Ryan and I will be the first to say we never thought we’d have a tiny dog, especially after loving super-athletic and crazy Sadie so much, but there’s something special about a teeny peanut puppy, too. We waited 1.5 years after Sadie passed away to bring another dog into our lives and having Pepper join our family only served to remind me just how much we LOVE having a dog in our home. Dogs are just the freaking best and Pepper adds humor, love, craziness, snuggles and so much love into our lives.
Pepper + The Boys
Pepper is the most tolerant, amazing dog around our boys which is saying a LOT because she’s showered with tons of attention and affection from our dude crew all day long.
Not only does she seem to handle their attention well but she seems to genuinely enjoy it most times and always likes to be in the middle of their games and playtime. She seeks them out to shower them with kisses (we have to tell Ryder and Rhett to CLOSE THEIR MOUTHS because this can get gross) and will happily cuddle up in their laps or against their legs for chill time on the couch. (Ryder said he likes to “make her a ‘b'” with his legs because the little ‘b’ shape of his leg is where she likes to cuddle up and sleep the most.)
Pepper doesn’t mind being held or carried by the boys (we’ve coached them on how to carry her safely) and they also know that if Pepper does her little growly noise they need to respect her boundaries and give her space. (This doesn’t happen often because she is some kind of super-patient puppy angel.) Pepper loves sprinting into the boys’ bedrooms in the morning and doing her little bunny hops at their legs until they bend over for kisses. Rhett loves saying, “Peppy miss me!” when she comes flying into his room and meets him at his crib for some love in the morning or after his nap. All the boys insist on Pepper kisses before they go to sleep every night.
(Ryder + Pepper + The “Pepper” he made)
It’s also been really cool to see how Pepper goes to each of the boys for different things. She seems to know who is there to play and run around at top speed with her (Chase), who is always down for cuddles and kisses (Ryder) and who is tiny enough to have toys and remnants of snacks available for her at eye-level (Rhett).
Big Dog vs. Little Dog + Potty Training
We’ve had a lot of people ask us how it feels to go from a bigger dog to a little dog and my first response is it has felt WAY easier… we’re talking night and day different. I’m sure a lot of this has to do with the breed of dog we had before but puppy Sadie was 10/10 insane so puppy Pepper has felt like a breeze for us.
Vizslas are extremely high-energy dogs that require a lot of exercise. We had to majorly prioritize miles of walks/runs or trips to the dog park for Sadie for years to feel like we were taking care of her exercise needs. I will never forget meeting a couple with an older vizsla at the dog park when Sadie was around 2 years old. We asked them when their vizsla started to slow down and chill out a bit and they laughed and said, “Oh, around 10 years old.” They weren’t wrong. We would love to get another vizsla eventually (if you ever see one available to rescue in the Southeast U.S., please let me know) but right now Pepper is a great fit for us for a myriad of reasons.
One of the trickier aspects of owning a little dog, and something I didn’t know before we got Pepper, is that they are notoriously more challenging to potty train. This has certainly proven true for us, as Sadie was really easy to potty train and Pepper is still working on it. She’s come a long way in the three months we’ve had her but we definitely have to be on top of letting her out every 2-3(ish) hours or she may have an accident. Thankfully she can make it through the night without a potty break now! On the plus side, an accident from Pepper looks like little poo-Skittles and is really easy to clean up so it’s not as big of an issue if an accident happens.
Crate Training Update
We got Pepper from a rescue organization when she was (we think) around 6 months old. The rescue had her crate trained which sounded great to us, as we failed miserably at crate training Sadie. (Note: Crate training is not the same thing as potty training — another thing I learned after we got Pepper. Haha!) I fully believe crate training dogs can be such a positive thing for them and since we knew we’d be moving shortly after Pepper joined our family, we wanted to keep up with crate training so she’d have some consistency in her life after so many transitions.
After two rough nights in her crate in our rental house (and one horrible night in our bed), she adjusted well and would sleep through the night without making a peep. I don’t know what happened but when we moved, she freaked out in her crate at nighttime. It was awful and we couldn’t handle the barking and whining. We tried all the things (keeping my hand in her crate, keeping her crate next to us, moving her crate away from us, giving her treats, positive reinforcement, etc.) but she just seemed so, so unhappy at nighttime.
It was right around this time that I believed I was in the process of losing another pregnancy and I told Ryan I just wanted Pepper in our bed with us at night. (A big part of our motivation to crate train Pepper at night was thinking we’d be sharing our room with a newborn baby in the summer.) Sadie always slept with us and curling up in our bed at night with Sadie and a book was one of the most wonderful, peaceful times of my day every day. I missed a warm, fluffy little friend by my side at night and from the first night we let Pepper sleep in our bed with us in our new house, we haven’t looked back. She’s happy. We’re happy and we’re okay with this decision.
Pepper still goes in her crate in the day if we leave and seems content to do this with a treat and her toys. (Yes, I crazily set up a camera on her and watched her after we left the first few times. She usually just naps in her crate when we’re gone.) Pepper also uses her crate to hide her toys and treasures from the boys. We’ve found everything from the boys’ stuffed animals to marker caps in there. She’s a sneaky little thing!
Teething
Pepper is nine(ish) months old which means she is still very much a puppy and teething up a storm. Thankfully little Pepper teeth aren’t crazy destructive (crate training in the day also helps with this!) but we’ve all learned that anything left on the ground is fair game for curious Pepper to run off with and destroy. She really seems to love chewing on the boys’ little plastic toys and has ruined her fair share of things but thankfully nothing too treasured.
One cool thing is that we actually found two of Pepper’s puppy teeth after they fell out! The boys wrote a note to the tooth fairy asking to keep Pepper’s baby teeth so they’re still around our house somewhere.
Adventure Pepper
It didn’t take me long to Google whether or not you can run with a chihuahua or terrier (the breeds we think Pepper might be) and I was pleasantly surprised to find that even little dogs love running and long walks. Ryan joked that he entered “phase two” of his relationship with Pepper when he realized she could easily handle longer walks. Walking with Sadie was one of our favorite things to do in the world so having a little furry friend join us on our family walks again simply feels right. The longest walks Pepper has been on so far with us are 4-mile walks around our neighborhood and she handles them like a champ!
Pepper has also been on a few hikes with our family so far and loves exploring outside! She is an adventurous, energetic little girl and we’re excited to have a little dog to bring along on our outdoor adventures again.
Biggest Challenge
Our biggest challenge with Pepper at the moment is her infatuation with other dogs. Pepper is seriously social and goes crazy when she sees another dog… especially a BIG one. (She calms down once she has the chance to meet the dog but goes crazy if she cannot meet them.) The rescue where we got Pepper actually told us this about her and said she would fly out of her crate and had no fear approaching big dogs at the rescue.
This personality trait has certainly continued and it’s a bit of a challenge when we’re walking her and she starts pulling and barking up a storm trying to get over to any dog she sees. (She’s actually not at all barky otherwise so it’s a little jarring!) It’s getting better but it’s still frustrating and I welcome any tips you guys might have for helping train her in this area. Thankfully she’s tiny and easy to control but I know it likely makes other dog owners and their dogs uncomfortable, especially if their dogs are not social and don’t want anything to do with Pepper. I’d love to see her behave more calmly in the presence of other dogs and just looked into local dog parks so we can socialize Pepper more frequently as well. (She does well at the dog park around little dogs but REALLY seems to want to go into the big dog area. She’s obsessed!) I hope more frequent socialization and staying firm on our training (saying “no” and walking the other way when we see a dog on our walks) will help her improve in this area. Again, please give me alllll the tips if you’ve been in this position with a pup before! Sadie could not have cared less about other dogs and would just give them the stink eye and keep walking on her merry way so this is uncharted territory for us.
Embracing and Loving Another Dog
If you’ve been reading this blog since the “Sadie days” you know how much Ryan and I adored Sadie. I never grew up with a dog and Sadie was the first dog I ever owned. I truly had no idea how much she would wiggle her way into my heart and how her velcro-dog personality that didn’t believe in personal space would impact my life. It may sound dramatic but having Sadie by my side every day truly impacted my heart for the better on a daily basis. She reminded me to find joy in the simple things — cuddles, nature, hikes, family, running at top-speed, a special treat, a warm bed. I quickly realized how people could become so obsessed with their dogs because I became one of those “crazy dog people.” Ryan did, too.
When Sadie died, part of me worried another dog could never and would never come close to replacing Sadie in our hearts. This is true. Sadie is Sadie but Pepper is Pepper and that is a wonderful, beautiful thing. Once our hearts felt ready for another dog, we were on the lookout for a new companion and a wonderful furry friend to welcome into our family while still recognizing Sadie would always have a firm, irreplaceable place in our heart. (If you knew Sadie you’d know this is exactly how she’d want it. She’d never want us to “move on” from her and likely rolled her eyes at us from heaven when we got Pepper. We like to think Pepper is slowly winning Sadie over by proving to be more of an outdoorsy, adventurous dog than we anticipated.)
Pepper is her own little 6-pound ball of love and fluff and perfect puppy sweetness. We adore her and frequently say she’s a 10/10 dog. Somehow we found ourselves another velcro dog and that makes my heart so, so happy. There’s something so comforting about Pepper’s presence and the way she loves to curl her tiny body up on my chest when I lounge on the couch. She always seems to find her way into my lap when I’m on the floor playing with the boys and is never far from my heels when I’m walking around our house.
In the three months we’ve had Pepper, she’s added so much to our lives. I knew we’d love Pepper from the moment we met her but I never could’ve anticipated the way our boys have completely fallen for her. They always want Pepper around and seek her out for playtime, cuddles and kisses. They crack up with big belly laughs when she bunny hops after her toys, hunts for our feet under our blankets, falls asleep upside down or gets a serious case of the zoomies. She’s quickly become an integral part of our lives and our family and we are so thankful we found our little Fuzzy Pepperoni!
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Love the Pepper update! EEeeeeee so happy you have a dog again, they really complete the family.
We had the opposite problem – our large rescue was very reactive on walks towards other dogs but because he thought he was protecting us.
We started bringing treats on the walk. Every time we passed someone/a dog he got a treat when he calmed. We didnt react, say no, pull him, anything. It was simply a treat when he chilled out a little. We slowly even gave him treats when we saw someone approaching from pretty far even before he reacted.
Soon enough he would look to us, instead of the dog, when he saw one approaching. This went on for at least a year plus. He’s now rarely reactive and much, much happier. I think us keeping our cool and being consistent with the treats helped a ton. He’s also old now but you know 🙂
Pepper is VERY motivated by treats so I think something like this could work for her. Thank you for sharing your experience, Cori!
I do something really similar! I taught my dog that “yesssss” means he’s about to be rewarded, so when he sees a dog while we’re walking I say yes! and treat over and over while we pass the dog. I always cross the street to give us some space, and started by getting him to just sit still and let the other dog pass (with lots of treats!). It made a huge difference. A local dog training center offered a class specifically for reactive dogs, which was a GREAT thing for us too.
I used to dread walks because of how much he would freak out, but now we love our daily walks.
I love this post so much. I love little dogs, we lost our Pomeranian/chihuahua mix a couple of years ago and still have a pug (she’s about to turn 17!) For some reason I had it in my mind that when we are ready to get another family dog it will need to be a larger breed because it would be better for our kids, but reading this totally changed my mind! Pepper is so sweet and seeing her with your kids is absolutely heartwarming.
Oh my gosh 17!!! That’s amazing!! Love a sweet senior dog! <3
And yes, we honestly thought we'd get another vizsla before anything but I cannot say enough good things about Pepper and how she fits into our family! Her smaller size is much more manageable for the kids who really want to incorporate her into their play and, since Rhett is still small himself, it's nice not to have to worry about Pepper accidentally knocking him down.
This is truly the sweetest – so happy for you and your family! Losing a dog is so hard, and I am so happy you found new love in Pepper.
Re: dog craziness while walking; we have a big 85lb female lab mix puppy (who’s 4 and similar to Sadie requires all the walks and maybe will calm down in like 5 years haha) who LOVES to meet other dogs while we are out, however, her friendly barking/crazy does not sound at all friendly, and the fact she’s nearly pulling me off my feet isn’t exactly welcoming either. We recently found a cruelty free way to train this (link below) and it has worked SO well. It gets her attention, she knows to chill out, and we follow it up with a treat while walking. Slowly we’re using this and this allows for a calmer approach to other dogs so we seems intimidating. We’re also using this so she learns to chill out when the UPS driver shows up because you’d think we were under attack by her reaction!
https://www.amazon.com/Training-Deterrent-Ultrasonic-Flashlight-Rechargeable/dp/B09YXHV82S/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2VBQ5W97UOGGQ&keywords=high%2Bpitch%2Bdog%2Bwhistle%2Bto%2Bstop%2Bbarking&qid=1678285617&sprefix=high%2Bpitch%2Bdog%2Caps%2C328&sr=8-1-spons&smid=A2QZEU6Q5FKXAM&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUE1WTM0SU1BMzNXRDkmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAxNjM0MDQzSU1YSTc2NDIyQ1pHJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAzNzg0NDhBSzlQRzNaTUk4SiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU&th=1
Have you tried the Gentle Leader leash? It’s the only one (I tried 4 different leashes/harness/no-pull leash/prong collar, etc.) that has worked for my 60 lb. Goldendoodle. She will be two in May. I put a regular leash on her to take her to the groomer last week and she about pulled me over. 😮
Seconding the Gentle Leader. It was recommended by my Humane Society in training. Initially I went from leash where our dog pulled, to a harness that merely allowed her to pull waaay better, to the Gentle Leader. When using that, the leash clips on the harness in the middle of their chest and when they pull, it turns them around, so they don’t het what they were straining toward. Night and day. Problem solved on the first walk. I highly recommend now.
Love the Pepper updates and photos! So happy its worked out well for all and the boys look to be so responsible with her for their ages.
We had the Gentle Leader for Sadie and it was a GAME CHANGER for her pulling!!
I love this suggestion – We have a barker and he cannot for whatever reason focus on us long enough to hear us ask him to stop barking. Mostly it’s his anxiety, so something like this would hopefully break the habit instead of more punish him. The crazy barking can make people/delivery drivers instantly think he’s unapproachable, which is far from the truth. Thanks!
Pepper’s bark is the SAME! It sounds so aggressive and not at all friendly but it really is just her enthusiasm and excitement over seeing another dog. And thank you for sharing this link with me — I’ll check it out now!
I love this update. Dogs bring so much joy to our families.
We have had 2 English Bulldogs in our family; the second was around when my son was born and passed away about 4 years ago. We just recently adopted a 1.5 year old yellow lab, so we’re doing the opposite of what you have done. We went from a lazy, small (in height) dog to a crazy fun puppy who has SO MUCH energy. It’s an adventure, and he brings so much laughter and joy to our family.
Isn’t it crazy how different dogs can be!? And yes I can only imagine how much energy a puppy lab would have! I’m sure it’s so much fun for your whole family!! <3
My 5 lb dog died in October, but was with me for 15 years. This post resonates with me! My dog would pull the leash around other dogs as well and I learned that she needed to have a harness and not a collar around her neck. Apparently the collars (even ‘safe’ ones) can damage their tiny necks and windpipes when they pull. Switching her to a harness on walks actually helped a lot with her pulling to get to other dogs. The other thing that helped was a training class we took at Petsmart.
Thank you for sharing this — I am looking into a harness for Pepper now! We had one for Sadie because she was such a puller initially and it helped so much. I didn’t even think about damage to Pepper’s windpipe so thank you for bringing this up to me!
Also, I’m so sorry you lost your dog last October. 15 years is a long time to have a wonderful companion by your side and I know how big of a void a beloved dog leaves in your life after they pass. <3
Pepper is adorable and I’m so happy she fit right in with your family.
I unfortunately have zero suggestions — while we have very social dogs, they react quite well to us redirecting them. However like others said one is on a gentle leader and the other is on a harness, so perhaps that has something to do with grabbing their attention much quicker?
I really loved this update and enjoy hearing how the little pup makes all the difference for your family. It’s a great reminder to just follow your gut/God’s lead and it will all work out! I will never stop rescuing animals/dogs, so your posts on Pepper are just what I need to fill that void in my life until it’s our time again. I have always had a soft spot for the middle aged/senior dogs (typically large) that seem to sit longer at the shelters, but this is opening my eyes to all the smaller dogs who are in that category as well! Thank you!
Aw! I love that you gravitate toward senior dogs! Honestly, THAT’S where I thought we would land before Pepper. I subscribed to a vizsla rescue email list and kept hoping we might be able to provide a home for an older vizsla because I knew a puppy would be too much for us to handle for a while.
And yes, I need to get a harness for Pepper! That made a big difference for Sadie!
Pepper is so stinkin’ CUTE!!! Do you have any hacks for pet hair in the bed, house or on your clothes? I find I’m lint rolling myself all the time to remove cat hair!
Honestly, I’ve been shocked to find that Pepper doesn’t shed too much. We just brush her hair a few times a week with one of those dog groomer brushes (a slicker brush, I think it’s called?) and that works well for Pepper. I know my sister and brother-in-law go crazzzzy with the amount of dog hair all over their house from their chocolate lab and I’m sure it’s a big headache!
My husband loves to call me his “little crazy old cat lady” and even though I’m only 35 he is so right about the crazy part because I just love our little lady to death and already tell my husband she has to be the exception and live to 100 years old so that I don’t ever have to say goodbye to her. My family always had cats and I loved them dearly but there is something so special about owning your first very own pet and being responsible for their happiness and well-being so I totally get your feelings about Sadie. She will never be replaced but Pepper will always have HER special place in your hearts and I think it helps that she is just as cuddly but also very different from Sadie.
Aw! I love that! Ryan and I say that if I didn’t have cat allergies, we’d likely own waaay too many cats, too, because we both adore them! And yes, there’s something so, so special about the first pet you care for on your own. It’s just such a unique relationship and experience and something we absolutely treasured so much.
Similar to what someone else suggested, when you have some time, pick a path where you know there will be a lot of people passing by with dogs, and sit with Pepper a ways back from the path. Every time she’s just barely notices a dog coming (and before she has time to react, timing is crucial with this), call her to look at you and reward her with a treat. Once she’s able to redirect easily from that distance, and associates giving you her attention with getting rewarded, move a little closer to the path and start over. If she goes bonkers, back up again and start over. It’s a slow process, but she’ll get it! Dog parks are not great for socializing a dog because you never know what unwanted behaviors they’ll pick up from some random untrained dog. Better to pick a friend with a well behaved friendly dog and set up “play dates” and “pack walks” together.
This is a helpful tip — thank you! I didn’t even think about that regarding dog parks so thanks for your insight on this!!
I take my miniature schnauzer to doggie daycare as she is OBSESSED with other dogs and loves to socialize. But if she’s on a leash or is lying on the couch and sees another dog, she goes bonkers. Especially on a walk, this can be dangerous. So we enlisted the professionals. I’d recommend having a trainer come to your house. In 2 hours we nipped the “reactiveness” in the bud with the help of a brilliant dog trainer. Good luck!
Miniature schnauzers are adorable!! My mom had a few growing up and I think they look like the cutest mustached little men! Haha! <3 And thanks for the trainer recommendation! Do you remember how you found one who you felt would be a good fit for you/your dog?
I am in several community Facebook groups and this topic comes up a LOT. I kept seeing the same few recommendations come up and looked at their websites and their methodologies before I chose one. I didn’t, for example, want to use “shock” collars. So I went with someone who taught me how to use a slip lead and “pilot” Piper. It takes work and a bushel of patience, but it’s so worth it.
Dogs are just the best. Have you looked into clicker training for Pepper? It’s a positive reinforcement training technique. We used it to train our dog, and though I can’t remember all of the details of it, it involves clicking a small clicker and giving a treat when the dog does something you want. Eventually, they are conditioned to that good behavior. It, like most training, involves lots of treats, so I recommend getting a dog treat bag that you wear on the hip (or a cute fanny pack). Now, when our dog doesn’t bark or go for another passing dog, he immediately looks at us for a treat.
I haven’t done this before but I need to look into it, especially since Pepper is VERY motivated by treats. Thanks for the suggestion!
We give our dog a treat whenever he sees other dogs. Now he looks at us for a treat instead of getting really focused on the other dog. It’s helped a lot!
I haven’t read through all the comments yet so it might have already been said, but my dog is reactive towards other dogs out if fear but exhibits the same behavior as pepper. I have worked with him for the past 5 years and he has come a long way! I started out with teaching him a cue word “look” by giving him a treat when he looks at me again. (We did this inside for a long time without distractions). I started out throwing a piece of food or toy while he was in a leash, say “look” and give great from hand when he looks back at you.
Now we say the cue word outside at random times and he gets praised or a treat. We always try to say look before any reaction and praise anytime he looks at a dog and then looks away with our barking no matter how far we are. It takes a lot of work. Since pepper is barking to say hi, I would also say that if you can’t catch it before she gets to say hi, turn around and reset her to try again to calmly approach to say hi. It’s a lot of work but so cool to see their progress!
Thank you for sharing your experience! It’s definitely a new challenge for us as dog owners so it’s very helpful to hear what others have done that has worked for them/their dogs. I appreciate you sharing!
Hi! I say this in the gentlest possible way and I hope it resonates as it is clear you are a dog person through and through (the best type of person in my opinion)! When you say that Pepper has no fear and will run up to “pit bulls and other large dogs”, it (likely unintentionally) perpetuates the stereotype that pit bulls are an aggressive breed. We have a lab/ pit mix and truly the best parts of that good, gentle boy are his pit traits. A gentle plea to consider that small wording edit. Pepper is adorable!!
I’m sorry! You’re absolutely right and will alter the post!
Thank you so so much!
Julie, this is such a beautiful, loving post! Your love for Pepper shines through. I’m so happy the new dog is working out for your family. Losing a beloved pet is so hard, so I’m happy for you that Pepper is bringing you and your boys so much love and joy.
Thank you so so much!
Pepper is so freaking adorable…and unlike my one cat probably has not woken you up in the middle of the night as he is STUCK on top of the bedroom door and cannot get down from where he climbed up. (trust me I wonder how he gets up there sometimes…but since the first time he got stuck he LAUNCHED himself onto the bed and I thought that Russia had bombed Canada I would rather be woken up.
Cuddlesto Pepper from us.
I am in several community Facebook groups and this topic comes up a LOT. I kept seeing the same few recommendations come up and looked at their websites and their methodologies before I chose one. I didn’t, for example, want to use “shock” collars. So I went with someone who taught me how to use a slip lead and “pilot” Piper. It takes work and a bushel of patience, but it’s so worth it.
Hi! I love this post so much especially as we just got a maltipoo puppy (to add to our pack of two other dogs and 2 kids near your kids’ ages)…question about Pepper sleeping in your bed: how are you sure you’re not going to crush her? Our pup sleeps in the crate next to us and starts to freak out about 5am, I’d love not to take her out until 6am (and she can hold it now) so I’m interested in figuring out how to get that last hour of sleep. Thanks!
We had a Chihuahua that we litter trained and it worked out really well for us. He also loved longer walks and hikes – never underestimate a little dog 🙂
Your post really resonates — we lost our beloved Italian greyhound 14 months ago (a sudden, devastating loss to spinal cancer at 10 yo), and a month ago rescued a six pound chihuahua mix. She is our fourth and likely last dog, and weren’t really up for a puppy, but here we are and we love her. We have never expected a new dog to replace one we’ve lost, instead appreciating how a new furry family member adds to our joy. We are also working on training as she is not well socialized and barks excessively at people and dogs, so the training tips/comments are so helpful. Wishing your family and Pepper many joyous years!