What is a Lap Dog? A four-legged companion of the dog variety that is small enough to sit on your lap and doesn’t take up too much room or is too heavy for you to have on your lap. A dog that is attentive to you and will happily sit with you for as long as you would like it to stay in your chair.
A lap dog however is also much more than just a dog that sits on your lap, for some they provide many important life functions such as :-
- Someone who will happily listen to you while you tell them your troubles.
- Someone who greets you at the door as if they haven’t seen you in days.
- Someone who loves you regardless of how you behave.
- Someone who doesn’t criticise you because you made a mistake.
- Someone who will simply sit with you and provide a feeling of comfort.
Lap Dogs can provide company and comfort
Lap dogs provide so much good feeling for so many people, if you show them kindness, they will return it tenfold.
There are of course many different breeds and it can be difficult to choose which may be suitable for you.
What size Lap Dog is for you?
Size can be an issue, if your young and spritely a 15lb British Bulldog may not be an issue when it sits on your lap, an elderly person on the edge of infirmity may not cope at all with this dog regardless of its gentle character and thus they may well need a Yorkie that only weighs 2 or 3 lbs.
A Yorkie is spritely enough to bound up into your lap from the floor without the need to bend over and pick them up and they will land on your lap as softly as a kitten. Ideal for those with limited mobility and perhaps those elderly or invalided that bruise easily.
Another consideration may be your own sensitivity to hairs etc, some dogs shed a lot of hair and a polar opposite of this is that some dogs are considered to be hypoallergenic and lose little if any hair at all, perfect for those people who may have allergies or sensitivities to animals or their hair.
Generally, most lap dogs will take their behaviour from you and the way in which you treat them, but there are some specific breeds that are perhaps better suited to you depending on your own lifestyle.
Pick the right Breed for yourself
If you are an energetic person who likes to walk a lot and socialise a Yorkshire terrier may be the wrong choice but a Bedlington terrier could make a great choice.
Take a look at our A to Z of Breeds page to take a closer look at some in-depth information on some of the breeds that might suit your lifestyle.
For instance if you don’t want to be grooming your dog every few days or taking them to the grooming parlour then as cute as they are a Lhasa Apso or a Shih Tzu May be a bad move, these dogs don’t lose hair but MUST be groomed regularly.
Here at Top Lap Dogs we rescued a Shih Tzu that had not been groomed in several weeks and as a result we had to cut off all of his hair because it was so badly matted and knotted that it was impossible comb out, this was purely from lack of good grooming care.
A dog can help with Loneliness
For those that feel lonely a lap dog can be a great choice, they will happily sit with you and listen to all that you have to say, this can be really good for the elderly who just simply feel that they would like some company but don’t necessarily want to spend time sitting with other humans and having to make conversation.
For some it is just a case of having another presence next to them. Stroking them can be very calming and can help to relieve the feeling of stress. Something that is recognised by some therapeutic experts.
Whatever the reason you may be considering a Lap Dog take a look at our A to Z of Lap Dog breeds to give yourself a better insight.
