Training myths
"Small dogs do not need training" and other size myths
Nobody laughs off a German shepherd jumping on a toddler, yet the same behaviour from a Yorkie often gets a giggle and a cuddle. That double standard is where this myth lives. A small dog's brain works the same way as a large dog's. What changes is how much the people around it are willing to let slide, and how often it gets scooped up instead of taught.
Last reviewed October 4, 2026
Where it comes from
Why size changes what owners notice.
The logic sounds reasonable. A small dog cannot drag you across a road, knock over a grandparent or pull a leash out of your hand, so manners feel optional. When it barks at the door, you can pick it up. When it lunges at a passing dog, you can carry it past. Small-dog problems are rarely dangerous to the owner, so they are easy to file under personality rather than learning.
The catch is that a dog learns from those solutions too. A dog who is lifted every time it is worried never practises coping on its own four feet. A dog whose jumping gets laughter is being paid for jumping. Many of the habits people blame on small-dog temperament are often just ordinary dog learning that nobody stepped in to shape.
- Lifted instead of taught
- Jumping rewarded with laughter
- Door barking shrugged off
- Pulling unnoticed on light leash
Safety comes first
Handling sensitivity and the growl when lifted.
Some small dogs growl or snap when they are picked up, reached for from above, or handled at the vet. Never punish that growl. It is a warning, and taking it away can leave a dog who skips straight to biting. Handling sensitivity can have a physical cause, so a vet check is the right first step, and a dog who snaps deserves a professional assessment rather than home experiments.
Picking up a small dog is also not wrong in itself. If a loose large dog is charging toward yours, lifting your dog out of harm's way is sensible management. The issue is using the lift as the only answer to every new sight. Day to day, a small dog benefits from learning to stand, sit or settle on the ground while life happens around it.
What we do instead
Same standards, tools sized to the dog.
We hold small dogs to the same standards as large ones: loose-leash walking, a reliable place command for the doorbell, calm greetings, and coming when called. Skills are taught with markers and rewards first, then proofed in real settings. Tools are matched to the individual dog, which for a small dog might mean a properly fitted slip lead or, in off-leash work, a remote collar introduced properly and taught to you.
Everything we do is one-on-one, with no group classes, so a small or nervous dog is never trying to learn in a crowd of bigger dogs. Small puppies can start in Puppy Fundamentals, a three-week board and train at $2,775 plus GST covering crate comfort, name, sit, down, place and calm socialization. A consultation helps decide what fits, and we will say so when the lighter option is enough.
Asked and answered
The questions people ask us.
Do small dogs need obedience training?
Yes. They learn exactly the way large dogs do, and they live in the same world of doors, leashes, visitors and other dogs. Training gives them clear rules instead of leaving them to guess.
Is small dog syndrome real?
The pattern people describe is real, but in our experience it is often learned rather than built into small breeds. Barking, jumping and guarding can grow when they are tolerated or accidentally rewarded because the dog is small.
Should I pick up my small dog when another dog approaches?
If an off-leash or unfriendly dog is coming at yours, lifting your dog is reasonable management. For everyday calm passes, it helps more to teach your dog to stay on the ground and look to you.
Why does my small dog growl when I pick him up?
He may be uncomfortable, startled by hands from above, or in pain. Do not punish the growl. Book a vet check first, and if the growling or snapping continues, get a professional assessment.
Keep reading
Small dog, full set of manners
Book a consultation and we will look at which small-dog habits are learned, and how to teach better ones.
From real owners
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Real Northline dogs