One of the marvels of domestic dogs is the astounding range of sizes they come in, which is determined by a very small number of genes. Another piece of the puzzle involves determining if people’s behavior toward and expectations of dogs varies based on the dog’s size. Many people have asked the question, “How is the experience of having a large dog different than that of having a small dog?” Part of the answer may come from evaluating whether big and small dogs really are different in ways that extend beyond size, particularly in their behavior. One Bark reader implored me, “Don’t forget to cover that big dog stigma!” And anyone with big dogs knows that people sometimes fear them even when their behavior is exemplary, and a small dog is present whose behavior is not. Size-based biases are also common, and sad to say, I’ve heard several derogatory terms for both small and large dogs. In contrast, others gravitate to large dogs because they associate them with fun and friendliness, as well as kids and families. Some prefer small dogs because they’re more likely to be welcome everywhere, especially when traveling. People often have strong opinions about what size dog best suits them. I’ve also met Pixie the Newfoundland, Tank the Bichon Frise, Bitsy the Bouvier, and Goliath the Pug. I’d seen this type of contradiction before, and though it’s sometimes just for the sake of being ironic, often it’s about conflict. Their dog was an especially petite Boston Terrier, but his name - Titan - was one more typically bestowed on a larger dog.
He chose the dog, but I chose the name,” the woman explained.