People being surprised when wild animals act wild.

[blas87]

I very much agree with you, Boozy.

Very much the reason I dislike small dogs and owners of them who think their small-dog syndrome, vicious attitude and nonstop barking and growling is "cute".

I understand small dogs have the complex they have because of their size. But dogs are easily trained. Perhaps you can't make every small dog as loving and docile as a golden retriever, but there's no reason the little yippers need to be allowed to act so nasty.

[Andara Bledin]

Small dogs do not have issues because they're small, except that people treat them differently because they're small.

Small dogs are as easily trained as any large dog, it's just that too many people get small dogs because they don't want to actually have a dog, they want an accessory and don't know the first thing about actually training their dog, which leads to the problems we so often see.

^-.-^

[tabbyblack13]

When I was a teenager my mom replaced our medium breed mutt that died a year or two before with a chihuahua and a miniature poodle. Both dogs where decent dogs but because of previous abuse there where issues. The chihuahua's health was so neglected before we got her she ended up without teeth. That just made her cuter and it was quite funny when she "attacked" the cat. The cat ended up with the look that can only be described as "WTF was that?" and walked away.

After she died we got this Pomeranian/chihuahua mix that I hated. The first time I met that bastard was Easter break and he tried to bite me. Now my mom thought this was funny but I thought it was a serious issue. When I came back home for summer vacation the little bastard dog was still trying to attack me and I had my fill of that behavior. One night when both of my parents where gone I took the dog downstairs and released my cats. These cat where cats that my parents and I rescued. We nursed them back to health and they where very loving plus they were bigger then the dog. So I put the dog down and all three cats circled the dog like sharks. From that day on that dog listened to me.

He has passed but my mom keeps getting chihuahuas and other small breeds. So far there hasn't been a repeat of the bastard dog.

[Mytical]

Dogs are not the only terrors. My aunt once had a cat that would spring, hissing, at anything that walked in the doors..claws extended. I lost track of how many times the thing drew blood from me. It had serious issues.

A long time ago, when I lived further south..I had a neighbor that kept a lion. When he was gone during the day, he would let the lion out into his house. It was a very effective security system. It even didn't tear up the place. Never attacked the guy either. He invited me over to dinner. I looked at him, asked if he was nuts. I didn't care if it was normally locked up, I was going nowhere near the lion. It was eventually put down by the police for doing what he wanted it to do. A burglar broke in, and that was the last thing the burglar ever did.

[AdminAssistant]

My sister had a Miniature Doberman Pinscher that was actually fairly sweet, if neurotic and stand-offish around strangers. I dogsat frequently, so he liked me. She gave him to someone else when my nephew was born, though.

I will never have a Yorkshire Terrier though. Dogsat one for a friend. Little rat got into some trash and when I tried to get him away the fucker bit me. He ended up having to have surgery because some of the garbage that he swallowed got stuck in his stomach. And his owner had the gall to be mad at me! I gave back the money she paid me, in an effort to calm her down, since we were friends. But she still won't speak to me. Whatever.

I like big dogs. A professor has a Rhodesian Ridgeback that is just beautiful and so sweet. There's just nothing like a 120 lb lap dog.

[Talon]

[Lion] was eventually put down by the police for doing what he wanted it to do. A burglar broke in, and that was the last thing the burglar ever did.

B+E is not something that warrants death. That said, I feel sorry for the lion

[Lace Neil Singer]

When I was thirteen, I did a paper round in the mornings. One house I delivered to had a miniture Yorkie that was as vicious as hell; it was always yapping and scratching at the door when I put the paper thru the letterbox; they had a grill to catch it, otherwise I think the dog would have shredded it.

One day, I'd delivered the paper and was just walking away when the door opened and the Yorkie rushed out and sank its teeth into my ankle. Luckily, I was wearing jeans and so its teeth didn't reach my flesh. I reacted instantly by kicking the dog up into the air; it flew straight up, hit the floor then rushed yelping into the house.

The owner, who must have known that I was nearby seeing as there was the paper, had a go at me for kicking her little precious. I replied that since it had attacked me, all bets were off and if she didn't keep it inside when I was around, I'd tell my parents and have it destroyed, cuz if it had attacked a toddler the way it attacked me, she'd be prosecuted. The owner shut up, took her vicious dog back into the house and I went on my way.

[Blue Ginger]

However, when you have this little dog that wants to growl, bark, charge at you, and try to bite you every time you move, it's hard not to think that way. Of course, his owner thinks he's the most precious thing on the planet and gives him all kinds of pampering.

Wear big, heavy boots next time you are visiting. Best advice mum gave me when dealing with spoilt little biters. Anytime I visit one of my friends with a dog like this I wear my knee-high tough leather boots. Her little shit of a dog can't bite through the leather. It just sucks when it is the middle of summer and 30+ degrees.

My dad's parents had a dog that was way over protective when my parents first met. Mum couldn't even sit next to dad on the couch. The dog would bite her feet and legs if she got too close. Until she started wearing leather boots. It gave up after hurting it's mouth on the buckle.

[tabbyblack13]

Small dogs are the worst as far as I am concerned. When people have big dogs they tend to train them better. The small ones get away with everything.

[blas87]

Well, my large dog tends to get away with begging all the damn time, and sleeping on the couch and bed when she's not supposed to.

But I suppose lifting a dog that weighs 100 pounds and one that is 3 pounds is very different.

But I love her anyway. She's getting so old and weak, it's breaking my heart and I'm having a hard time not breaking down into tears.

[Mytical]

Things like this http://www.alphapowers.com/video/185. I would wince when (not if, when) the guy gets skewered, but do you think I would feel sorry for him? Not in the least.

[Aethian]

I would like to say the only dogs who have ever bitten at me were small dogs but just recently I had a HUGE St Bernard try to take my wrist. Ever since I started on one of my relief routes I got to say hello to Gary the St Bernard. A quick rub behind the ears with him licking at my wrist and then I go. This last time however he came up to me like normal, had this amost weird expression on his face when I rubbed behind his ear and then all of a sudden, his mouth is open and I'm puling away. His teeth clicking when they came down on air. His owner about freaked when I jumped back. Whacking the dog on the nose and pushing him back.

I was fine and I think the only reason I got bit at was because of a new puppy on the route I had scritched not twenty minuets earlier. I don't rub Gary's ears anymore and his owner has taken to shortening his lead as well as doubling up on the strength.

[Eisa]

I got to meet a dog this past weekend at my friend's brother's house. She's old, cranky, mostly deaf, and has arthritis. She's very much of the opinion "bitch you do NOT pet me unless I WANT to be petted."

So I followed this. I reached a little bit toward her once and she growled a bit, so I immediately backed up, like ok. That's fine.

My friend accidentally bonked her in the head with her bag. Doggy was not happy. Friend tried to pet her a little while later, and doggy snapped at her and then just kept growling.

From then on, we joked that dog called my friend "scum." (Dog used to be at my friend's parent's house...STILL hated my friend--especially after she gave her a hug when the dog was eating. )

And then the next day, doggy came up and licked my hand a few times and I got to pet her.

But warnings like that, I think are important, too. When the owner says "don't pet the dog unless THEY want to be petted," it's not that hard to follow.

And I hate little dogs, when I was 12, a little dog came up and bit my leg...in full view of its owners, who did jack shit. A neighbor coming down the street had to get the dog away from me.

[XCashier]

I remember cracked on run an article along the lines of "cute animals that can kill you"

They had several along those lines:
The 6 Cutest Animals That Can Still Destroy You
5 Lovable Animals You Didn't Know Are Secretly Terrifying
The 6 Deadliest Animals Too Adorable to Run Away From

[Nyoibo]

Yup, those are the articles I've been thinking of.