Miniature dog breeds have long been popular. Oddly enough, but the demand for them is growing every year. Tiny creatures have a cute toy look. In addition, they are distinguished by a friendly and complaisant character. In some countries, such cute animals are even used for therapeutic purposes, whose positive effect is intended to treat people. For lovers of small breeds, the portability of animals is an important point. You can take them with you at any time by putting them in a small handbag. Miniature dog breeds do not need large spaces, and therefore they feel wonderful in small houses and apartments. Perhaps this explains their incredible popularity.
Miniature Dog Breeds: An Overview
In our article we want to talk about the smallest representatives of four-legged friends. The rating names miniature dog breeds for the apartment. The main evaluation criteria are average body weight and height at the withers. It is on these grounds that experts distribute dogs in places.
Very light weight and small stature, good looks and a desire to be in the spotlight - all these are the advantages that the smallest dog breeds possess (photos are given in the article). However, for lovers of animals of standard sizes, such advantages in the characterization will seem to be disadvantages, because the smaller the dog, the more it requires attention, which means that you will have to devote the lion's share of free time to it. Here, as they say, everyone has their own wishes for a four-friend, and each is right in his own way. Much attention should be paid to the food of your pet. Experts advise choosing 1st Choice dry food. Dogs of miniature breeds need to be fed correctly, otherwise they may have health problems. The veterinarian will help you choose the right diet.
Lovers who prefer the smallest breeds of dogs (photos of such pets are given in the article) are owners of cute and charming creatures, more like little dolls than animals.
Smallest dog
The first place among dogs of miniature breeds is the famous chihuahua. It was discovered in 1850 in Mexico in the state of Chihuahua. In honor of him, she got her unusual name. Individuals of this breed, as a rule, weigh from five hundred grams to three kilograms. The growth of the animal ranges from ten to twenty-three centimeters. It’s hard to even imagine such a miniature creature.
It is established that the smallest dog in the world is currently a chihuahua named Bu Bu. With a weight of 675 grams, her height is only 10.16 centimeters.
It should be noted that the Chihuahua has a wide variety of colors and types of coat. Representatives of the breed are very kind, funny, obedient babies with the character of a guard dog, but at the same time they are very touchy and vulnerable.
Chihuahua is a very ancient breed with an interesting history. For many centuries, the animal was considered sacred and participated in many ceremonies. Archaeologists often in the excavations of the tombs of the Indians find the remains of this cute dog, which was buried with the owners. On the one hand, this miniature creature was worshiped, and on the other, the dog suffered from people. And only in the nineteenth century, the chihuahua began to be sold as a decorative dog.
Yorkshire Terrier
The second place among the miniature dogs is the Yorkshire Terrier. This is a small decorative breed, which originated in the nineteenth century in England (Yorkshire). Standards provide for an animal weighing no more than 3.2 kilograms, and height - 23 centimeters. Chihuahua and Yorkshire Terrier are the smallest dog breeds. If the doggie Boo Boo is recognized as the smallest chihuahua, then among the Yorks, Sylvia became the smallest. In 1945, she died at the age of two. Her height was 6.3 centimeters with a weight of 113 grams.
The smallest dog breeds, the names of which are given in the article, as a rule, are gentle and energetic in nature. Yorkies in this sense are no exception. Inquisitive, energetic, courageous Yorkshire terriers perfectly survive in urban apartments. Thanks to their intelligence and quick wits, they learn with ease, memorizing commands occurs at a speed higher than average.
Even people indifferent to dogs will not be able to resist the pretty face of a York. They are so cute and charming that by will you fall under their charm. Still, miniature dog breeds have their indescribable charm. Yorkies will never refuse to lie down in the arms of their master and take a nap, but at the same time, when a stranger approaches, they necessarily begin to bark.
As a rule, all miniature dog breeds are quite self-confident. At the same time, they feel themselves at least twice as large as their modest size. Of course, this behavior does not fit very well with the small size of the animals, but it doesn’t bother them much. Yorkies cannot always curb their bold and decisive character. Indefatigable energy and a thirst for adventure often attract them to new leprosy.
Russian toy
Miniature dogs have long won the love of man. The breeds, photos of which are given in the article, are very diverse. The history of some species is quite interesting. Among them there are babies created by nature, and those whose occurrence is a direct merit of man. Perhaps there is no breed that would not touch the human hand. Over the centuries, standards have changed in an effort to achieve the best qualities. Miniature dog breeds are gaining more and more popularity in modern metropolitan areas, which is quite understandable due to the limited space of apartments.
The third place in the ranking is occupied by Russian toy, developed by Russian dog handlers in the twentieth century. These miniature dogs were created as companions. Breeds (photo is given in the text) were bred by a person in order to get the perfect pet. There are two varieties: smooth-haired and long-haired. The height of the Russian toy ranges from twenty to twenty-eight centimeters, and the weight of the animal is not more than three kilograms. The smallest representatives of the breed weigh no more than one and a half kilograms.
Dogs are characterized by a very friendly and cheerful disposition. They are infinitely loyal to the owner and at the same time get along well with all the rest of the family. The convenience of keeping your toy is that he can use the tray like cats, so he does not have to go outside. Nevertheless, with the animal you still need to walk, because he wants to frolic with his relatives, this makes the dog bolder and more sociable. The main thing is to choose friends who are suitable for growth and build.
Russian toi are perfectly trained. They are so small that they can accompany you on all trips. Such miniature dog breeds (the description is given in the article) can fly even in aircraft cabins, and they are also allowed into all decent hotels. If your work is connected with frequent trips, then such a pet is quite suitable for you.
As a rule, people try to choose the most unpretentious breed of miniature dogs. Russian toy belongs to such species. If a chihuahua can occasionally show its temper by showing its wild Mexican past, then the one is the most harmless and calm breed.
Prague rat
The miniature dog breeds described in the article amaze not only with their cute toy faces, but sometimes with funny names. The fourth place in the ranking was assigned to the Prague rat. This small breed was bred in the Czech Republic in the ninth century. In the distant past, such babies, along with large individuals, protected property from rodents. Now the Prague rats have lost their original purpose and act as companions, however, the natural hunting instincts in them are fully preserved. The ideal weight for them is 2.6 kilograms, and growth ranges from twenty to twenty-three centimeters.
Prague rats are very obedient creatures. They are smart and playful, adore people and are perfectly trained. Such mini-dogs are easily accustomed to the tray, but still need to walk, because they adore an active lifestyle. In cold weather, rats need to be worn, because they are not adapted to the harsh Russian climate.
As a rule, miniature dog breeds, the list of which is not small, do not tolerate the cold and dampness of our latitudes very well, and therefore we have to dress them like children.
Prague rats are quite rare dogs. According to experts, there are no more than two and a half thousand of them in the world, and therefore their price is quite high. A puppy with all documents will cost from a thousand dollars and above.
Pomeranian Spitz
Fifth place among the kids is Pomeranian. He is the tiniest member of the Spitz family. It received its name in honor of Pomerania (one of the regions of Germany). The smallest dog breeds, whose names we mentioned, have always enjoyed the love of the nobility. Pomeranian, for example, is known as Queen Victoria's favorite breed. The individuals of this species came from fairly large sled dogs, but today their growth is not more than twenty-eight centimeters. The weight of the animal ranges from two to three and a half kilograms.
Spitz is not a simple dog. This is a very smart, kind, sociable creature, devoted to his master, fearlessly defending himself in case of need. The modest size of the breed is more than compensated by exceptional mental abilities and ingenuity. It is for this reason that the Spitz lends itself well to training. Not for nothing that the breed takes twenty-third place in the ranking of the most intelligent four-legged friends.
American toy terrier
The sixth place is occupied by the toy terrier, or the American toy terrier. This little dog comes from a huge fox terrier. Individuals of this breed weigh from one and a half to four kilograms, and growth does not exceed twenty-nine centimeters.
Fox terriers are smart and active. They are easy to learn and respond well to a large number of teams. Those fox terriers are loving and funny creatures, infinitely devoted to man. They are perhaps the perfect home companions. The individuals of this breed have a fairly long period of life (up to fourteen years). At the same time, they remain cheerful until almost old age.
That fox terrier is a domestic dog, she will watch TV with you willingly, take a nap in your arms, but at the same time play with children and have fun on the lawn. In addition, she is completely capricious, unlike other miniature breeds.
Fox Terrier is a moving, energetic, jumping dog, very brave for its growth, a real fighter.
Japanese chin
In seventh place, the Japanese chin was firmly entrenched. This is an extremely decorative breed of dog. Once it was incredibly popular in the Japanese and Chinese courts. This breed is long-haired, its representatives weigh from 1.8 kilograms to 4 kg. The growth of the animal ranges from twenty to twenty-seven centimeters.
Japanese chin is a sociable, cheerful and playful dog with a wonderful character and calm temperament. He quickly learns, mastering the most difficult teams.
The intellectual breed has proven itself perfectly. Animals treat those whom they know and trust well. If you take care of them diligently, then you will not find more devoted and faithful friends. Hins are wary of strangers. Almost always, they get along with all family members and other pets. However, if they are not given the necessary attention, they can become very withdrawn and jealous. It is believed that this breed is the most obedient among all the toy.
English toy terrier
The eighth place on the list is taken by a miniature toy terrier artificially bred in the nineteenth century. The standard provides for an animal's weight from 2.7 to 3.6 kilograms, and the height should not exceed thirty centimeters.
For the most part, terriers are playful and friendly creatures, characterized by unlimited devotion to man. But with all this, they have a very peculiar character, therefore, they need serious training and correction of behavior.
Toy terriers are always ready to protect their family, at the slightest danger they use their flood barking. Representatives of this breed are real zinger, they are playful, athletic, cheerful. Such dogs will be excellent companions for very energetic and active people. In addition, they are very easy to adapt to a new life.
Toy terriers like to take part in all household chores. There is no place where they would not stick their nose. They live quite peacefully with cats.
Papillon
The ninth place is occupied by the famous papillon dog. The decorative breed was bred in the sixteenth century. It got its beautiful name thanks to beautiful ears that look like a butterfly. The birthplace of these dogs is not exactly known: it is Spain or Belgium. Representatives of the breed weigh from 2.3 to 4.5 kilograms, the height ranges from 20 to 28 centimeters.
The papillon is distinguished by an affectionate character and funny behavior. Dogs love to run and jump, scaring away all kinds of rodents from home. The breed ranks ninth in the ranking of smart dogs, which indicates its excellent mental abilities. Papillons are very graceful and active, they will never become tame dogs, sleeping on their knees, animals prefer to run in the open. Funny dogs are very cheerful, they can cheer you up when there is no mood at all. In fact, the papillon is an eternal child.
Italian lapdog
The Italian lapdog, or bolognese, is in tenth place in the ranking of miniature dogs. The breed was bred in Italy and got its name in honor of the city of Bologna. Bolognese weighs from 2.5 to 4 kilograms, its growth reaches thirty centimeters. Representatives of the breed are very smart and affectionate. They quickly learn and can be trained without any difficulties. Because of their good and cheerful disposition, the lapdogs have long gained the fame of wonderful companions.
Instead of an afterword
In the article we talked about what are the smallest breeds of dogs. With the names given in the text, and photographs, it will be easier for you to figure out the ranking of four-legged babies. However, it is worth noting that this is not the whole list of miniature dogs. There are still enough breeds in the world that people love for their small size and incredibly cute muzzles.