Toy Dog Breeds

Toy dog breeds are becoming more popular all the time. These toy breed dogs, the end result of generations of careful breeding, are normally bred as companion animals and people just appear to love them. Their diminutive size and mischievous nature (on the whole small toy dog breeds are good natured dogs with a few exceptions) make them superb companions and for quite a few years they have been chic amongst well to do people.

Most of the toy dog breeds hail originally from Asia where the process of selectively breeding dogs to make them smaller is thought to have begun, but there are a load of toy dog breeds from other areas of the world as well.

Some Example Toy Dog Breeds

Bichon Frise:

A petite dog that was originally bred as a companion dog, the Bichon Frise possesses a lively character, is very tolerant of kids, other animals and strangers, and is very intelligent and very trainable. These dogs have a short and curly white coat that does involve regular grooming.

Chihuahua:

The Chihuahua may well be the best recognized of the small toy dog breeds. They have a short or medium coat, are easy to groom, and possess average brains and trainability. They do not have the best personalities and are not tolerant of kids, other animals, or strangers. The Chihuahua hails from Mexico originally and is the smallest of the toy dog breeds.

Maltese:

The Maltese is a companion dog that was originally bred for royalty or the very prosperous. They are natural born troublemakers, but are very loyal to their owners. They are not at all good with kids, other animals, or strangers. They’re considered to be dogs of average intelligence and trainability. Their attractive coats require regular grooming.

Pekingese:

The Pekingese was initially bred for the Emperors of China. These toy dog breeds have an animated personality and are not very indulgent of kids or other animals. They do bark a lot and are regularly difficult to train. Suspicious of strangers they can make a first-rate watchdog and will bark loudly when strangers move toward their home.

Pug:

The Pug comes from East Asia. Their short coat requires modest grooming, but the folds and wrinkles of their faces must be cleaned regularly. Pugs make superb family dogs because they are very docile, don’t bark a lot, and are good with children and other animals. They are highly smart dogs and very social.

Affenpinscher:

Also called the monkey terrier, the affenpinscher is a toy dog breed with a face similar to that of a monkey. Round eyes and a silky ruff around the face give this breed his distinctive look.

Brussels griffon:

A robust little dog, the Brussels griffon is not one of your conventional "cute" toy dog breeds but has an unusual look and lots of character. When you meet one, you understand their charm. Somewhat obstinate, the Brussels griffon is an smart and affectionate dog.

The use of the word "toy" to describe petite dogs that belong to a toy dog breed is redundant and also false, suggesting that the breed comes in several sizes - there is no such thing, for example, as a "toy Chihuahua"; all Chihuahuas are categorized in the Toy Group. Some breeds do come in different sizes, such as Poodles, which come in standard, diminutive, and toy dog breeds varieties.