They’re just too small to do any real tasks. You need to have a big dog. The little ones are only good for companionship. It’s not like they could do anything useful like fetch the phone in case of an emergency or wake you up if the smoke alarm goes off. They’re really just gigantic gerbils. Get real.
OK then, let’s get real.
Sizeism is discrimination of a person based on weight, height, or other physical characteristic and such characteristic is the sole basis for assessing a person’s value. Sizeism is discouraged, especially in the workplace. Let’s apply the same to a dog (we’ll call her Q.T.) applying for a job that would require her to pick up an item (let’s say a wallet) whenever dropped, and then deliver it to a human’s hand. Q.T. is a 13 pound Whoseitwhatsit mix. The human needing help is a 42 year old male (we’ll call him J.J.) who has a history of back problems and a tendency to drop his wallet. His wallet is just a half inch thick since he typically carries a single $20 dollar bill, 2 credit cards and a driver’s license.
Ultimately we want to know: Could the dog do the job being asked?
Can Q.T. be taught how to retrieve on cue? Sure. Is she able to open her mouth wide enough to accommodate a half inch wallet? Yes. Is she strong enough to lift that wallet without straining her jaw? Yes. Can we figure out a way to teach her to deliver it to J.J.’s hand so that he does not have to bend down? Yes. Does Q.T. have a history of dental issues? No. All indications point to yes, Q.T. is a good candidate for the job even though she’s a small dog.
What if the wallet were 4 inches thick, jam packed with cash, credit cards, loose change, auto and medical insurance cards, business cards from every vendor J.J. ever met in his entire life, and all receipts since his college years? Q.T. probably won’t work in this scenario. Her mouth isn’t large enough to pick up the wallet and even if she could, her jaw would be under considerable strain just hefting it.
Just as there can be circumstances where a small dog is not suitable for a job, there can be circumstances where a large dog may not be either. Small dogs have been successful hearing dogs, medical alert dogs and even agility dogs, but often they are dismissed because of their diminutive stature and reputation as barky, overgrown gerbils.
So the next time you see someone with a small working dog, think twice before discounting that dog’s value.
After all, what have you done lately that defied your size?
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