Toy dogs have provided companionship to humans through the ages. This has ensured the survival of toy dog breeds without any other practically useful skills. Many toy breeds, such as the miniature pinscher, the toy poodle, and the English toy terrier appear to be miniaturized versions of larger breeds of dogs.
Some toy breeds were the lapdogs of European royalty. Today their stature makes them excellent pets for people without a lot of extra space in their homes. And despite their tendency toward barking incessantly and small dog syndrome, they are considered the best dogs for novice owners. However, sometimes, their fragility can make them less than ideal pets for families with small children.
Toy dog breeds love attention and this fact serves them well outside of their loving homes too. Loyal and intelligent, they are great at learning tricks, and many excel in obedience competitions.
Here is a list of all toy dog breeds. Click on each title or image for in-depth information on the dog breed.
Affenpinscher
The Affenpinscher, also known as the African terrier or Monkey Terrier, is a terrier-like toy dog breed.
Toy American Eskimo
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a small spaniel. It is one of the most popular dog breeds in the United Kingdom, where it also originated.
Chihuahua
The Chihuahua is the smallest breed of dog in the world and is named after the state of Chihuahua in Mexico. Chihuahuas come in a wide variety of sizes, head shapes, colors, and coat lengths.
Chinese Crested Dog
The Chinese crested dog is a hairless breed of dog. Like most hairless dog breeds, the Chinese crested comes in two varieties, with and without fur, both can be born in the same litter: the Powder Puff and the Hairless.
Coton de Tulear
Coton de Tulear is a breed of small toy dog named for the city of Tuléar in Madagascar and for its cotton-like coat.
English Toy Spaniel
The English Toy Spaniel (King Charles Spaniel) is a small dog breed of the spaniel type. It is small and pretty, with a short face, large expressive eyes, and a lovely feathered coat in striking colors.
Brussels Griffon
The Brussels Griffon or Griffon Bruxellois is a breed of toy dog, named after their city of origin: Brussels, Belgium. The breed is delightfully curious and remarkably intelligent. Despite his diminutive size, the Brussels Griffon makes an alert watchdog.
Havanese
The Havanese, a breed of Bichon type, is the national dog of Cuba, developed from the now extinct Blanquito de la Habana which descended from the also now extinct Bichon Tenerife.
Italian Greyhound
The Italian Greyhound is a small breed of dog of the sight hound type, sometimes called an I.G. or an Iggy. Iggys are quite sporty toy dogs. It is often compared with the Whippet which is medium sized and the Greyhound which is larger.
Japanese Chin
Japanese Chin, also known as the Japanese Spaniel, is a dog acknowledged for its importance to Japanese nobility. Being a lap dog and companion dog, this toy breed has a distinctive heritage.
Maltese
Maltese is a cute little non-shedding small breed of dog in the Toy Group. It descends from dogs originating in the Central Mediterranean Area.
Miniature Pinscher
Miniature Pinscher or Min Pin is not a miniature Doberman Pinscher! It is a small breed of dog originating from Germany. The Min Pin is an active, vigorous and alert little dog.
Papillon
The Papillon, also called the Continental Toy Spaniel, is a breed of dog of the Spaniel type. One of the oldest of the toy spaniels, it derives its name from its characteristic butterfly-like look.
Pekingese
The Pekingese is an ancient breed of toy dog, originating in China. They are called Lion Dogs due to their resemblance to Chinese guardian lions.
Pomeranian
The Pomeranian is a breed of dog of the Spitz type, named for the Pomerania region in Central Europe. Classed as a toy dog breed because of its small size, the Pomeranian is descended from the larger Spitz type dogs, specifically the German Spitz.
Toy Poodle
Poodles were originally bred in Germany as water dogs, the breed was standardized in France. The toy poodle is the smallest of the poodle breed of dogs.
Pug
The Pug is a breed of dog with a wrinkly, short-muzzled face and curled tail. The breed has a fine, glossy coat that comes in a variety of colors, most often fawn or black, and a compact square body with well-developed muscles.
Silky Terrier
Silky Terrier is a small breed of dog of the terrier dog type. The breed was developed in Australia, although the ancestral types and breeds were from Great Britain.
Toy Fox Terrier
The Toy Fox Terrier is a small terrier breed of dog, directly descended from the larger Fox Terrier but considered a separate breed.
Toy Manchester Terrier
The Manchester Terrier is known to be one of the more well-mannered and responsive breeds amongst terriers. Toy Manchester Terrier is a smaller version of the standard-sized Manchester Terrier.
Toy Xoloitzcuintli
The Xoloitzcuintli, or Xolo for short, is a hairless breed of dog, found in toy, miniature and standard sizes. The Xolo also comes in a coated variety and all three sizes can be born to a single litter.
Yorkshire Terrier
The Yorkshire Terrier is a small dog breed of terrier type, developed in the 19th century in the county of Yorkshire, England, to catch rats in clothing mills, also used for rat-baiting.
On this page
Affenpinscher ; Toy American Eskimo Dog ; Cavalier King Charles Spaniel ; Long & Short coat Chihuahua ; Chinese Crested Dog ; Coton de Tulear ; English Toy Spaniel ; Brussels Griffon ; Havanese ; Italian Greyhound ; Japanese Chin ; Maltese ; Miniature Pinscher ; Papillon ; Pekingese ; Pomeranian ; Toy Poodle ; Pug ; Silky Terrier ; Toy Fox Terrier ; Toy Manchester Terrier ; Toy Xoloitzcuintli ; Yorkshire Terrier