Lap Dog

. . .but, I wanted a little lap dog. That’s like wanting a lap cat. There is nothing inherent in a dog’s size that MAKES them want to be a lap dog. I know a lot of Golden Retrievers, Pit Bulls, and Great Danes who are wonderfully, huge lap dogs. I also know lots of Yorkies and Maltese who will avoid your reach because they aren’t interested in always being nestled on your lap.

I imagine that there are a lot of little dogs released to shelters or going from home to home because they aren’t lap dogs. And, there are probably cats given away because they are considered too needy when what you wanted was an independent pet who didn’t care if you were around.

If you want a lap dog and yours doesn’t quite fit that characterization, relax and give it time. Don’t grab at them or chase them down. Let them be and when they come to you, praise them, but don’t reach out. Let them get close to you on their own.

If you keep grabbing at them they will approach with caution and stay just far enough away that you can’t possibly get them. Believe me, they learn very quickly that your next move will be an attempt to convince them that they really ARE a lap dog but haven’t yet experienced the joy of being smothered by you. If given time and patience, your dog may decide that being near you isn’t so bad.

The moral of the story – if you don’t have the dog you want, want the one you have!