A survey for small dog owners? I'd really appreciate it if you could answer all my questions thank you?

I have quite a few questions for small dog owners.





1. Is it necessary to feed your small breed dog a food that is made specifically for small dogs?





2. What type of food do you feed? Dry or wet? Do you feed raw?





3. If you feed dry food, what brand?





4. If you feed wet food, what brand and how often do you feed wet food?





5. How many cups of dry food does your small dog eat a day? How many times a day does he/she eat? Do you have a feeding schedule?





6. What size lb bag do you normally buy? Do you buy the small bags or do you buy bulk? If you prefer one or the other, why?





7. What kind of toys does your small dog like?





8. How often do you take your small dog to a groomer?





9. How often do you bathe your small dog?





10. How many times a day do you walk your small dog and for how long?





11. Is your small dog on flea medication/heartworm preventative?





This question is for people who own small dogs and cats:





12. Does your small dog get along well with your cat(s)? How long did it take for them to warm up to each other?





This question is for people who own small dogs and large dogs:





13. Does your small dog get along well with your large dog? How long did it take for them to warm up to each other?





This question is for small dog owners who also have small children:





13. I have noticed that most, if not all, small dog rescues will *not* adopt out dogs to families with young children because small dogs are often fragile and children do not know how to properly handle a small dog.





If you have young children, do they know how to properly handle your small dog without injuring it? Do you supervise your children when they are playing with your small dog?





Thank you to those of you who take the time to answer all of my questions. The reason I ask this is because I am interested in adopting a Papillon from a rescue. I have never owned a small dog before so I am trying to learn as much as I can before I seriously consider adding a dog to my household.A survey for small dog owners? I'd really appreciate it if you could answer all my questions thank you?
I have 2 Papillons and my parents have a 3rd, so I should be able to provide you with some helpful insights. :-)





1. If you feed your dog kibble, it may be adviseable to choose a small breed formula. They contain different concentrations of nutrients and vitamins for smaller systems. However, do not get hung up on silly things like the Royal Canin ';breed specific'; formulas- the variations in those formulas are not significant enough to be worth it, it's all a gimmick.





2-6. I feed Primal brand raw foods only. It comes in 5lb bags of 1oz nuggets; my dogs eat a total of 10-12 nuggets per day between the two of them. I buy two 5lb bags at a time, 2 different flavors, and they last 1-2 weeks.





7. Amusingly enough, my dogs prefer cat toys. They LOVE those fur and leather mice, and jingling cat balls. My older one is obssessed with tennis balls and will play fetch for hours. They rarely play with soft or rubbery toys. They also love things like pig ears and hooves, although too much upsets their stomachs.





8. I am the groomer, lol. Papillons are not supposed to be clipped in any way. I trim their feet and sanitary areas about once a month to keep them tidy, and that's it.





9. Once a week.





10. I don't always manage to walk them every day. When I do walk them, we go for 30-60 minutes. I also take them out places like downtown and walk them around all day, we go to dog parks for several hours at a time, play fetch in the yard, etc. I try to make sure they get exercise every day, as much as possible. Papillons especially are VERY high energy dogs and should not be cooped up all day.





11. I rarely use flea protection, if it's a bad flea season I may give them one does of K9 Advantix around July and that's it for the year. Once a month is way too much for a small dog. Heartworms are only a threat during mosquito season, so I give them Heartgard from about March or April until October or November.





12. My dogs adore cats. They play with my 2 younger cats and wrestle around with them, and one of my cats will actually groom the dogs. It's cute.





13. My older dog was not raised around other dogs, so he is very nervous of larger dogs. My younger dog grew up going to the park every week and he LOVES big dogs. As long as you socialize them young, they will be fine with dogs of any size- just be careful the bigger dogs are friendly and respectful so your dog doesn't get hurt.





13b. You put two #13s. :-) Ok, unfortunately, the bad news is that small dogs and small children do not mix. That is why rescues do not like adopting dogs to families with small children. It's not safe, for the children OR the dogs. Papillons in particular can be very shy and nervous. Neither of mine like children at ALL. The older one gets shy and nervous, and the younger one barks and growls at them. I have met dozens of Papillons and I would not put any of them in a household with small children. Nor any other dog under about 20-25lbs, for that matter.A survey for small dog owners? I'd really appreciate it if you could answer all my questions thank you?
1. No it's not, I have a 7lb pomeranian, I use regular dog food and just give him the proper amount.





2.Dry, he doesn't like wet.





3.Purina(he HATES the expensive brands)





5. He has food down all the time(he doens't eat much.)





6.Bulk, less expensive.





7.Everything, ropes, balls, everything.





8.3-4 months





9.Every 2 weeks





10. Usually once for 10-15 minutes.





11. Yes, Frontline.





12.Yes, not long.





13.My dog likes ALL sizes no matter what size or breed





14.I have a young child that I babysit. My dog is REALLY used to children, and he does not mind him at all. He pulls his fur, and everything and my dog ust ignores him.
Okay, I'll see what I can do. I grew up raising dachshunds, and we always had at least one big dog too.





1. I think my parents gave our little dogs puppy food instead of dog food because it was easier for them to chew. I don't think that's the best method, but they were fine- didn't starve and weren't obese. Any dog food should work.





2-6. We usually get a huge bag of dry dog food from Costco and let them eat as much as they wanted.





7. Our old dog Frankie adopted a plastic whale that she treated like a puppy. The others never seemed interested in toys.





8-9. Most of dachshunds were short-hairs that didn't need much grooming. The long-hairs weren't groomed as often as they should have been, but they never got matted or anything. They'd get bathed once or twice a year when they visited the breeder's.





10. Our dogs weren't ever taken on an official walk, but we had a really big backyard and the little kids would often play and roughhouse with them to give them all the excercize they needed.





11. No





12. Our cats were all outdoor cats and generally avoided the dogs. Occasionally we'd have a particularly rambuncsious pup that would chase them, but the cats could escape easily over the fence.





13. We never had a problem with our dogs getting along. We had dachshunds and either a Brittany spaniel mix or a golden retriever mix.





13. Again, we never had a problem with young kids and dogs. We'd have to watch them when the pups were young, but not the older ones. Our old dog Frankie was especially laid back- visiting kids even bit her ear once, and she yelped but didn't attack. My siblings were all raised with dogs, and none of them ever hurt the pups.





Hope that helps. I think it mostly depends on the dog.
I I feed what the vet reccomended...Royal Canin Indoor puppy (small breed)





2 Royal Canin....I mix a very tiny bit of wet into it for more flavor and interest.....no raw





3 Royal Canin





4 I cheat and use Beneful dinners





5 He's fed 3x a day, 1/3 cup dry mixed with a teaspoon of wet.He's oversized for a papillon-feeding amounts go by weight %26amp; age %26amp; that info is on the bag) he's fed 3x rather than 2x because he sucks his food up faster than a Hoover and I don't want him up chucking-he's done that lol...and he's thriving on what he's fed. Thinking of slowly switching to Blue Buffalo, .....he's a wee pig tho. will eat 'til he explodes so NO table scraps and very stingy with the treats-he has to earn them.





6 Right now the only size bag I can get contains 10cups





7 Tennis balls.....Kong for small dogs, tug rope, clean white sock with a knot tied in the middle, chew bone





8 He doesn't..I am able to groom him at home and prefer to





9 Once a month...he's brushed out daily and gets a 'pedi' every two weeks. A professional groomer told me unless he gets dirty, any more than that will make his coat fly-away (unless he's a show dog...different set of rules there....different set of bath products, too)





10 Two, 20-30 minute walks a day...unless the weather sucks, then he's given extra play time (like fetch the tennis balls) Right now it's almost 100 degrees outside and very, very humid.





11 Absolutely...he's on Heartguard %26amp; K9 Advantix...and I flea comb after every trip outside





12 No...he likes the cat but the cat is a bully-it's taking time for the bully to warm up.





13 No other dogs





14 I have no small children...when th e kids were little I had a sturdy family dog (e.springer spaniel) Now, with their ages 22, 24, 30 %26amp; 33 I finally have my little dog....would be to nervous to have a little dog around kids, no matter how well behaved (both dog %26amp; kids)





Note: My little guy is a papillon and he's GREAT however...they have a tendency to jump from heights that they shouldn't so be aware of that....they are velcro in fur so be prepared to have a little shadow follow around EVERYWHERE, even the 'loo' lol....he/she will love you completely,unconditionally and will be heartbroken when he can't be with you, it's natural to the breed...they are smart and easy to train.....their coat maintenance is a snap......toys are prone to dental problems so consult your vet on proper dental maintenance.....I am totally in love with this breed and you will be too.....lotsa stuff on the web about this breed so read...read....read! I'm collecting a papillon library myself.Good Luck and any questions I'll be happy to answer.





Edit: Ah, I see the 'Dog-Nazis' are giving out TD's today....wonder who peed in their Purina today lol.....
1. No





2 Dry food. Merrick wilderness blend. I also feed real chicken at night. I have not ever fed a raw diet.





3. Merrick Dog food.





4. N/A





5. I am lucky if she ats 1/4 cup of dry food. Very finicky. Eats 1/2 3/4 cups of chicken a day. She eats twice a day, but would prefer to graze all day long in small amounts. When I am home she does have food out all the time. However the dog is usually with me at my horse ranch so it is rare for us to be home all day. I feed twice a day. When I get up in the morning, and when we come home from the ranch in the evening.





6. I have a large dog also so I buy a large bag of dog food. If I just had one small dog I would still buy the large bag.





7. My small dog likes furry animal toys. She has a strong prey drive and loves to play with them.





8. I groom my own dog.





9. I bathe her whenever she is really dirty, every 6-8 weeks. She LOVES to take dirt (sand) baths at the horse ranch. This is a daily event. I think she was a Chinchilla in another life. Fortunately the sand shakes off easily.





10. She walks the ranch with me. Actually everything she does is at high speed. She gets several hours of ranch activity a day.





11. She is on Frontline plus every month. Heartworm not an issue in my area.





This question is for people who own small dogs and cats:





12. My small dog loves my cats, and actively plays with one of them like its another dog. She had no interest in the cats when I adopted her, it probably took 3 months for her to want to interact and play with them. The cats liked her right away as they were used to my other dog.





This question is for people who own small dogs and large dogs:





13.My small dog thinks the large dog is her big sister. She adores her. She ignored the big dog for the first three months as far as engaging in play with her. The big dog was more then willing to be friends with her from the start.





I have no kids, but I would not ever place a small dog with a household with small children. It is just a bad combination. You have to have a parent who is willing to train the children how to behave with a dog, and follow up with consequences to the kids if they do not follow the dog rules. With todays parenting trends I just do not see parents qualified to take on a small dog with small kids.





Papillons are WONDERFUL dogs. They have a big dog attitude and make wonderful performance dogs.
1. yes otherwise the kibble is too big to fit into her mouth


2. dry


3. usually purina or iams


4. n/a


5. no feeding schedule, but usually about 3/4 of a cup a day


6. the small bags - 5lbs. because it doesnt sit around as long to get stale


7. rubber bouncy squeaky balls


8. we cut her hair at home


9. once every 2-3 weeks


10. 2-3 times a day for about 10 mins each


11. we give her flea collars and heartguard


12. they're ok with eachother, they get jealous though.
1. Is it necessary to feed your small breed dog a food that is made specifically for small dogs?


- No, it's not necessary, however it is better for their health, it really depends on the breed. For example I have a Chi, she is a pup, so she is on puppy food, however when she is 10 months, she will switch to Chihuahua food, Chi's are know to have heart problems etc. So this is recommended. Go to your local pet store and ask them, they can recommend what they see is best.





2. What type of food do you feed? Dry or wet? Do you feed raw?


-She eats 1/8cup of Royal Canine Puppy twice daily, dry





3. If you feed dry food, what brand?


-See above





4. If you feed wet food, what brand and how often do you feed wet food?


-N/A





5. How many cups of dry food does your small dog eat a day? How many times a day does he/she eat? Do you have a feeding schedule?


-She eats 1/8cup twice daily, however when she was just a puppy, we gave her a bit at lunch, now it's just breakfast and supper, with treats throughout the day :)





6. What size lb bag do you normally buy? Do you buy the small bags or do you buy bulk? If you prefer one or the other, why?


-Her food only comes in a small bag, that lasts about 2 months.





7. What kind of toys does your small dog like?


-She loves anything that squeaks! She also likes small tennis balls and at times a rope toy.





8. How often do you take your small dog to a groomer?


-She gets her nails trimmed about twice a month and is going for her first bath this week!





9. How often do you bathe your small dog?


-Not too sure yet!





10. How many times a day do you walk your small dog and for how long?


-Once or twice a day, just around the block, so about 10 minutes, she is very active in the house, and burns off a lot of energy that way!





11. Is your small dog on flea medication/heart worm preventative?


-She is, she takes Sentinel once a month for fleas and heart worm, and we just found that she has Demodex mites :( So she also takes Advantage Multi





This question is for people who own small dogs and cats:





12. Does your small dog get along well with your cat(s)? How long did it take for them to warm up to each other?


I don't live with cats, however she has seen cats that live at the vet, and wasn't too sure about them at first, however she is very shy and nervous, and prefers cats because they are calmer than other pups!





This question is for people who own small dogs and large dogs:


-Again, don't have a large dog- anymore (he died a week before we got this one :() However she is quite nervous at first, but as long as the dog is calm, she is pretty good about it. I think it's great for small dogs to be around larger dogs so they don't become skid-dish or develop small dog syndrome! LOL





13. Does your small dog get along well with your large dog? How long did it take for them to warm up to each other?


-With other large dogs that visit, it usually takes her about 10 minutes, she just needs to know they are there to play and shes good to go!





This question is for small dog owners who also have small children:





13. I have noticed that most, if not all, small dog rescues will *not* adopt out dogs to families with young children because small dogs are often fragile and children do not know how to properly handle a small dog.





If you have young children, do they know how to properly handle your small dog without injuring it? Do you supervise your children when they are playing with your small dog?


-My mother runs a home daycare, and so our pup is around children aged 2-8 during the day and since this is really all she has ever known, she is really good with them. The children on the other hand, wanted to treat her like our Lab and run at her and give her food from the table. We just explained to them the different between a small dog, and that she is just a baby and that they need to be gentle just like with human babies. We ALWAYS supervise when the children are playing with her.





Owning a small dog is the best!! I am so attached to my Chi it's not even funny! She was my first small dog, I grew up my whole life with big dogs, but it's great!


Good Luck!!





Also:


I would highly recomend puppy classes! We have been taking ours since she was 10 weeks and she is just thriving. We learn socialization, house training, basic commands, loose leash walking and tricks. It is the best thing we could have done! I would seriously consider looking into this at your local pet store!
minpin %26amp; mini schnauzer


1. mine like small pieces so they can eat better.


2.both. i mix them together.


3.biljac. it looks like rabbit food.


4.i dunno what brand the wet dog is though. we get different flavors.


5. we feed twice a day. six and six. almost two cups of wet food each time, mixed with like half a can of wet food.


6. we generally buy a decent size bag. it's cheaper generally. and they do go through some food. plus we don't liek to make many may trips. we store it in an airtight container.


7.we like all toys! we love to tear up squeakers so i have to sew them up otherwise we would be buying toys everyday. we also have a socccer ball and kiddie pool outside. we like to play witht he kitty also.


8. mini doesn't go at all. i bathe him every few months. he doesn't really get dirty. schnauzer is taken every few months for the works, but gets a bathe inbetween bc he gets pretty filthy. they both get brushed everyday.


9.every few months. schnauzer more.


10.we go for two walks a day. in the morning and at night. 20 mins, bc my brisk pace really gets their little legs moving...


11. yes, i do not risk their health. they are still dogs. they are also microchipped and neutered.


12.they loooooooooove the kitty! they just like her too much and tried to play with her right away. she is a kitten and wants to play too, but they are still bigger than her.


13.they have many dog friends of all sizes, they prefer the big dog side aat the dog park...didn't have to warm up bc they were properly socialized as pups.


14. yes my best friend has a baby who just turned two, and my dogs love kids, i think bc they are more their size they lay in his lap and give kissies on command. i do supervise, bc not all children know how to handle dogs. my dogs would never never bite or even nip, but i think children should be taught also.





small dogs are still just dogs, anything you look up on dogs will generally apply to all breeds. but i am thrilled you are asking about what it is like to own a small dog. however, breeds are different. my min pin can wear himself out and doesn't HAVE to go on a walk. the schnauzer however must be walked or he becomes bored and destructive.
1...NO





2....Dry.and I give my dogs extra veggies/fruits.I also have purchased meat from Bravo which is a raw dog food company.But my dogs do not solely eat raw


http://www.bravorawdiet.com/index.html





3...I feed my dogs Wellness small breed adult formula now and I mix it with half super5mix adult also from Wellness





4...I don't feed wet food.





5...I keep food out all day.My dogs don't over eat.they just eat when they are hungry.Plus they get lots of activity.I don't like feeding schedules unless the dog has a weight issue.





6...I buy the 13lb bag so two of those from the different formulas.I just started using this brand so I haven't bought bulk yet.But I hear that holistic style dog food last half as long a supermarket dog food so Ill stick with the smaller bag.It might stay fresher if I have less.





7...Mini tug ropes,lots of squeaky balls.The favorite toy of the moment is this plush pink pig that they all fight over.





8...My toy poodle goes every 7weeks and my yorkies go every 3 months usually cuz their nails grow pretty fast.





9...I bathe every 2 or 3 weeks.Maybe more if they get muddy or if it rains a lot and they get stinky from being outside.





10...I walk 45-60 min in the morning and 45-60min in the evening.Sometimes ill take them on several short 30 minute walks a day.I believe the more u walk(and not just letting them be wild outside) the better behaved and relaxed inside.My breeds are not like a pug or a peke they need stimulation and adventure.It depends if your dog is lazy or not some dogs like more extra exercise then others.





11...My dogs are not on heart-worm medication(but Ive been looking into it) and yes they are on flea medication.





I had 2 cats and one died(he was 15)and the other lives with my mom now but Ill still answer...


12...My old cat did not like my dogs he just avoided them or hissed if they got too close.My other cat would actually tease the dogs and stare them down so my dogs were kinda scared of her.She is a very bold bossy cat.A few weeks and both my cats were fine.even when I had my childhood dogs my cat (the one that died) when he was young would just ignore them.I think cuz he was old he didn't tolerate my new dogs very well.





13...Rescues are very very picky.My mom has rescued yorkies and it was a long adoption process,but worth it...I don't have kids but I have cousins and 2year old nephew and they do just fine.I mean u teach about being gentle and calm and everyone should be okay.Yes,I do supervise when small children are playing with my dogs.





hope that helps a bit,good luck with your adoption.
1. It's not required, but it makes the dog much healthier and meets more of it's nutritional needs.


2. I feed my Boston Terrier dry food. Canned or semi-moist food is not healthy for any size or breed of dog's teeth.


3. I feed him Pedigree, a trusted brand by many local and national kennel clubs.


4. He eats 1 1/2 cups, twice a day. Yes, I do have a feeding schedule.


5. I usually buy 20lb. bags of food. It lasts a long time, but there's not so much in it that it will get stale and use some of it's nutritional value.


6. He LOVES tennis balls! He also ';snuggles'; with soft toys and he chews the life out of hard ones. Nylabones are tough and can out stand his powerful jaws and clean his teeth at the same time. He also likes rope toys and AKC wild animal toys. He has almost all of the AKC wild animal toys! He has an AKC sheep, an AKC squirrel, and an AKC deer.


7. Never. Since Boston Terriers have short, easy-to-care-for coats, no professional groomer is necessary.


8. Once every few months or when it is necessary. Too many baths mean a whole lot of dandruff.


9. My dog is really energetic so I take him for four walks per day, 20 minutes each. Plus regular playtimes in the yard and he's training for Agility.


10. Heartworm isn't that much of a worry around this enviornment, but he does use Adams Flea and Tick Spray.


11. Gus doesn't want to hurt the cats, he just wants to play, and then the cats run away when they see him.


12. My neighbor's large Bullmastif female, Delilah, is very kind to Gus. The Bullmastiff I used to have but had to be humanely euthanized due to arthritis, called Samson, was also very nice to Gus.


13. That's right, kids don't know how to handle smaller dogs, but with supervision and teaching, children can learn how to handle dogs responsibly.


14. I don't have any children, but when me and Gus go into the grociery store, the post office ( he's a regular there, the people working there don't mid, they just give him a treat every time he visits!), or just walking along there will be a small child that will ask to pet Gus and I ask them nicely to be gentle with Gus. Gus is very tolerant and has never bitten anyone, so he sits down calmy as they rub him.
1. Necesary? No. Recommended? YES


2. Pro Plan Small Breed Puppy Food... chicken flavored i think, Dry


3. Pro Plan


4. Nope.


5. 1/2 cup daily, 3 times daily (he's still really young), yes


6. 6lb. bags because they last like a month for me


7. chew, soothing, TREATS


8. once a month


9. twice a week


10. twice a day for thirty minutes each


11. No, he isn't.


I don't own any cats so...


I own a yorkie poo and my little sisters 2 and 1 and 1 aren't allowed to do anything but pet him, and only when I am holding him and allowing them to. I don't want to risk his life.