A compelling reason in favor of small dogs

August 17, 2022

3 true stories

My own: “I moved because of my dog”
When my dog turned 14, it was getting harder and harder for him to get to the second floor walk-up where we lived. His 20 kilos of weight and my back problems made any other option other than an elevator unfeasible. Conclusion: we moved

Yolanda and Darko: “I carried him up to my parents’ house in my arms”
When my friend Yolanda’s German shepherd turned 13, his cognitive dysfunction issues made it impossible for him to stay home alone. Every morning, Yolanda, before going to work, walked to her parents’ house with Darko in her arms.

Marina and Enrique “We like big dogs, but we can’t handle them when they get older”
Marina and Enrique are a charming retired couple who live in the San Bernardo neighborhood of Madrid. Although they have an elevator to the fourth floor where they live, they still have a flight of about 10 steps to reach their door.
After always sharing their life with medium-sized dogs, the need to carry them those 10 steps when they get older, both have decided to incorporate a small dog into their lives. At first, they were hesitant about “the size of the dog.” But in a matter of days, the tiny Coky has conquered their hearts.

Here are some things that are more manageable when you have a small dog:

Travel: many hotels and means of transport such as the plane or the train put restrictions on the weight of the pet that you can take with you.
Getting around: even if you use a particular means of transport. A dog that is larger than what fits in a carrier of about 30 cm begins to be more complicated to transport because:

- It requires more planning: it inevitably takes up more space in the vehicle, which means that you have to plan well the number of people traveling and the distribution of luggage.
- Requires more cleaning: you will probably have to put more effort into cleaning, especially if your dog likes water or it rains, since, due to space in the car, it is not always possible to carry it in a carrier.
- Large Carriers Are Expensive: Small dog carriers are quite affordable financially. But when the dog exceeds 10 kilos, the investment is multiplied by 3.
- The means of transport are limited: although it is not impossible, traveling, for example, by motorcycle or bicycle with a large dog is much more cumbersome and complicated.

- Scooping up their droppings or washing up their urine – much easier if you have a small dog and don’t have to use giant bags or lug around a sizable water bottle.
- Wash or bathe: With a basin and a rubber brush or a sponge it is usually enough to wash a small dog. However, we all know what can happen when your big dog comes home on a Sunday after being covered in some “delicacy”

- Large dogs are more likely to have to wait at the door of certain shops than small ones: Simply because they do not go in a “bag” or in the arms of the guardian. If you want to know the risks of leaving your dog tied at the door of a business, you can read it here.
- Some places or centers allow the access of dogs up to a certain size.

Longevity: Small dogs generally have a longer life expectancy.
Today, thanks to good veterinary care and a good diet, they can even reach 20 years.

Savings: we have already mentioned the savings involved, for example, if you move your dog inside a carrier. Since, from a size, the price of these items skyrockets.
Other points where we will save if we have a small dog is in its handling materials. Straps, harnesses and their bowls for food and water . Also their toys tend to be cheaper, being smaller. Deworming pills or collars are also usually cheaper when the size of the dog is smaller.

And for obvious reasons, since they will eat less, we will save on their food . This point often makes the difference, between being able to afford or not, give him a higher quality type of food. Something that will definitely be worth it.