All dogs bark at one time or another. I’ve had a dozen or so dogs during my lifetime and I have heard all of them bark at various times. But for the last fifteen years I’ve owned small, toy breeds such as Maltese, Yorkshire Terriers, Chihuahuas, and Dachshunds and the barking is unbelievable! I decided to investigate why this occurs.

Dogs bark when they have something to tell us or when something is different in their surroundings and they need to evaluate the situation. Just like infants and toddlers, making noise gets attention from the creatures around you who are able to help. I currently have a male Maltese and a female Yorkshire Terrier at my house. I have taken a survey over the past two weeks and found that they are most likely to bark when:

• they run out of drinking water and need for me to refill it
• they are missing a favorite toy and want me to locate it
• they hear an unusual sound and want me to know about it
• they hear a vehicle that they are not familiar with, or that makes a loud annoying sound, such as the garbage truck or a furniture delivery truck
• they hear an unfamiliar voice
• someone they do not know comes too close to them
• someone they do know tries to leave them

All of these examples are instances where they are uncomfortable with what is happening in their territory. They do not bark when the phone rings, the television or radio is playing, people they know come and go from the house, or when the dishwasher is on. They have become accustomed to these sounds and have no reason to be alarmed. My recommendation to teach you small, toy breed dogs to keep from barking so much is twofold. First, get them used to as many sounds as possible that are likely to be heard in your home on a regular basis, and second, do not subject your dog to sounds or events that you already know will be upsetting or unsettling to them.

Dogs truly are man’s best friend. If we treat them with respect and dignity they will give us years of faithful companionship.

Connie Ragen Green has been a dog lover for half a century and currently shares her home with three dogs, a cat, and a King snake. You can find out more about training your small dog by visiting http://www.YorkshireTerriersAreTheBest.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Connie_Ragen_Green

Small dog breeds are great pets, but since their personalities are all different, it’s a good idea to look at their individual characteristics to see if they fit with your lifestyle.

Pomeranians:

Pomeranians developed from a much larger dog breed and seem to have retained the mellow character. They are good with children if they have been raised with them from puppyhood. They are playful and active. They tend to bark and require daily grooming.

Chihuahuas:

Chihuahuas are an interesting small breed. I have raised several herds – and that is a good word for a group of chihuahuas – and their temperment is a bit different from other small dogs. They can be very aggressive towards other dog breeds. I adopted one chihuahua who kept attacking a German Shepherd who finally bit her. After she got out of the hospital she went after him again. I ended up with her because she wasn’t going to quit attacking bigger dogs. Some chihuahuas will growl and nip at small children. Good points – chihuahuas are very loyal and affectionate. They don’t require as much exercise as other small breeds so they make ideal pets for apartment dwellers or older people. They are good with cats.

Boston Terrier:

Good with children and other animals, the Boston terrier is a good small dog for families. They are suitable for any lifestyle. They can be aggressive chewers. Their short coat is easy to keep clean.

Jack Russell Terrier:

This dog breed is only for the most active owners. They love to chase balls, can hop onto a table with ease and can be aggressive if not trained properly. Very intelligent and lively, they require a lot of attention and discipline.

Maltese:

This small dog breed can be very protective of its owner. It is not suitable for families with children because they are very fragile.

Shitzu or Shih tzu:

Good natured and non-aggressive, these friendly little dogs make great family pets. They require daily brushing but their hair is non-shedding. Good with other animals.

Bichon Frise:

These little dogs make good family pets. They are good with children as well as other animals. Very intelligent, easy to train and lively. Their coat doesn’t shred.

Dachshund:

Not a hound but a terrier bred to go after vermin, the breed is lively and affectionate. Good with family members but will become aggressive to children outside the family. They make good watchdogs and will bark frequently to alert their owners.

Pekinese:

Very fierce and loyal, these little dogs are not good around children or other animals. These are good dogs for the elderly. Their coats require a good deal of grooming.

Skye Terrier:

Great with children, okay with other dogs but not tolerant of cats. This unique breed makes a fine pet. Distrustful of strangers.

The next step after selecting a breed is to find a reputable breeder. To get more information, visit us at http://www.dog-match.com/small-dog-breeds

Pat Schraier has not only owned chihuahuas but a cocker spaniel, a dachshund, a black lab, a boxer, and a terrier mix. Visit the website http://www.dog-match.com for breed information, health care and other resources. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pat_Schraier

use Dachshund and Chihuahua as a foundation for starters because my little dog, Hollie, I believe is part Dachshund and part Chihuahua. When I found her at a rescue, the information I received was that she was a four month old miniature Dachshund. But as she grew her legs got very long and her belly area became more concaved like a Chihuahua. I also found her mannerisms to be mixed between the two breeds as well. This included the dilemma of housebreaking.

Because the Dachshund is a strong working dog, they have a very willful personality. This tends to make them stubborn and/or independent. Although the Dachshund is trainable they may not be easy to train. As a matter of fact the Dachshund may attempt to train its trainer. The owner of this breed needs to be comfortable letting the dog know just who the “leader of the pack” really is. The stubborn temperament of this dog makes them resistant and not the easiest to house train. With positive and continual scheduling the Dachshund does learn and with a determined owner the Dachshund will develop the training quickly.

The fact that Chihuahuas are so small makes house training them a little challenging. Chihuahuas can hide under furniture or sneak into corners unnoticed and leave little surprise piles to be found at a later date. Patience will be needed in the house training process of this dog. The Chihuahua will learn quickly with positive reinforcement training. Some owners never get their Chihuahuas fully house trained especially in bad weather. The Chihuahua does not like the cold and tends to shiver. They do not like to get their feet wet so going outside to damp grown or wet grass deter the Chihuahua from going outside to potty.

In either dog breed there are two recommended training methods to house training your dog. The first is to crate train or confinement train your dog. The second is to paper or puppy pad train your dog. In either case, consistency is the essential key. Once a bad habit starts, it is much harder to break and retrain your dog.

Hollie, my Dachshund-Chihuahua has a little of both temperaments which has made house training her quite the challenge. She was originally paper trained when I got her. As she got a little older I put her in a pen during the day with a doggie door access to the outside. Hollie would use the carpet piece just inside the door as her potty. She did not like the grass because she was so small that the grass rubbed her belly. When the grass was watered she did not like getting her feet wet. So, when she did go outside she would use the patio instead of the grass and the carpet piece right outside the door as her potty. When she visited other homes she would go to another room and leave the owner a little surprise in the corners even though they had a doggie door she was able to use. As last winter set in the pen was too cold to keep her in and she was given a little more room to roam so to speak. Now she thinks the throw rugs are her bathroom area.

With this frustration at hand, I set out to find some answers. I never had a dog previously that had these issues. Once introduced to the doggie door the rest was a done deal. Not with Hollie! I found a training for dogs that has helped me to overcome Hollie’s behavior issues.

This training source I found has helped tremendeously in house training Hollie. For more information please visit http://www.smalldogjunction.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bonnie_Holscher