I'm a dog person, I don't think I could hide that if I tried. I love all dogs, though, big, small, and everywhere in between. Currently, I own a big dog. To be specific, I own a 105 pound ball of absolute love. I've got to say that having a big dog, is much different than having a small dog, as you'd imagine. I've had the luck and experience to have owned both big and small dogs, and loved both equally. There are some things about owning a big dog that you don't quite get with a small one, or at least, that I didn't. Here are a few things that I've come to see as routine, but things that never fail to make me smile.
1. Large space heaters
Personally, I prefer to be in a cold environment. After a while that gets a bit old and I'd normally reach for a blanket. With 100 pounds of love leaning on you, there's absolutely no reason too. Or if you are cold, you get just a little extra warmth from their cute furry bodies of heat. They have no intentions other than to just sleep, but they bring you some warmth as well. Plus, having your furry companion so close isn't such a bad thing either.
2. Little Guardians
Like many people, one of my main reasons to get a big dog was to have someone to be a bit of a guard. Of course, his entire job isn't to just be a guard, but to be a part of the family. That being said, it's nice to know that when there's a strange noise outside, or an unfamiliar car lingering that there's someone with a loud bark and a desire to protect to hang around.
3. Friendly Giants
Many big dogs are the ones that are labeled as good family dogs. For example, Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Great Danes, etc, etc. They might be bigger than a Pomeranian, but they are sometimes called better family dogs. In my personal experience, big dogs can always get my favoritism because of this. With their friendly faces, and forever optimistic (drooling) smiles, they can make anyone feel at ease.
4. Big body, small insides
Dogs don't seem to have a perception of their size. While smile dogs can be bossy and seem to believe their big, for some, big dogs are the exact opposite. Some big dogs will be submissive to little ones, and even more so to humans. My favorite of their small dog thinking is how so many big dogs seem to think they're lap dogs. In my personal experience, my big dog has shared the bed, the couch, and my lap with me much more than small dog I owned. There's nothing that makes me laugh watching a 100 pound dog think that he's as small as a Boston Terrier.
5. Comic Relief
My big boy might be the funniest being I've ever met. Between his whines when he wants something, his cries for dramatics, and even the moo-ing sounds he makes to communicate, a good 3/4 of my laughter comes from him. Another moment of comic relief is the intimidation that people get from him. Walking in a open air mall with my big dog, I've seen multiple people cross sides of the mall (even the street) on walks because of his big size.
All in all, dogs are a heaven send, and most people are too good for any of them. Dogs can be therapeutic, and they can just be happy little four-legged people who want nothing more than to please their humans. Big or small, dogs are incredible, they change the lives of so many people. Be it family dogs, working dogs, or even service dogs, they can bring happiness and serenity to anyone around them.
