One good shake and you've got dog dander all in your coffee. ick.

What I remember when I was in West Germany, in the early eighties, is that they also had dogs in the cafe's and no screaming children.

I love how, in Europe, it's acceptable to bring your dog into many restaurants so long as s/he is well behaved. I much prefer dogs to children anyway.

Amy, I was doing some research on dog psychology (don't scoff!) and how certain treatments towards them are very misguided. For example: when a dog is very scared of something, patting her and telling her it's okay is reinforcing her reaction/fear and making you appear weak - both of which intensify her anxiety. It's so interesting to me and I feel bad b/c I am starting to understand where I am going wrong and failing my pooch!

Likewise, constantly fawning over a dog and babying her indicates that she's the alpha and you're just her pack. This leads to anxiety (BARKING! CHEWING! PISSING!) when you leave the dog home. If Lucy doesn't do that, then you are in the clear. But if she barks her head off when you leave her in the car while you run into the grocery store, that's her asserting the fact that you're an asshole and breaking the rules, as the pack is not allowed to leave the alpha.

Just random doggy facts...it's SO HARD not to fawn over cute pups. My dog gets about 5,000 smooches a day and is the biggest cuddlebug ever (but now we're learning she doesn't cuddle b/c she likes us, but b/c her being in close physical proximity to us asserts her dominance :-( )

"What I remember when I was in West Germany, in the early eighties, is that they also had dogs in the cafe's and no screaming children."

An indication, I think, of a society not reproducing. It is up to you whether that is a good, bad or neutral development.

BTW, the difference between Europe and America regarding dogs was American dogs are horribly trained and far more annoying than any child. Europeans I hung around with told they would put down most American dogs rather than deal with such nonsense.

Gretchen, what have you been reading? (My dog is a tiny, cute PITA, and I'd like her to just be tiny and cute.)

Totally off topic.... I am SO glad to be able to log on here again! I was having some major server issues on my computer at work, and my lap top pooped out on me. I couldn't get on some of my favorite sites for months! I have been functioning strictly via smartphone and I gotta tell you, they are no substitute.
YAY! Back to the snark!

Oh and cute dog. But I dont know how I feel about him in a cafe. Outside yeah, but not inside. It just seems like it would be some sort of health code violation.

Hi Monica,

I highly recommend Casar Millan (aka The Dog Whisperer). Lots of people don't like his methods but I think they work. I take it with a grain of salt, though.

I hear people say "Oh I hate small dogs, they're so yappy" and seem to assume it's some kind of Napoleon Syndrome. In reality, people who have larger breed dogs tend to take the time and train them better and therefore they don't bark as spasmodically. Having a 150+ pound Rotti (my husband's former pet) barking at you has quite a different effect on guest's at the door than Amy's Lucy, so it almost forces you to be better about training. Otherwise no one would ever visit you because they'd shit their pants waiting on the front stoop. Little dogs aren't "yappy". They're badly trained! I like to stick up for them (even though I am partial to bigger dogs like my Boxer).

Try out the articles on this site: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/articles/linksbehavior.htm

They're not as in-depth as you will need to go in order to successfully train, but it's a start in understanding dogs. Definitely check out their "The Human Dog" article. The articles on that site reflect the theories and practices of Cesar.

As I said, I take it with a grain of salt. Cesar will talk about how many behaviors are a sign of dominance and I think sometimes it's a bit much; I'd like to hear other opinions on it.

Good luck! What kind of pooch do you have?

Gretchen, Thank you for your helpful insite. I have owned two (small) dogs in the past, but am currently petless. I selected the dogs because they were so cute, and later learned I knew nothing about the breeds. I was a bad, BAD owner and I can confess that now.

My husband and I would like to bring a puppy into our home. Because of my experience, I thought small dogs were a bad choice. Yet, we live in a small two bedroom apartment, and anything bigger than a lab would probably not be a happy puppy.

Since the problem in my past was me, perhaps I can spend a few months better educating myself on training. We can adopt a smaller breed that way.

I have a Miniature Pinscher. She's adorable but yappy. She was a rescue. Before he met me, my husband stopped on the highway when he saw some teenagers toss a small dog out of the back of a van, and she ran across the highway. A woman saw it and stopped, too, but he ended up with the dog. She is really sweet-natured and affectionate, so if I can solve the barking problem, she'll be fine.

Pugs are small, but typically very quiet. They do well in a place like yours, Miranda. I live in a 2-bedroom condo. I adopted my pug from a shelter when she was four years old - well past the puppy phase of crazed chewing. I never had to do much to train her - she has always wanted to go outside to do her business, never seems to want to bark or dig in trash, so maybe I was just very lucky. I think the Great Pug Buddha gave me the best one.

Min Pins are good for small apartments, too. I live in a 2-bedroom apartment. The breed isn't very good with kids, since most small kids are too rough with them, but mine's great with every adult she's ever known. She's a lap whore.

I was completely stern and firm when training Lucy, while Gregg is a complete pushover in her presence. Consequently, she goes in a litter box if I leave her home for an extended period of time, and will be quiet and sit or lie down on command. Also, she knows she'll get in trouble if she starts barking ("No noise!" is the rule) so, if she needs help up the steps, and I've left her out in the yard for too long, she'll do this little swallowed yip. I think you help a dog or a kid enormously by instilling discipline.

Oh, and Lucy has eaten human food maybe 30 times in 10 or so years, and usually because it's fallen on the floor and she was too quick for me. I am always amazed by people who indulge their dogs and let them get fat and unhealthy. Better to be the mean human who only lets the dog have its food -- and stay healthy because of it. Also, it's annoying to have a begging dog at the table.

Oh, and by the way, I'm home. We picked up Lucy at Debbie and Glenn's and now she's on her velvet pillow in front of the heater by my office.

I hope she has her sweater on in the chilly Dec coastal zone. :-)

'In reality, people who have larger breed dogs tend to take the time and train them better and therefore they don't bark as spasmodically.'

Yes...all the small dogs in my neighborhood behave abysmally...bite other larger dogs, bark every time a leaf drops...

We have a Flatcoat. It was love at first sight at the pet store. He was 6 months old and no one wanted him because he had allergies. I'd seen him over a period of months as I went in to buy cat litter, but it wasn't love till they let me play with him. However, at 6 months old he was 41.5 pounds, by far the biggest of any dog I'd ever had. With a tiny elderly MIL he needed to be trained not to bounce on people etc. It is true, a bigger dog forces you to do proper training. I think Amy is the exception to the rule. After my dog has been bitten by a smaller dog the owners often say'Well he's/she's too small to hurt HIM!' Yeah, I know your dog is the size of my dog's head, but it still hurts to have a chunk of skin taken off his face! Sheesh....

Gretchen, I have 2 Boxers! I've had Boxers for 20+ years. It took me about 8 years to get the hang of raising this breed but I've learned a lot since. The most important lesson I learned was to never abdicate my position as the alpha. Once in awhile my youngest Boxer will test me and he is quickly reminded that I'm the boss.

As for barking, I have to admit, my old man dog is almost 13 and he's completely blind. I know sometimes he gets lost in the house and he does his whiny bark for someone to come find him. However, barking for no reason is not tolerated and will earn the offender a doggy time out (the blind dog getting lost is the exception).

Miranda, Boxers are great in an apartment. I moved out of my house with the large yard 2 years ago and they barely notice. They are couch potatoes if left to their own devices but since they have to be walked, it forces me to get up and take them out. It's very beneficial for all of us. By the way, Boxers are wonderful with kids. I got my first Boxer when my oldest daughter was 1. Now I have a 3 year old grandson and the dogs and the baby adore one another.

Amy, like you I'm amazed at what some people feed their dogs. I control my dogs' diet for several reasons. One reason is Boxers tend to be gassy and since my dogs sleep in my room...well, you get the idea. But also, I want my boys to be healthy, happy dogs. Too many pets are developing human diseases because of their diets.

As for barking, I have to admit, my old man dog is almost 13 and he's completely blind. I know sometimes he gets lost in the house and he does his whiny bark for someone to come find him.

Thread win of the year. This comment managed to bring a tear to my eye and make me laugh at the same time.

I had heard about Boxers being farty, and now that rumor is yet again confirmed. They are very beautiful and seem to have a lot of character. If you go to youtube and search on "singing boxer," be prepared to laugh yourself silly for the next half hour.

Pugs are snorty. My sweet little old pug lady snores even when she is not sleepiong, and although this is true of many squishy-nosed breeds, a lot of the time she makes noises on purpose, as a way of communicating. She almost never barks, but makes a variety of other sounds, including (but not limited to) the snort, the whine, the moan, the gurgle, the woo-woo, the rrr-rrr-rrr, and the big giant sigh. I'm pretty sure she understands a lot more English than she lets on, but only responds to "Holly," "treat," "I love you," "no," or "good girl." Which I think demonstrates an admirable ability on her part to focus on the important things and sleep through the rest.

'If you go to youtube and search on "singing boxer," be prepared to laugh yourself silly for the next half hour.'

Yes! I never knew they did this, I've never had a boxer-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6RMMIiaeVw&feature=related

Who's at the top of the food chain now, bitchez!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AB1An3-Rpk

Crella - imagine a 95 pound Boxer doing that same move, without the keyboard!

Pirate Jo - I feel you on the snoring. The 95 pound Boxer I have snores so loud it's ridiculous. I have heard him snoring through the floors when he's upstairs on his dog bed!

I'll have to see if I can post some videos to youtube to share with you. Boxers really are the class clowns in the canine world.

I have to put in a plug for the greatest of all dog breeds - the Doberman Pinscher. My last one shared an 800 sq. ft. apartment with me and then my 1100 sq. ft. house. great on a leash, tried to climb on my lap on the sofa.

She was a bit talky though - she'd bark a lot while chasing the laser pointer, and she liked to sing to the neighborhood when she was outside. But nobody ever messed with me or my house.

I think I'll get a new one (well, a new rescue) in the spring.

My family is a bichon frise and pug family. My mom's pug would only respond to "Quieres?" which means "Do you want?" He was her abusive boyfriend. He would scream at her when he wanted to do something, demanded to know where she was at all times and would bite her if she dared touch another dog. When my stepdad would go to hug her puggie would put himself between my parents. I loved that dog. He died a very painful death due to hereditary brain condition found only in pugs but he lived like a true king.

BTW if you've ever witnessed a pug race they are the greatest things on the planet.

I know I'm a little late to come back but:

1. On farty Boxers...not the best topic, but...our girl had some issues for the first year or so with farting and just all around digestion problems. W/o going into detail, let's just say she has a sensitive stomach. Come to find out, Boxers are very, very sensitive to different fillers that get put into lower quality dog foods (some have severe gluten allergies). By low quality I mean anything you can find at Petco or the grocery store. We switched her over to Taste of the Wild and her farts have pretty much cleared up. She's much more pleasant to travel with in the car now. The lower quality foods are fine for many dogs but you might find that Boxers need the gluten-free stuff. Pricier. But she isn't freaking out at 2 AM needing to run out into the yard and shit her brains out...
2. As for the snoring, there's not much we can do about that except ear plugs!
3. Boxers are lazy - but only if you exercise them first. They can be rambunctious and need outlets for their energy, more so, I'd say, than many breeds. I'll walk Ruby on leash a few times a week but mostly I take her to this awesome park near our house. She runs off-leash with other dogs and plays and we slowly make our way through to the marshes, beach, and the woods. Massachusetts has gorgeous coastal reserve lands.
4. I NEED MORE BOXERS. They're the loviest, silliest, sweetest dogs you'll ever meet. They don't have a mean or pissy bone in their bodies. They just want to cuddle and goof off. Just today I was thinking about how badly I wish we had also gotten one of Ruby's litter mates. One isn't enough to share with my husband.
5. Yea - more dog talk! I linked to some puppy pics of my boxer surfing!