Little Dogs vs. Big Dogs

I have always been a fan of big dogs, never liking little dogs at all, until recently. I always considered little dogs to be nothing more than cats in disguise. In fact, it wouldn't have surprised me if a scientist somewhere had discovered that little dogs were not even part of the canine family, but were actually their own species, or maybe even closer related to felines.

When I first got my dog, Washington, 11 years ago, I wanted a bog dog. A friend told me his dog, a German Shepard-Wolf hybrid, had just had puppies. He said he thought the father of the pups was a Saint Bernard. I thought wonderful, you can't get much bigger than a St. Bernard-German Shepard-Wolf mix. So I told him I'd gladly take one of the puppies. Later he told me he was wrong about the father, that it was a Golden Retriever. By this time I had already had my heart set on the puppy, so it did not disuade me.

Washington, as I found out on the day I moved into my first house, ended up being the largest of the litter, and also the gentlest. She was the only pup that crawled up into my lap when I went to pick her up. She has been a true blessing to me, a companion and friend, ever since. I was married 4 years ago and my wife and stepson joined my family, meaning myself and Washy. Washington is a 95-pound bear of a creature, who has never growled at a single person, and only barks when extremely excited.

This past June, we added another dog to the family. My wife wanted a lap-dog. Now this took some convincing in arder for me to accept a little dog into the family. But finally, I agreed. Washington was nearly 11 at that time, and had long wanted another dog for companionship, plus I knew she would not be around for too many more years.

After considering pugs and Jack Russells and cairn terriors and several other breeds, we settled on a miniature pincher. After answering an ad in Uncle Henry's magazine, we purchased Harrison. Harry, as he quickly became know, was 2.9 pounds when we picked him up. And he quickly became a joy to us, and by us I mean my wife, myself, and Washington.

Harry is both the lap-dog my wife wanted and the companion Washy has wanted. He is now six months old, closer to 10 pounds, and he rules the house. He'll go from chasing Washington (and vice-versa) around the house to sleeping in your lap, from barking at the slightest sound to crawling on top of you while you are laying on the bed or couch and licking your face. He is a joy and has quickly become a valuable member of the family. Washington loves him and he has helped Washington find the puppy inside herself once again.

I know I never thought I would like a little dog, but I was wrong. They can definitely be as loving and fun, and as much work, as a bog dog. I'm not sure which type I prefer. It is really a toss-up. Dogs are dogs, whether they weight 95 pounds or 10 pounds. They are truely man's best friend and I am truely glad to have both Washington and Harry.