Toy Dogs

Toy dogs and puppies make ideal pets for apartment dwellers and those with smaller living spaces. In general, Toy dogs are delightful characters, and can be lively, playful, entertaining, and very loyal. Most of them crave for constant love and attention from their owners.

Toy dogs are adorable and compact animals. They can easily steal your heart, but beware. Don't let their small size fool you. Some of these dogs are as tough as nails and will often, unwisely, attempt to take on a dog five times bigger than them.

Affenpinscher		Brussels Griffon
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel		Chihuahua
Chinese Crested		Havanese
Italian Greyhound		Japanese Chin
Maltese		Miniature Pinscher
Papillon		Pomeranian
Poodle		Pug
Shih Tzu		Toy Fox Terrier
Yorkshire Terrier

In case you are considering adopting a dog of the Toy breed, you need to be sure whether you are ready to bring home a unique bundle of energy.

Toys usually need lots of play and a few walks as exercise. Most Toys are portable and travel well. Many Toys are sensitive to allergies. They are also prone to epilepsy and other seizure-related problems at a higher rate than larger dogs.

The Toy Group has been steadily on the rise since the 1970’s (12% of the AKC registry). In 2006, 23% of all dogs registered with the AKC were Toys. This is, in part, due to the fact that the U.S. population of baby boomers grew up with dogs but are now retiring and living in condos and apartments and traveling more, so a toy fits their lifestyle better than a larger dog.

Toy dog breeds are lively, active and playful but crave constant attention so be sure you have the time to spend on training this little guy or else he will train himself. The most popular toy breed is the Chihuahua. Intelligent and loyal they are terrific companions and make great friends for the elderly, families and people living alone. But, this little dynamo is very intelligent and loves to play games that owners may mistakenly view as stubbornness or disobedience. Have plenty of patience when dealing with toy breeds as their sharp intellect makes them a challenge.

Many toy dogs have exquisite silky fur that owners love to dress up but these coats are high-maintenance and are often best left to professional grooming. The Maltese and Yorkshire Terrier are great examples of toy breeds with fur that needs careful shampoo and conditioning to prevent a matted and tangled coat that causes discomfort. Other popular breeds in the toy family are the loyal Pug and the super smart Poodle. Don’t let their aristocratic heritage and glamorous looks fool you, Poodles are among the most intelligent and loyal dogs around and will defend their owner and home no matter the situation. Toy breeds travel well but they are prone to seizures and allergies so make sure you have any toy breed thoroughly checked by a veterinarian.

*American Kennel Club Listing of Toy Dog Breeds