How trainable is a 5 pound dog?

Question

I'm thinking of adopting a dog that turns out is only 5 pounds. The smallest dog I've ever owned was 17 pounds, so I don't know what to expect.

As far as training, I mean potty, obedience, tricks, etc.

Thanks!

Answer 1

Very Trainable. My 5 pound female chihuahua is potty trained, knows heel, sit, lay down, give me five, high five, give me ten, roll over, paws up, outside, come, bad girl, good girl, treat etc.

Size has nothing to do with trainablity. It personality and temperment.

My 7 pound chi male knows a whole lot more. Another of my males is working on obedience.

Answer 2

The weight of the dog has nothing to do with the training. Beware though, usually smaller dogs are more agressive than one thinks. They are large dogs placed in small bodies. Don't underestimate this dog - it will surprise you. I would say though, that if this dog is only 5 pounds, you should make sure (by searching online) that it is getting enough nutrition. Even a teacup chihuahua isn't that small. There could be something wrong with the nutrition of the dog. Double check with your vet before you purchase so that you know what you are getting into with a dog this small. Good Luck!

Answer 3

I am the owner of a pomeranian so small dogs are a cinch. You dont really treat them any different then a larger dog really. The best place for training is PetSmart. They use a technique with a clicker that works great. Start right away though so you will have quicker results. Training does take time. With our dogs we have used the kennel technique for housebreaking. Again check out your local pet store and talk to the experts. Good luck with your new family member

Answer 4

You can train a 5 lb. dog the same way you train a bigger one. I have a 86 lb. Black Lab. mix. When training her, I used small treats for a job "well done", along with hugs , "oh what a good girl you are" & just a different tone of voice when scolding her for bad behavior. I'm sure others will have different methods, but these worked for me.
Good Luck,
Pat

Answer 5

I have a 3 lb chihuahua. He knows how to sit, laydown, shake, stay, and come. My dog is not completely potty trained. The only trouble with small dogs is that they have very small bladders and they need to be taken out more than big dogs do. Smaller dogs are also really snappy because they are defening themselves because everything else is so much bigger than them.

Answer 6

Weight has nothing to do with it. A 5 lb dog or a 150 lb dog all train in the same way.

Answer 7

It probably won't be as easy as a large dog because small dogs tend to have short attention spans. But as long as you keep the dogs training sessions short (limited to the dogs attention span) you should be fine.I own a small bichon frise and a large lab and german shepherd/border collie mix. The lab and shepherd tended to have a longer attention span, but the all were eventually trained. Potty trianing might be harder because small dogs have small bladders and need to go more often. If they are left alone long enough will go to the bathroom in the house.

Answer 8

The size of the dog has no bearing on trainability.

If you're a good trainer and a model leader for your "pack", you can train any dog of any size or age.

Answer 9

A 5 lb. dog is no different to train than any other dog. Some dog's personalities lend beautifully to training, but others take more consistency and patience.

Lots of people say, "oh, this breed is stubborn," or "oh, that breed is so easy to train"...breed has almost nothing to do with how trainable it is or isn't. Some breeds are inherently more intelligent than others, but dogs are like people--all different. You have to take the time to get to know your dog and tailor training to your dog's personality.

You can do it--good luck!

Answer 10

Through my experience is that smaller dogs are easier to train. And if they miss and have accidents in the home, it's much easier to clean up.

However, any dog trainer will tell you that the dog's training starts with a trained owner. Read more about training a dog via a book or dogie sessions at your local pet story (like Petco/Pet Smart).