Which Dogs Make up Small Dog Breeds?

Dogs aren't classified (officially) according to size i.e. small dog breeds, large dog breeds etc.

The owner of a 120 lb Mastiff would consider anything smaller than his dog as small or atleast a smaller dog breed. So where does that leave us? Small Dog Breeds as a rule come from the Toy and Terrier Groups of Dogs.

Make no mistake, although these guys are small in stature they have plenty of heart, make excellent pets/companions and make up any shortcomings (pardon the pun) with personality.

Don't let their size fool you, History tells us you get more Bite for your Buck!

Until modern times small dog breeds had a purpose as did all breeds. Their jobs were keeping vermin (rats, mice etc)to a minimum around the farm/residence, serving as an 'alarm' dog to notify approaching visitors. Some were used as to run 'turnspits' (a wheel device used to keep a large roast or bird cooking evenly over an open fire), not a very pleasant task I'm sure.

From Rags To Riches

The luckiest of the small dog breeds were taken up as companions to aristocrats or royalty.

Keep their lineage in mind if you're considering getting a small dog, the come from 100's of years of breeding for a specific purpose, something to bear in mind when purchasing.

Complete List of Small Dogs

Pictures and complete desciptions of each breed will be added on an ongoing basis.

Affenpinscher(Toy)
Australian Terrier (Terrier Group)
Brussels Griffon(Toy)
Chihuahua(Toy)
Chinese Crested(Toy)
English Toy Spaniel(Toy)
Italian Greyhound(Toy)
Japanese Chin(Toy)
Maltese(Toy)
Manchester Terrier (Toy)
Miniature Pinscher(Toy)
Papillon(Toy)
Pekingese(Toy)
Pomeranian(Toy)
Poodle (Toy)
Pug(Toy)
Shih Tzu(Toy)
Silky Terrier(Toy)
Bichon Frise (Non-Sporting Group)
Boston Terrier (Non-Sporting Group)
Cairn Terrier (Terrier Group)
Dachshund (Hound Group)
Dandie Dinmont Terrier (Terrier Group)
Lhasa Apso (Non-Sporting Group)
Miniature Bull Terrier (Terrier Group)
Miniature Schnauzer (Terrier Group)
Norfolk and Norwich Terriers (Terrier Group)
Schipperke (Non-Sporting Group)
Scottish Terrier (Terrier Group)
Sealyham Terrier (Terrier Group)
Skye Terrier (Terrier Group)
Tibetan Spaniel (Non-Sporting Group)
West Highland White Terrier (Terrier Group)
Welsh Corgie(Herding Group)

Non-AKC Small Breeds

Havanese
Toy Fox Terrier
Xoloitzcuintili