An upset retriever could hurt someone, but an upset chihuahua is still cute.

Oh god, how I wish small dog owners would understand that this is not acceptable. I am a big dog lover all the way, but I feel sorry for small dogs; people always talk about how they hate little yappy dogs and how terrible they are, and I used to feel the same way, until I met a very charming and well behaved Chihuahua. It was then that I noticed the difference: the Chihuahua wasn't being coddled. The dog listened to basic commands immediately, not to mention the commands were given in a stern voice and not in an "aww, ok, it looks like Tiffany doesn't want to sit now, that's ok!" kind of voice.

I couldn't believe how many owners would pick up and snuggle a dog that was being blatantly aggressive, "soothing" it with baby talk and even treats. I cannot fathom why people think this will make the dog behave. I mean, look at it from the dogs point of view: I act mean, people back away, and I get rewarded! I get so frustrated...

Edit: I just re-read your post and realized that this was not the point you were trying to make. Sorry for the slightly off topic rant!