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Most small dog owners like pet more than friends By QMI Agency 'Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' star Lisa Vanderpump and dog Giggy in Los Angeles, April 10, 2011. A recent study of small dog owners found they preferred their pets to human friends. (REUTERS/Fred Prouser, file) They really are man's best friend. In a new survey, more than half of respondents said their small dog is more important to them than their friends. As well, 80% allow their small dog on the furniture and 60% give their dog gifts on holidays, the Leger Marketing survey found. The survey also found 78% include their dog in everyday tasks, like running errands or meeting with their not-as-important friends. When it comes to vacation, 53% said they plan their getaways around places they can bring their pets, and consider airlines that allow their dogs to travel in a carrier on board a flight. And if you don't get along with your partner's little dog, you'd better change your mind because nearly half of respondents -- 48% -- said they would break up with a potential mate if the person and dog didn't get along. Another 40% said they would avoid inviting friends and family over if they didn't like Fido. But animal behaviour therapist and trainer Lisa Marshall said treating little dogs like humans can be harmful for the animal. "One of the most common issues I see with dog owners is they don't properly train their small dogs and tend to humanize their pets and treat them like playmates. They feel their small dog doesn't need the same training as large dogs, mainly because of its size," Marshall said in a release. "Small dogs need to be trained and treated like dogs, not people. Shockingly enough, only one-third of small dog owners have taken their dog to training classes -- a number that draws a correlation between widespread misconceptions that 'yappy dog personality' can't be adjusted." The online survey was conducted Jan. 11 to 20 with a sample of 505 Canadians who are small dog owners. A probability sample of the same size would yield a margin of error of 3.2 percentage points.

"Only" 1/3rd of dog owners have taken their dogs to training classes?

I don't think I know a single person who has done that.

It's nice that a dog trainer thinks all dog owners should pay dog trainers though... ha.

As for the rest.

No surprise to me.

My ex GF used to love her fucking dog, god i hatted that type of dog. I swear she liked it more than me -_-

Totally true. I like my dog way more than most people I meet. If he could play multiplayer with me, I wouldn't need friends. ;)

Don't pets, especially for women, act as surrogates for children? That behavior would explain this article pretty well.

I also agree that even small dogs should be trained. I remember being bit by one of the fuckers, and I insitnctively just punted it. It went quite a bit far and I'd be surprised if it lived, but I clearly remember telling the lady owner that if somethign that is 5 inches bites something that is 6 feet 5 inches and 200 pounds, then nature obviously meant for it to die off. If it had been properly trained it would have saved its life, or severe bone and organ damage.

I'd kill half of my blood relatives in the auntie/uncle to cousin sector before I'd even think about hurting my dog. My Jesabelle gets the best, you don't like her, then you can get the fuck out of my house and if you hurt her, I'll punch you so hard that even Zeus himself would cringe.

That's my stance on my dog, I only care about three or four humans more than I care for her and I'm pretty sure that if I saw her and a random person both about to get hit by a car and I could only save one, I'd save my dog and I'd sleep perfectly well that night.

Some people might call me crazy, I'd probably agree with them.

I'll also mention that I can't stand people that mistreat animals, I got into a fight with my cousin just the other day because he'd smack his pitbull when he whines, that didn't go down to well. I can understand that dogs can bite and growl and stuff, but I've been bitten three times in my life and I was able to get out of those situations without hurting the dog. To me, it's no different than kicking a baby that bites you (dogs have sharper teeth, but babies are ugly and disgusting).

Whooo, that was fun.

Did you really just try to justify not hitting a dog when it bites you by comparing it with a baby biting you? I just want to make sure that I understand things right before I laugh otherwise it becomes a lot less funny.

Small dogs do things to people I swear.

In my household there's two Labrador Retrievers, a Shiba Inu (mine), and a Yorkshire Terrier. And guess who gets the most attention?

She's terrible at being potty trained, she barkes way too much, and she is cuddled by every female in the household. Luckily my Shiba shows that Yorkie whos boss from time to time. Ninja pounce ftw!

Yup, can't stand kids and my dog is equal to any random baby that I have no connection with. They both have a similar intelligence, they are both trained and brought up by their owners and they both base their actions on sudden impulses and reactions. I as a stronger species would rather avoid hurting a weaker species, if a small dog bites me, I'm not going to kick and potentially kill it over a minor bite mark (which I've had a few of). A dog, like a baby, is always innoccent and it's either you, the owner who raised the dog or an uncrontrollable impulse that is to blame for a bite.

It's like, my opinion man.

Can't really stand small dogs. Some of them look more rodent than canine-like too.