Puppy Care

In part 2 of this article, we find the small dogs in the terrier, toy, non-sporting, and herding groups.

Terrier Dogs

Terrier dogs were bred to hunt – foxes, rabbits, rats, and even river rats, badgers, and otters. Instead of the hunters of old, most terriers these days are bought as pets. And with their affectionate and loyal temperament, they make lovely pets. However, they are dogs with strong personalities, and they need equally strong and persistent owners. This is just as true for the small, toy terriers – their personalities are just the same as their larger terrier cousins. Terriers also have an abundance of energy, so you’ll need to exercise them a fair bit. They have wiry coats, and to keep the characteristic wiriness of their coats you’ll need to learn a special grooming technique called stripping.

If you’re after a small dog, you’re spoilt for choice in the terrier group. The small dog breeds are: the Australian Terrier, Border Terrier, West Highland White Terrier, Manchester Terrier, Irish Terrier, Kerry Blue Terrier, Norwich Terrier and Norfolk Terrier, Dandie Dinmont Terrier, Smooth Fox Terrier, Welsh Terrier, Cairn Terrier, Bedlington Terrier dog breed, Scottish Terrier and Sealyham Terrier.

Toy Dogs

Toy dogs are a very recognizable small dog type, due to their popularity with both people and celebrities. Because many toy dogs are large breeds bred down to size, you’ll find toy breeds in many of the other groups as well.

Toy dogs are generally very friendly, though they can be fierce and angry as well. But they are great lap dogs, and often a cherished member of the family. Toy dogs include: Shih Tzu, Chihuahua, Miniature Poodle, the Papillon, Yorkshire Terrier, and the Pomeranian dog breed.

Non-Sporting Dogs

The term ‘non sporting dogs’ is like a general classification for those breeds that are recognized by the American Kennel Club but don’t fit into any other category. They have different coats, temperaments, colors, ancestry, and sizes. Small breeds in the non-sporting group are: the bichon frise, Tibetan Terrier, Boston Terrier, Tibetan Spaniel, Lhasa Apso, French Bulldog, and the Schipperke.

Herding Dogs

Herding dogs are a relatively new classification in the American Kennel Club. The dogs in this category used to be part of the working group. And, in many countries they still are a sub-catgory of the working group. The dogs registered by the AKC are generally bought as pets, although working (and herding) dogs are still used worldwide on farms, cattle stations, and ranches because of their talents in herd livestock. They are able to be trained to respond to whistles and commands, and are very good at their job. In families as pets, herding dogs will often try and good naturedly herd their human family, especially the children.

In the herding group, the small dog breeds are the Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Shetland Sheepdog, and the  Border Collie. 

Miscellaneous Dogs

This category is for dog breeds not fully accredited by AKC. There aren’t any small dogs in it currently, however.