Puppies in Purses

My daughter bought a Chihuahua puppy to “carry in her purse” as an accessory.  Apparently, it is one of the latest fads among teenagers. Is being carried around so much bad for the dog?

When dogs are puppies it is common to carry them around (especially with the small breeds) since they are not yet leash trained. But as a dog matures he must walk around and socialize by meeting other dogs, playing with children and visiting other homes and other safe locations. If you carry a dog all of the time, he doesn’t socialize properly, he can feel helpless and then react to other people by growling and snapping. When this happens the owner usually tries to comfort the dog, unaware that the soothing words come across as praise and thus makes the aggression worse. If your daughter’s dog is well socialized, then an occasional hour or two of riding around with his head sticking out of your daughter’s purse will not be a problem.