For those of you who haven’t already heard the latest piece of gossip that’s got us all clutching our dog leads, Jennifer Lawrence has just rehomed her teeny, tiny Chihuahua mix after it bit her 3-year-old son. 

Princess Pippi Longstockings (informally known as ‘Pippi’) was adopted by the star, known best for her role as Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games film franchise, back in 2017. The wirehaired pooch was rarely out of her company, and based on her appearance, couldn’t weigh more than around 6-8 pounds soaking wet. 

Much of the criticism being levelled at Lawrence is in response to an offhand remark she made during a recent interview that, after the bite incident, she “wanted to obliterate all dogs.” Now, anyone familiar with Lawrence’s tongue-in-cheek and offbeat sense of humor will know not to take this literally, though plenty of media outlets are doing just that. These off-the-cuff comments are not what has those of us here at Dogster in a spin, but the outrageous notion that a 3 kg Chihuahua could cause damage beyond the level of an ouchie; damage that would necessitate its immediate removal from the home. And yes, size does make a difference.

Whilst the rehoming, abandoning, and euthanizing of dogs for aggression or biting is something that should never be taken lightly, any time a dog bites a child, no matter who was at fault, the situation needs to be dealt with swiftly and definitively when there is a risk of serious injury. It doesn’t matter how out of character, provoked, or extraneous the circumstance, if a large dog like a Rottie, Pit Bull, or German Shepherd (for example) bites a child, they have the potential to cause life-altering injury, if not death. This is not something you can take chances with. 

However, we are not talking about a 90 lb Mastiff, or 70 lb Husky. We are talking about a dog that is roughly the same size as an average cat. Does that mean that we shouldn’t be as strict with training, or be more tolerant of anti-social behavior? Absolutely not! In fact, small dogs tend to be more likely to bite than larger ones, purely because they are often able to get away with it, and that should not be the case. Of course, the propensity to bite does not necessarily correlate with danger level. The fact that a tiny dog is unlikely to inflict wounds that warrant more than a visit to the doctor’s office means that we often have a much wider margin of safety when it comes to addressing the situation, which most often involves teaching children how to handle dogs.

As the owner of two pint-sized Chihuahuas myself (along with a couple of Labradors and a German Shepherd x Malinois), I am very aware of the importance of socialization, as well as showing people – large and small – how to properly approach a dog. I am also aware of the all-consuming love that occurs between a Chihuahua and their human, and cannot for the life of me understand how an owner, any owner, could willingly part with their creature so readily.

Of course, we don’t know all the details, but unfortunately, we can see how cavalier Lawrence’s treatment of the situation was during the offending interview. Being such a private, personal matter, this is one that should not have been dealt with publicly, or at least should have been addressed with a touch more sensitivity. Jennifer Lawrence, like most celebrities, whether they like it or not, is held to a higher standard than we average folk when it comes to what they say and how they behave, because millions of people around the world admire her, and I used to be one of them.

I count myself amongst those who get sick of people who can’t take a joke, who take everything to heart, and look to criticise every little faux pas or misstep made by those who are forced to live their lives in the spotlight. I always try to give them the benefit of the doubt. But this wasn’t an overheard conversation or impulsive retort; this was a careful response to an interview question that tells the people who look up to and seek to emulate her that getting rid of your dog, even if the real risk of injury is extremely low, is perfectly acceptable.

Yes, the dog has gone to her parents. Yes, she has a right to make decisions about her family. Yes, her child is probably going to grow up expecting the world to revolve around them. But before moaning about people judging your personal life, perhaps think about what you’re saying to the millions of people listening, and educate yourself about dog behavior and risks before announcing to the world that you just threw your ‘beloved’ pet away because it used its tiny little teeth to teach your toddler some manners. Let’s just hope we don’t see her showing off a brand new puppy any time soon.

Feature Image Credit:Jozef-Klopacka, Shutterstock

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