They are real dogs, believe me. If anyone can argue the case for these little wonders, it's Arden. It's a must-read for anyone who lives with a small dog or is thinking of doing so. The latter group is getting bigger, says Arden, another in a seemingly endless string of cultural phenomena associated with the aging of the baby boomers. We have an urbanized society, an aging society.
Toy dogs are easier to travel with and easier to exercise.
Despite all the advantages, people still have problems with these breeds. Arden says the problem is that few owners realize small dogs need training and structure just as large dogs do. Because the dogs are small, it's easy to consider their behavior problems as annoyances that can be lived with, however grudgingly. They're up in your face, in your lap, and they learn to read you very quickly. They can be tiny terrorists, because they learn they can get what they want by being pushy.