Dave Metcalf — Owner and Dog Trainer at Agile Dogs
Do Small Dogs Get a Free Pass? Training Challenges in Toy and Small Breeds
- •A lunging Chihuahua or a barking Maltese is a training problem, not a personality quirk.
- •Small dogs get less training because their mistakes are easy to ignore or pick up.
- •Leash reactivity, barking, jumping, being carried everywhere and alone-time stress are the five challenges to tackle.
- •Group classes suit most of these problems. Reactive dogs and anxious dogs need a structured course or a private consult.
- •Adult and senior small dogs can learn new skills throughout their lives.
Your dog is 4 kilograms and screams at every dog on the footpath, so you scoop them up and keep walking. It works for you today and makes tomorrow worse. This guide ranks the five problems we see most in toy and small breeds and tells you what to do about each.
Why Do Small Dogs Get Away With Behaviour Big Dogs Never Would?
Size changes how much owners tolerate, not how much dogs need training.
A 30 kilogram dog that lunges gets booked into a class within a week. A small dog doing the same thing gets called feisty and carried across the road. The behaviour is identical, only the consequences for the owner are smaller.
Breeds such as Chihuahuas, Pomeranians, Yorkshire Terriers, Maltese and Poodles are intelligent and eager to please. That makes them quick learners of the wrong habits when nobody trains them. This post sits alongside our hub guide, Are Some Dog Breeds Really Harder to Train Than Others? A Perth Trainer’s Honest Guide, and focuses on the small end of the size range.
Intermittent reinforcement makes a behaviour harder to extinguish. If you pick your dog up to stop barking only some of the time, you teach them to keep trying.
What Are the Five Biggest Training Challenges in Small Breeds?
Ranked by how much each one disrupts daily life and safety.
The ranking follows the criteria in the next section. Each entry names the fix and the cheapest sensible first step. If you want to understand breed groups first, our related article Stubborn or Misunderstood? What Your Dog’s Breed Group Really Tells You About Trainability covers that.
1. Leash reactivity, best for dogs that lunge at other dogs on walks
This tops the list because it shrinks your world. You stop walking at busy times, cross roads early and dread the front door. Small dogs often escalate because being picked up or hurried away removes the scary thing, which rewards the reaction.
The fix is a structured plan rather than avoidance. Our Reactive Dog Classes run as a 6-week Dog Reactivity Course at $330 per course.
Best suited for: Owners whose small dog lunges, barks or growls at dogs or strangers on walks. If the reaction is intense, start with the reactivity course rather than a general class.
2. Excessive barking, best for dogs that alert at every knock, passer-by or noise
Barking ranks second because it affects neighbours and your own nerves daily. In many small dogs it is rewarded by attention, even if the attention is a shout. Teaching a calm alternative such as going to a mat works better than telling the dog off.
A one-hour group class at $30 per session gives you coaching and distractions to practise around. There are no lock-in contracts, so you can come and go as you please.
Best suited for: Dogs that bark at visitors, windows and sounds but are otherwise relaxed. If the barking comes from fear, book a consult instead.
3. Jumping up and rough greetings, best for dogs that launch at guests
Jumping is rated third because it is annoying rather than dangerous. It lasts because people reward it with a pat or a laugh. When you withdraw attention, expect jumping to get worse before it gets better. That initial spike is normal and means the plan is working.
Every person in the household has to respond the same way. Our Dog Obedience Training classes teach this with sit and four-paws-on-floor greetings.
Best suited for: Households with visitors, children or older relatives. Group obedience at $30 per session is the cheapest fix on this list.
4. Being carried everywhere, best for dogs with no floor manners or loose lead skills
A dog that is carried never learns to walk beside you, and carrying removes practice time. It also hides problems until you put the dog down and they bolt, pull or freeze.
Start with basics: loose-lead walking, sit, stay and come. Puppy classes at Claremont and Yangebup take dogs from 8 to 20 weeks, and older dogs can join adult classes.
Best suited for: Puppies and adult small dogs that have never walked far on a lead. Start with a puppy or obedience class at $30 per session for adult dogs.
5. Anxiety and destructive behaviour when left alone, best for dogs that cannot settle without you
This ranks fifth for frequency among our enquiries, but it is the hardest on the dog. Chewing, toileting or crying when you leave signals distress rather than disobedience. A group class will not fix it, because the cause is specific to your home and routine.
A one-on-one behaviour consultation at $275 per consult is the right starting point.
Best suited for: Owners whose dog shows anxiety or destruction when alone. This option costs the most to start, but it is the only one on the list where a group class is the wrong first step.
Terrier and hound types add their own quirks. See our related article on why terriers, hounds and independent breeds test your patience. Mixed breeds and rescues are covered in our piece on individual temperament over breed labels.
How Were These Challenges Ranked?
Rankings are earned on four criteria, not on how often a problem gets talked about. Where a cheaper or simpler option wins a criterion, the table shows it.
Effect on daily life and safety
How much the problem limits walks, visitors or home life, and whether it risks injury or a dog fight. Higher impact ranks higher.
Best training format
Whether a group class, a structured course or a private consult is the right first step for most dogs with this problem.
Earliest age to start
Puppy classes take dogs from 8 to 20 weeks. Adult and senior dogs can learn throughout their lives, so no problem here is closed to older dogs.
Published starting cost
The listed price of the right first step: $30 per group session, $330 for the 6-week reactivity course, or $275 per consult.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Option | Best for | Best format | Published starting cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Leash reactivity | Owners whose small dog lunges, barks or growls at dogs or strangers on walks | 6-week Dog Reactivity Course | $330 per course |
| 2. Excessive barking | Dogs that bark at visitors, windows and sounds but are otherwise relaxed | Group obedience class | $30 per session |
| 3. Jumping up | Households with visitors, children or older relatives | Group obedience class | $30 per session |
| 4. Being carried everywhere | Puppies and adult small dogs that have never walked far on a lead | Puppy class or group obedience | $30 per session (adult classes) |
| 5. Alone-time anxiety | Owners whose dog shows anxiety or destruction when alone | One-on-one behaviour consultation | $275 per consult |
Which Training Option Fits Your Small Dog?
Match your daily frustration to the first step that fixes it fastest. Phone 0448 153 316 if you are unsure which fits.
| If you are… | Look for | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| You dread walks because your dog lunges at other dogs | A structured plan with controlled exposure | 1. Leash reactivity (Dog Reactivity Course) |
| Your neighbours or your own ears have had enough of the barking | Practice around real distractions with coaching | 2. Excessive barking (group obedience class) |
| Guests and kids get jumped on at the door | Consistent greetings across the whole household | 3. Jumping up (group obedience class) |
| Your dog is carried in public and has never walked on a loose lead | Foundation skills and lead handling | 4. Being carried everywhere (puppy or obedience class) |
| Your dog chews, toilets or cries whenever you leave | A plan built around your home and routine | 5. Alone-time anxiety (behaviour consultation) |
Common Questions About Training Small Dogs
Straight answers for Perth owners of toy and small breeds.
Are small dogs harder to train than big dogs?
No. Small dogs are often quick learners, but owners tolerate mistakes more, so the habits stick. The gap comes from how much training they get, not from how capable they are.
Can an adult or senior small dog still be trained?
Yes. Adult and senior dogs can learn new skills throughout their lives. Agile Dogs offers training for all ages and skill levels, so an older dog can start in a standard class.
When should I start training a small puppy?
Our puppy classes are for puppies aged 8 to 20 weeks and run in Claremont and Yangebup. Start as soon as your puppy is old enough to join.
Do I need a group class or a private consult?
Group classes ($30 per session, about one hour, no lock-in) suit confident dogs working on manners. Dogs that are reactive, anxious or easily overwhelmed do better with the $330 reactivity course or a $275 consult.
Ready to Stop Carrying Your Dog Away From Trouble?
Tell us what your dog does and we will point you to the right class or session. Call 0448 153 316 or send an enquiry.
Part of our guide: Are Some Dog Breeds Really Harder to Train Than Others? A Perth Trainer's Honest Guide
Dave Metcalf
Owner and Dog Trainer · Agile Dogs
Dave is a fully qualified dog trainer in Perth with 20 years of experience in dog training and behaviour, holding a Certificate III in Dog Behaviour and Training and a Cert IV in Training and Assessment. He owns and runs Agile Dogs, which he started in Melbourne in 2011 and has been operating in Perth for over 8 years.
Author of 6 articles on Agile Dogs
More from Dave Metcalf: How Much Does Dog Training Cost in Perth? · Puppy Classes vs Private Lessons: First Six Months · Reactive Dog Classes vs One-on-One Training in Perth