likely to knock things over just by wagging it's tail, and will leave smaller piles and puddles if it has an accident in the house. I've been told that if I get anymore dogs, they need to be small, 'house-sized' ones. But I will agree that people tolerate things from little ones that they wouldn't from a large dog, and it's irksome. My Dad thinks it's hilarious when his Shih Tzu starts growling and snapping at us, but I guarantee that behavior wouldn't be funny at all if it were his Pyrenees/Shepherd mix.

I'm another one that loves all dogs, but I'm probably just a wee bit partial to the bigger, 'clunkier' ones. I adore our Pomeranian and Shih Tzu to bits, but my Border Collie/Terrier cross is the one that really has my heart. I've been making a case for him to become a house dog, and I think it's working

[XCashier]

I personally don't care for little yippy dogs.

Me neither. I can't stand high-pitched noises, and some of these little dogs are shrill. If they're quiet and friendly, I like little dogs just fine, but I remember one pet store customer who brought his Mini Schnauzer in every week. That thing screeched constantly, and the owner egged it on.

The only thing I can't stand about cute fluffy little dogs is the mentality if they bite or nip at people, they're cute. However, if a big dog bites or nips at people it's a danger to society.

I agree, this is a dangerous idea that should be discouraged. A small dog can inflict some serious damage; their teeth are needle-sharp, they can puncture the skin just like a big dog and the bite can get infected as easily as a big dog's bite. Mentally, a tiny dog is no different than a big dog; they'll both try to be the Alpha of the pack if the owner doesn't establish him/herself as the Alpha and teach the dog manners and proper training. And if your dog establishes itself as the Alpha, no matter how big or small it is, you'll have nothing but problems.

[muses_nightmare]

I refuse to buy a small dog, they're usually yappy little things. Though I did have a huge wolf/german shepherd that whined like a puppy if you left his sight. Given he was a puppy, just a very vey big puppy, he was taller than me if he stood on his hind legs (I'm 5'7") Unfortunatly we had to give him up because he started klling chickens and turkeys, though I think he had good insticts when we saw he didn't like my dad's wife/

[Cassandra]

I was never a dog person myself until we moved into a house and my mom came home with a fluffbucket. This puppy turned out to be a miniture poodle and is an extremely lovable little thing. I don't mind her, but my aunt has a pomerianian and that this is so damn hostile it isn't even funny. I prefer smaller dogs because my lap can't hold that much fur.

My husband wants to get a dog but since we are currently in a very small appartment, we don't want to confine one. When we move into our own house, we have an agreement, I will allow a big dog as long as its a lab, sheppard, or mix of the two. These breeds are known for their temperment and I know that I will not have any trouble taking care of it.

I did almost break down because of the OMG LOOKIT COOT PUPPY! But once I sat down and did my homework, I found out that the boxer/pug mix was not good for us. Too hyper according to what I read. That's the thing. People see cute and don't dig deeper to find out if the animal will be a good match for them. It's not like buying a purse. You really have to look at how much time, work, and love you have to devote to it.

I, for one, love all animals and have been begging for a lizard (hubs is afraid of snakes so can't get one of those) but with two cats and a small appartment, not right now.

[Boozy]

I refuse to buy a small dog, they're usually yappy little things.

Except that it's not usually innate behaviour; it's taught. See Fashion Lad's post:

The only thing I can't stand about cute fluffy little dogs is the mentality if they bite or nip at people, they're cute. However, if a big dog bites or nips at people it's a danger to society.

When a large dog snaps at someone, it is treated very seriously, because they could cause some real damage. The dog quickly learns that aggressive behaviour is not acceptable.

When a small dog nips, it is too often laughed off ("Oh look! He thinks he's a tough guy! Aww!). The dog never learns to behave.

I find that people who don't like nippy dogs don't own nippy dogs - regardless of the breed they choose. It's not that they picked a Lab over a chihuahua, it's that they have high expectations of their dog's behaviour, and the dog conforms to that.

[Savannah]

In fact, that's how I got my white kitty, Snow. <snip> Sadly, she had a heart attack and died in my arms about 6 months later

That sucks. My first dog was an ancient german shepherd from a shelter who was awesome, but she was so old she died about 6 months after I got her.

Could it also be the area where you live?

If I had to get a dog right now, I would pick a smaller one. Why? Well, at home, I don't have the space for a big dog. It would be very cruel to have a big dog in such a tiny area. Now, if I lived out in the country, I would get a big dog because there is much more room for it to run around and play.

It's the county shelter and people come from the city, suburbs, and country, so I don't think it's the area.

Big dogs are often calmer and willing to lie around an apartment, so it's not necessarily bad to have one in a small space. (But pick the breed and individual carefully!) The thing is, I will tell people this and point them towards a calm, bigger dog (not huge, just a bit bigger, say 40--50 lbs) and they won't even consider it. If they just said "Hmm...that's something to keep in mind, but I really had my heart set on a lap dog", I'd be fine, but they don't even want to look at the bigger one.

The only thing I can't stand about cute fluffy little dogs is the mentality if they bite or nip at people, they're cute. However, if a big dog bites or nips at people it's a danger to society.

Yeah, that's the other reason I hate little dogs. No, it's not cute. No, it's not funny. Yes, it's dangerous. Yes, I realize he's only five pounds. It's still dangerous. Gah! On the flip side, there's the big dog that snaps at *and never touches the skin of* a child when the child is abusing the dog. OMG, he's a menace!

The really sad thing is that my shelter is able to adopt out little ones with behavior problems that would prevent a bigger dog from even making it to the adoption floor, because the little ones are easier to manage and people are willing to take the little ones.

I did almost break down because of the OMG LOOKIT COOT PUPPY! But once I sat down and did my homework, I found out that the boxer/pug mix was not good for us.

I love you.

You would not believe the cases of not doing the homework I've seen/heard about. The worst was a couple I met who had gotten their purebred, let me repeat, purebred-from-a-breeder golden retriever from someone who didn't know how big he would get. The dog was totally average sized for a golden.

[muses_nightmare]

Every single small dog I've met has been yappy, and I've met quite a few. The worst ones are Jack Russels. That breed is really really not for me. My boyfriend wants a pomeranian, because he had one, well has, it's at his mom's house. I do like that dog, but again yappy. Given I've been raised around big dogs, my first dog was a Newfoundland/golden retriever cross. Sweetest dog ever.

I think I'm just sick of the whole "teacup" trend going on. I like "dog sized dogs" as I say. :P Anything smaller than a cat doesn't quite cut it.