Pocket.wolves

Pocket.wolves 💚❤️💜🧡 Life with 4 Chihuahuas
😎 pocket wolves merch available on our homepage
🌍 Tiny dogs … Big Adventurers

03/03/2026

Life with two young dogs… don’t worry, she’s totally fine 😂

01/03/2026

1️⃣ Big dogs ≠ more knowledge
So often, owners of big dogs act like they know more… just because they have a big dog and I only have Chihuahuas 😅
Recently, a huge dog ran straight into us. Owner was far away, dog ignored recall, Liesl got stressed. I picked her up. Owner finally shows up: “She’s nice, you can let your dog down.” I say: “No, she’s stressed.” Classic reply: “But they’ll never learn if you don’t let them.”
Yep… people can’t control their giant dog but still feel the need to give training tips for my tiny ones 🙃

2️⃣ Owning dogs forever ≠ being an expert
Many love reminding me how long they’ve had dogs, as if that makes them experts. Owning dogs for decades doesn’t equal knowing more.
I’ve driven for 15 years but I still don’t know how to fix a car. Someone with 2 years of dog experience, training daily, reading, learning, can know more than someone with 40 years and zero study.
Every dog is unique … even trainers meet dogs that challenge them. You never stop learning

3️⃣ Wolves don’t wear coats → dogs don’t need them?
Classic: “I’ve never seen monkeys wear clothes, why should dogs?” 🫠
Dogs are so distantly related to wolves that they share about as much with wolves as we do with chimpanzees. Comparison is completely off … instant sign: zero clue about dogs but loves to hear themselves talk

4️⃣ Barking ≠ bad behavior
Since Liesl, I notice this all the time. People immediately judge, especially small dogs. Out of my 4 Chihuahuas, 3 are calm, 1 barks and still: “typical small dog,” eye-rolls, sighs.
If you truly understand dogs, a few seconds of barking isn’t a reason to judge. You don’t know the backstory, the training, the full story … yet people are quick to label a dog untrained just for barking

How do you spot a dog clueless person right away?

22/02/2026

Most people have never noticed those tiny slits on the side of a dog’s nose.
But they’re not just decoration.

When dogs sniff, they don’t breathe out the way we do. The air doesn’t blow straight forward. It exits through those small side slits … so they don’t push the scent away while analyzing it.

Even more interesting?
That sideways airflow creates tiny air currents that actually pull fresh scent particles back toward the nose. So with every sniff, they’re constantly gathering new information.
And dogs don’t just smell … they smell in stereo.
Each nostril sends signals mainly to a different side of the brain.
New or unfamiliar smells are usually checked first with the right nostril … the side more involved in processing new information and strong emotions.

Once the smell is recognized as safe or familiar, the left nostril becomes more active. That side of the brain handles routine and familiar information.

So sniffing isn’t random.
It’s organized.
It’s strategic.

And it’s far more sophisticated than it looks.
You might watch it a little differently on your next walk

❤️🐺❤️

19/02/2026

They spend every day observing us, reading our emotions, and figuring out what we want… and yet many of us don’t even try to understand them

Dogs are masters of observation and empathy. They notice the smallest changes in our posture, voice, and behavior, and they adjust themselves accordingly. They can sense joy, fear, or disgust … even from strangers … and respond in ways that show they truly understand us.

In training, in play, or just in everyday life, dogs can anticipate what we will do next. They live in our world and adapt perfectly… while we often misunderstand theirs. Barking, teeth showing, playing rough, or setting boundaries … these are normal behaviors for dogs, yet many are punished for simply being who they are.

We blame the dog when training doesn’t work, forgetting that we speak a completely different language. Yet dogs, with all their intelligence and empathy, still fit seamlessly into our human lives.

Isn’t it only fair that we make the effort to understand their world in return? Set aside time each week … just like a workout … to learn how dogs communicate, how they perceive life, and how they interact with the world around them.

This is exactly what this account is about:
helping you understand your dog better and build a deeper, more joyful connection. No trends, no quick fixes, just real, science-based knowledge.

Because when we see the world through their eyes, every walk, every interaction, every moment together becomes richer.

Knowledge is power. Understanding is love ❤️

Follow along for real, science-based insights into the world of dogs and start seeing life through their eyes 🐺❤️

15/02/2026

Today reminded me how much of a difference it makes when small dogs are taken seriously from the very beginning.
We had to rush to the clinic because Ottilia had been vomiting repeatedly, and I was terrified it could be something serious.

For the first time, she had to go through a truly uncomfortable treatment. And I was so incredibly proud of her. No growling. No snapping. No bared teeth. Just quiet bravery and trust.
Liesl, even though she clearly sensed the stress and tension in the room, stayed open, soft, and loving with everyone around her ❤️

For years I thought I had simply been lucky with “easy” dogs. But today reminded me it’s not luck. It’s the way they were raised. It’s respecting their boundaries. It’s not treating them like fragile little dolls just because they’re small. It’s letting them run, explore, communicate, and say “this is too much” and actually listening❗️

When I notice it’s getting overwhelming, we pause. I let them breathe. I let them reset. And that small moment of respect changes everything. It’s as if they’re saying, thank you for not crossing my limits just because you can physically hold me still.

It makes me wonder … how would small breeds develop if we consistently treated them as full, capable dogs with their own comfort zones and clear boundaries? How much of their “typical small dog behavior” is actually just a response to not being taken seriously?

Of course, when it’s life or death, nothing else matters but getting them the help they need. But in all the moments in between, respect shapes everything ❤️💚

Small bodies.
Strong hearts.
And when we give them dignity, they show us just how incredible they truly are 🐺❤️

11/02/2026

Lately, this hits even harder 😕
One of my dogs is genuinely insecure in dog encounters and I’m realizing how incredibly hard it is to give her consistent positive experiences when we keep getting rushed.
She barks at big dogs.
Not because she’s “a typical Chihuahua”.
But because she’s been knocked over more than once.
Yet the only reaction I hear is:
“Well… yeah, Chihuahua.”

Not once does anyone stop to consider that for a dog this small, having a much bigger dog come charging straight at them is overwhelming. Terrifying, even.

I put so much work into this.
My girls sit in front of me.
They’re under control.
They’re not allowed to run up to any dog, ever.
And still, piece by piece, it’s starting to crumble.
Because negative experiences pile up.
Because Liesl reacts earlier and earlier with barking … and honestly, I can’t blame her.

And then there’s the favorite argument:
“But small dogs are the untrained ones.”
Even if that were true … how does that justify letting a big dog rush every small dog it sees?
Bad behavior from some small dogs does not turn all small dogs into fair game.
By that logic, fear and past attacks would justify me immediately grabbing every big dog by the collar or pinning it to the ground because I’ve already experienced my dogs being attacked and that would be the only way to protect them.
That sounds ridiculous. Because it is.

I do everything I can to protect my dogs.
But we don’t live in the middle of nowhere.
Dog encounters can’t be avoided 100%.
And this is why it’s so frustrating when people let their big dogs run at us and then shout from afar:
“Don’t worry, he’s friendly!”
For a small dog, one wrong step can be fatal.
One jump. One paw. One bite.

Yes … small dogs should be trained. I agree.
But frustration with other small dogs does not justify letting your dog rush mine.
This reel is not about bashing big dogs.
It’s about awareness.
So maybe next time, slow down.
Give small dogs space.
And if you know your dog is young, stormy or untrained … don’t let them run up at all.
That one moment can undo weeks of work

THANK YOU ❤️💚🐺

06/02/2026

About ignoring as a training method

I’m not saying dogs need attention 24/7. This is about using ignoring as a punishment … for example, when a dog greets you too excitedly when you come home

Why ignoring can be harmful:

1️⃣ Relationships need investment
Every relationship requires time, energy, and attention. Animals don’t stay in relationships just because “they should.” They stay because the relationship gives more benefits … or fewer costs than any other option. If they think being alone or somewhere else is better, they will leave.

2️⃣ Pressure and deprivation don’t build trust
Especially in adolescence, trying to control a dog only with punishment, pressure, or food withholding doesn’t create real bonding. A relationship should not be based on fear or the idea that one person “controls all the resources.”
3️⃣ Ignoring and food withholding is counterproductive
Even methods called “force-free,” like long-term ignoring, sending a dog away, or withholding food for misbehavior, are not only ethically questionable but also behaviorally ineffective.

4️⃣ Nature shows us better ways
Wild canids ignore their adolescent offspring only in very specific situations … mainly when food is scarce and the young are supposed to leave the family group.
Ignoring here signals “it’s time to leave,” not “you did something wrong.”

5️⃣ Calm greetings strengthen bonds
Studies show that CALMLY greeting your dog … verbally and physically … after a separation helps them relax and feel secure. Dogs not greeted this way are more likely to develop separation-related stress.

✅ Takeaway:
Ignoring should only be used carefully in training as a signal, not as long-term punishment. Building a strong bond with your dog always works best with attention, calm greetings, and clear communication … not fear, deprivation, or constant ignoring.

Adresse

Vienna

Webseite

Benachrichtigungen

Lassen Sie sich von uns eine E-Mail senden und seien Sie der erste der Neuigkeiten und Aktionen von Pocket.wolves erfährt. Ihre E-Mail-Adresse wird nicht für andere Zwecke verwendet und Sie können sich jederzeit abmelden.

Verknüpfungen

Teilen

Kategorie