10 Smallest Dog Breeds in the World
#10.
“Affenpinscher”- With an average weight of 8 pounds and standing on average at around
10 inches tall, the Affenpinscher originally hails from Germany.
These curious and active terriers are nick-named Monkey-Dogs because of their stubby muzzles
and dark eyes that give them ape-like facial expressions.
In fact, the name roughly translates from German as Ape-terrier.
The dogs have long, dark, thick coats usually grey or black in color.
Affenpinschers are known as one of the world’s first toy breeds and first appeared sometime
between the 15th and 17th centuries.
They were bred in order to hunt and control rat and other household pest populations,
but by the end of the 19th century transitioned to more of a luxury dog, beloved by celebrities
of the time.
Affenpinschers are for the most part loving and quiet but can also be defensive when it
comes to their toys or food.
They also are known to be stubborn at times, but mainly they are playful and adventurous.
Today, the majority of Affenpinschers are found in the United States after American
troops in Germany became infatuated with them during World War II.
Their average lifespan is 12 years and they typically have very small litters of between
2 and 5 puppies which are born blind.
#9.
“Papillon”- Weighing an average of 8 pounds and growing to an average of 9 inches tall,
Papillons have a history that goes back almost 7 centuries.
Their name comes from the French word for butterfly and with one glance you can see
why--They have large furry ears that look just like that of a butterfly’s wings!
Not much is known about the origin of Papillons or what they were bred for, but in the Renaissance
Period they were one of the most highly sought after dog breeds by the aristocracies of Italy,
Spain and France and are considered one of the oldest breeds of dog.
They are known as intelligent, friendly dogs who can seem hard to train due to their boundless
energy but actually catch on very quick and have fantastic memories.
Papillons like to maintain their alpha status no matter the size of their master and can
be quite territorial.
They are also high energy and have a propensity towards being yippy.
Papillons can live up to 16 years and have litters of about 3 pups.
#8.
“Toy Poodle”- Toy Poodles have an average weight of 7.5 pounds and can grow up to 10
inches tall.
The Poodle breed is thought to have originated out of various Asian herding dogs and experts
cite many ancient breeds as their possible ancestors.
The name Poodle comes from a shortening of their original German name, pudelhund, which
means water hound.
This is due to their initial breeding for the hunting of waterfowl.
Because of this prowess they are also called “chien cannard” by the French, which translates
to “duck-dog”.
Poodles have extremely difficult hair to deal with that requires a significant amount of
grooming, if not taken care of a poodle’s hair can bunch and become a tangled mess.
When their hair is properly kempt it can be fashioned in many different chic styles, this
is one of the main reasons that poodles became an extremely popular show-dog near the end
of the 1800s.
Poodles are also known for being very intelligent, with the ability to learn all-sorts of tricks
and useful tasks such as being a guide or guard dog.
The combination of style and practicality is what led them being obsessed over by the
women of France’s upper class and eventually picked as the national dog of the country.
Toy Poodles usually live for 12 to 14 years and have litters of around 3 pups.
#7.
Toy Fox Terrier- The American bred Toy Fox Terrier weighs an average of 7 pounds and
stand an average of 9 inches tall.
Toy Fox Terriers are the Toy version of the Smooth Fox Terrier and were bred in order
to control pests and small scavengers on farms.
In order to achieve a small dog with the traits of the Smooth Fox Terrier they bred them with
Manchester Terriers and Chihuahuas.
They are a fairly newer breed as the United Kennel club first registered one in 1936.
Like many of the dogs on this list the Toy Fox Terrier has a tendency towards Small-Dog
Complex which is similar to that of a Napoleon Complex in humans.
The Small Dog-Complex is seen when smaller dogs become territorial and act as confrontation
instigators even with dogs much larger.
Despite this, the Toy Fox Terrier is considered a fairly easy dog to train.
They are extremely energetic and with their thin coat enjoy snuggling up on your lap.
Toy Fox Terriers live an average of 13 years and have an average litter of 3 puppies.
#6.
“Japanese Chin”- A loving companion to emperors of China and Japan for centuries
as well as their subjects, the Japanese Chin usually weighs 6-7 pounds and has an average
height of 9 inches.
Japanese Chins are avid adventurers who love to climb and are very loyal.
However, these dogs are also physically delicate and emotionally sensitive.
Their emotional sensitivity stems for their over-active feelings of empathy and intelligence.
The breed was originally much more unique looking and the Japanese considered them a
different type of animal from dogs all together but after much interbreeding with other small
dogs their appearance has become more dog-like.
When they were brought over to the United States by the famed Commodore Perry in the
mid-1800s they were known as the Japanese Spaniel.
Similar to the Shih-Tzu, Japanese Chins tend to have a different style of communication
than just barking--they will yowl or “speak” with a variety of different tones that sounds
like they are talking or singing.
Japanese Chins have an average lifespan of 12 years and litters from 1-3 little ones.
#5.
“Maltese”- The name Maltese means “from Malta”, and that small island in the Mediterranean
is where these dogs originated from thousands of years ago.
The Maltese has been a companion dog for most of its existence and can be a great dog for
those who have moderate dog allergies but still love the animals.
Their long thin coat produces less dander than most dogs and the hairs are similar to
that of human hair.
There are an average of 9 inches tall and weigh about 5 pounds.
Because of their size, like many others on this list they are also prone to injury.
Maltese are highly intelligent and can master most dog-tricks.
They are also very loving and make excellent emotional support dogs.
You won’t see many taking walks in the park as Maltese have been bred as indoor dogs and
are too sensitive for the elements.
Maltese live an average of 16 years and have average litters of 2 pups.
#4.
“Yorkshire Terrier”- Yorkshire Terriers or “Yorkies” stand at about 9 inches tall
and generally weigh around 5-6 pounds but have also been found weighing around 13 pounds
and still being healthy.
Yorkies are descended from the Black-and-Tan and Clydesdale Terrier and originally bred
in Scotland to be used at rat-catching dogs in clothing mills.
Yorkies are considered quite posh and their silky soft hair is one of the main reasons
they stopped being pest control dogs and became popular among high society.
They do suffer from Small Dog Syndrome at times and can be overly defensive of their
owners.
Yorkies love to play, nevertheless, and their curiosity combined with short attention span
can get them them into trouble when they aren’t the star of the show.
Like the Maltese, Yorkies are also good for homes with allergy sufferers as they have
similar coats.
The dogs themselves have a tendency towards many different genetic defects and medical
conditions making some difficult to take care of, especially “Teacup” Yorkies.
These Yorkies that are bred to be under 4 pounds, though adorable, are results of irresponsible
breeding practices and the majority of them have very short lifespans that are full of
serious health issues.
The average Yorkshire Terrier lives about 14 years and has litters of 1-3 puppies.
#3.
“Pomeranian”- These diminutive dogs only a couple hundred years ago could weigh well
over 20 pounds, but after only a few generations of breeding them small, now have an average
weight of 5 pounds and height of 9 inches.
Pomeranians originated as shepherd dogs in a region called Pomerania that now consists
of Poland and Germany.
They were another small breed that became popular with celebrities and aristocrats throughout
history.
Queen Victoria owned one, Mozart composed songs for his and Michelangelo famously paint
the Sistine Chapel with his Pomeranian at his side.
They have extremely fluffy coats that take a lot of work to maintain, but when taken
care of makes them especially cuddly.
They take to training with great proficiency and are some of the most loyal watchdogs.
They get very attached to their human families and can even suffer from separation anxiety.
They too can be prone to being overly protective and are fragile, so they must be watched and
guarded when around small children.
Pomeranians have an average lifespan of 15 years and usually birth 2-3 puppies per litter.
#2.
“Chihuahua”- Chihuahuas have an average weight of 4 to 5 pounds and height of 8 inches.
There is a lot of mystery surrounding the origins of the Chihuahua, which gets its name
from the Mexican State of the same name.
Chihuahuas possibly could be the first dog that was native to the Americas and many believe
that they coexisted with the Aztecs.
Others believe that they were brought over by Spanish conquistadors.
Chihuahuas are one of the most independent dogs and though they are notorious as being
hard to train much of this is hearsay and perhaps has to do with their small size allowing
for their owners to get away with not having them trained.
Chihuahuas are very confident and exhibit some of the strongest signs of dog Napoleon
complex.
However, they are very loyal and loving to masters that command their respect.
Their almost non-existent coats lead them to getting cold very easily and it’s no
wonder that before domestication they lived in the hot Mexican desert.
As with many small dogs, Chihuahuas are prone to health problems, especially their iconic
bulging eyes which can be susceptible to injury.
Chihuahuas can live up to an amazing 20 years of age and have average litters of 3 puppies.
#1.
“Russian Toy”- The smallest dog breed in the world is that of the Russkiy Toy known
in America as the Russian Toy.
These dogs have an average weight of 4 pounds and height of around 8-9 inches tall.
As you can tell by the name, these dogs originated in Russia where they were bred from the Manchester
Terrier.
They are one of the world’s newest dog breeds only officially recognized as of 2008.
Russian Toys share a lot of the same traits as the Chihuahua, they are fragile and sometimes
difficult to train, but can be good watchdogs and are immensely affectionate.
They also don’t have nearly as many common health afflictions that many small dogs have.
They can have either short or long hair, and the long hair makes them look like a cross
between the Chihuahua and Papillon.
Russian Toys also love being outside and playing with their owners despite the fragile nature
of their miniscule frame.
Russian Toys have an average lifespan of 11 years and tend to have litters of 2 to 5 pint-sized
puppies.