20 Most Popular Toy Dog Breeds

Find the most liked toy dog breeds characterized by delightful personalities. Apart from being adorable, they provide unending love and support.

Popular Toy Dog Breeds

Size is the main concern in selecting any dog breed that is perfectly suitable for your home, and lifestyle. Although these tiny, cute companions have big personalities compared to their size. People love toy dog breeds due to their alertness, affectionate nature, and cute faces that adore the world.

Here we collected data about the 20 most popular toy and miniature dog breeds for those who prefer small dogs that can easily fit in the apartment with restricted space.

1. Chihuahua

• Size: 5-8 inches
• Weight: 2-6 pounds
• Personality: Alert, confident, and affectionate
• Lifespan: 14-16 years

Among all toy dog breeds, Chihuahua is the top breed that many people love to keep these dogs as pets. Rather than small size Chihuahuas have a big attitude. These loyal dogs love their owners too much and remain separate from other people. Don’t judge them due to their littleness because these little courageous dogs are alert and very confident thus serving as watchdogs. Proper grooming, dental care, and ear cleaning are essential for Chihuahua’s long life.

2. Pomeranian

• Size: 6-7 inches
• Weight: 3-7 pounds
• Personality: Playful, lively, and intelligent
• Lifespan: 12-16 years

The puffy Pomeranians look like fun balls that enjoy their life full of happiness. These extraordinary intelligent dogs love to become the center of human attraction. The hairy, double-layer coat must be brushed regularly but their happy and playful nature force people to love them. These dogs gained popularity after Queen Victoria’s fondness.

3. Yorkshire Terrier

• Size: 7-8 inches
• Weight: 4-7 pounds
• Personality: Spirited, affectionate, and bold
• Lifespan: 11-15 years

The tinny Yorkshire Terrier or Yorkie is differentiated from other dogs because of their lively behavior. Yorkies have long splashy fur that gives this bold breed a beautiful look. These dogs go well with human beings and, therefore, can be trained easily.  Spirited Yorkies are little dogs with huge personalities that make a strong bond with their owners. They have luxurious, silky coats that give them an elegant appearance and energetic movements at the same time. Easily trained and highly adapted, Yorkies suited for those who want a small dog breed with high energy.

4. Toy Poodle

• Size: 9-10 inches
• Weight: 4-6 pounds
• Personality: Intelligent, active, and loyal
• Lifespan: 12-15 years

Toy Poodles are one of the most loyal and active dog breeds one can train them without any problem, as this breed is super intelligent and always ready to learn new tricks and commands. Poodle’s owners proudly said that they have a hypoallergenic coat that doesn’t cause allergies and these dogs have a peaceful temperament. Poodles enjoy various activities jogging, swimming, and retrieving.

5. Shih Tzu

• Size: 9-10.5 inches
• Weight: 9-16 pounds
• Personality: Affectionate, playful, and outgoing
• Lifespan: 10-18 years

Famous for their friendly and favorable temperament, Shih Tzus are among the most loveable pets you can ever have in your life. They were bred as companion dogs, and so they enjoyed being around people all the time. While their long, flowing hair needs to be groomed regularly, these dogs’ adorable character makes everything else seem insignificant.

6. Pekingese

• Size: 6-9 inches
• Weight: 7-14 pounds
• Personality: Loyal, courageous, and regal
• Lifespan: 12-14 years

Originally bred for Chinese emperors, the Pekingese has a long history attached to it. This breed exhibits an air of dignity and independence in all aspects of its existence. Despite being small in size, their self-reliance and bravery make them a very good choice when it comes to family pets.

7. Maltese

• Size: 7-9 inches
• Weight: 4-7 pounds
• Personality: Gentle, affectionate, and playful
• Lifespan: 12-15 years

Maltese are small dogs with floor-lengthy silky hair coats ever that are white. In addition, they have a soft nature. They are very social dogs who love to get close to humans hence they make better companions. These dogs love to learn tricks and best choice for apartment living.

8. Papillon

• Size: 8-11 inches
• Weight: 5-10 pounds
• Personality: Energetic, friendly, and intelligent
• Lifespan: 14-16 years

With ears that resemble those of a butterfly, the Papillon is a breed that is very lively and clever. They have excellent trainability, which makes them rank high in agility competitions as well as obedience ones. Moreover, they are sociable and unpretentious such that they could be perfect household pets for dynamic households. Papillion are lapdogs that go well after early socialization.

9. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

• Size: 12-13 inches
• Weight: 13-18 pounds
• Personality: Affectionate, gentle, and sociable
• Lifespan: 12-15 years

People are the object of their affection because the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a breed that loves to be around humans. They are renowned for their adorable disposition, which makes them great companions in families. Adding to this beauty are their silky fur and lively eyes. These snuggling dogs are known as therapy dogs due to their affectionate nature.

10. Miniature Schnauzer

• Size: 12-14 inches
• Weight: 11-20 pounds
• Personality: Friendly, intelligent, and obedient
• Lifespan: 12-15 years

The Miniature Schnauzer is a tiny pooch possessing an enormous character. Their marked brows and facial hairs are what modern-day society recognizes them for. These dogs are smart as well as lively hence are suitable partners for dynamic persons or clans.

11. Brussels Griffon

• Size: 7-10 inches
• Weight: 6-12 pounds
• Personality: Loyal, alert, and curious
• Lifespan: 12-15 years

One little pup with tons of personality, the Brussels Griffon is. Their faces are capable of so much expression! They are charming animals, and despite their small size, they can withstand quite everything.

12. Italian Greyhound

• Size: 13-15 inches
• Weight: 7-14 pounds
• Personality: Elegant, affectionate, and playful
• Lifespan: 14-15 years

Looking at the Italian Greyhound, it’s easy to see that it is just a smaller version of a regular Greyhound but different in structure. However, they tend to be more attached than their larger counterparts. They may laze around all day in your living room but once they are out, these dogs tend to have incredible displays of speed over short distances as well as becoming highly vivacious during games.

13. Havanese

• Size: 8.5-11.5 inches
• Weight: 7-13 pounds
• Personality: Outgoing, playful, and affectionate
• Lifespan: 14-16 years

Havanese dogs have a jolly disposition and friendliness as their notable traits feature long silky hair and liveliness. They require a lot of company hence ideal for domestic animals.

14. Japanese Chin

• Size: 8-11 inches
• Weight: 7-11 pounds
• Personality: Graceful, charming, and affectionate
• Lifespan: 10-12 years

Often nicknamed cat-like in its movements, the Japanese Chin is a breed that has an air of majesty about it. The dogs are friendly and like to be with people but also tend to be independent-minded dogs too.

15. Chinese Crested

• Size: 11-13 inches
• Weight: 8-12 pounds
• Personality: Affectionate, lively, and alert
• Lifespan: 13-18 years

Chinese Crested is a bizarre breed with a bald body and fur on the feet, head, and tail covered by tufts. Their playful nature and warm character enable them to be used as lovely partners if one is searching for an extraordinary dog.

16. Miniature Pinscher

• Size: 10-12.5 inches
• Weight: 8-12 pounds
• Personality: Energetic, alert, and curious
• Lifespan: 12-16 years

In some circles, the Miniature Pinscher is called “ the King of toys”. This dog comes in small yet has an oversized character. They are sure and brave which qualifies them to be good watchdogs. Even though they are small, they do have many power bursts along with playfulness.

17. Bichon Frise

• Size: 9.5-11.5 inches
• Weight: 12-18 pounds
• Personality: Cheerful, affectionate, and playful
• Lifespan: 14-15 years

The Bichon Frise is an affectionate and jovial variety of dogs recognized for its thick coat made of white fur and lively character. These dogs are extremely sociable thus they enjoy staying together with people making them perfect friends to both families and individuals.

18. Lhasa Apso

• Size: 10-11 inches
• Weight: 12-18 pounds
• Personality: Independent, loyal, and alert
• Lifespan: 12-15 years

Small in size but large in personality, the Lhasa Apso would impress any dog lover. These dogs were initially trained to be watchmen in Tibetan temples; therefore, they can be described as faithful dogs that are vigilant always. Lhasas typically have lengthy and lustrous hair which must be groomed periodically.

19. Affenpinscher

• Size: 9-11.5 inches
• Weight: 7-10 pounds
• Personality: Fearless, funny, and affectionate
• Lifespan: 12-15 years

The Affenpinscher, nicknamed the “Monkey Dog” for its comical nature is characterized by its small size but big personality. Besides being cute in appearance, they have comical faces in various shades of brown and black that always leave one smiling whenever they look at them. Even though an Affenpinscher cannot grow up beyond 10 inches it does not mean that this dog breed doesn’t take risks while standing up for what it believes in. This kind of dog can turn out to be a good guardian.

20. Pug

• Size: 10-13 inches
• Weight: 14-18 pounds
• Personality: Charming, affectionate, and mischievous
• Lifespan: 13-15 years

It is almost impossible to say no to a pug dog because of its wrinkled face and big, round eyes. Friendly and loving, pugs are famous for their charming nature. They just like being around people and possess playful as well as at times sneaky personalities.

Conclusion

Though toy and miniature canines are small in size, they come with a broad range of personalities and traits that most people love. There is a toy or mini-breed for even the most diverse lifestyles, whether one goes for the fun-loving and vigorous type of dog while another picks a quiet and tender-hearted one. These pets gladden the lives of their masters with happiness, fondness, and faithfulness thus confirming that indeed the best things do come in small packages.

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