I’ve always had a fondness for little dogs, the smaller the better.  I’m the oddball in my family when it comes to my preference for teeny dogs, as everyone else has Big Dogs.  While I’m not going to get my kids or siblings to change their minds, here in my opinion, are 7 reasons why small dogs are the best.

1. They fit on your lap. I’ve experienced huge dogs trying to be lap dogs.  Cherokee our black lab always liked to plop down across my lap whenever I tried to watch TV.  She was a 70 pound lovable goofball, but it certainly wasn’t’ comfy cozy when she’d do that.  In fact, usually she’d cut the circulation off to my legs and soon they’d be numb.  I much prefer having my Chihuahua or mini Schnauzer on my lap.  They just snuggle down and keep me warm instead of causing pain and numbness.

2. They’re cheaper. No doubt big dogs cost a lot more to feed and care for than a little dog.  Not only that but everything else they need is bigger and more expensive from collars to dog beds.  According to petfinder.com the average amount that people spend on dog food alone varies from $120 per year for a small dog, up to $500 per year for a large dog.

3. They poop less. I don’t like having to clean up after them any more than anyone else does, but I’d much rather pick up little turds than enormous ones.  I always carry poop bags when we go on our walks and I pick up after my dogs.  And because they are little I can buy the bags at the dollar store, where I get 80 of them for $1.00.  But those dollar store bags will never work for picking up after a huge dog, you’ll need something much bigger and sturdier.

4. They don’t take up the whole bed. Like many pet owners, my dogs do sleep in my bed, and they love to sleep underneath the covers.  Because they are little they don’t take up a lot of room and they don’t hog the covers.  My son and daughter-in-law actually sleep with two yellow labs, a cattle dog and a terrier in their king-sized bed and I don’t know how anyone gets any sleep.  The labs are big and they sprawl all over the place.  Not only that, but they have three cats that lie on their pillows right by their heads.  That’s just too much for me.  I stick with my two little guys, thank you very much!

5. They’re cuter. Sure big dogs can be quite handsome, but they just don’t have the same cuteness factor as a little dog that you can hold in your hands or carry in a purse backpack.

6. They’re easier to travel with. Nowadays you see lots of people traveling with their pooches. What’s nice about a little dog is if he/she fits in a carrier that can go under the seat on an airplane, you can travel with your little buddy.  You can’t do that with a big dog, unless it’s a service dog.  My son does travel with his yellow lab, Boomer, but he a trained and certified service dog, so he’s the exception. And who wants to have to put their dog in a crate and have them placed in the cargo hold on an airplane?  There’s just too much that can go wrong.

7. They live longer. I’ve always said the bad thing about having a dog is that they just don’t live long enough. I wish they all could have longer life spans, but unfortunately that’s just not the case.  But it’s a fact that little dogs have a much longer life span than big dogs.  For example, it’s not that unusual for a Chihuahua to live up to 18 years, while a Great Dane only lives about 6-8 years.  Generally speaking, the larger the dog, the shorter the lifespan.

No matter what size a dog is though, I love them all.  I love the big dogs in our family too.  There are labs, Dobermans, Rottweilers, Huskies and mutts in the family and they’re all great dogs.  But I still prefer my little dogs, for many reasons.

What about you?  Which do you prefer and why?  Please share in the comments.