Oct. 9/2024

25 Small Dog Breeds To Fit Any Lifestyle Part 2

By Emily Sanders. Reviewed by Barri J. Morrison, DVM

8/ 6/ 2023

14. Japanese Chin

Weight: 7–11 pounds

Height: 8–11 inches

An ancient dog breed with a noble past, Japanese Chin were once popular among Japanese aristocracy. With a long, silky coat & expressive eyes that give them a look of wonder, Chin are regal & elegant while still being tiny, cute dogs.

15. Bolognese

Weight: 6–10 pounds

Height: 10–12 inches

Hailing from Bologna, Italy, Bolognese are small, fluffy dogs with wild white hair. Another ancient breed, these pups were often given as gifts among European nobility. Today, they’re a good-natured, easygoing lap dog.

16. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Weight: 13–18 pounds

Height: 12–13 inches

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a toy dog bred to keep laps warm. These sweet puppies were especially beloved by King Charles I & his son, Charles II, & were eventually named after them. Clever, friendly, & eager to please, CKC spaniels are the perfect choice for first-time pet parents.

17. Italian Greyhound

Weight: 7–14 pounds

Height: 13–15 inches

Don’t be fooled by their name—unlike Greyhounds that can reach 70 pounds, Italian Greyhounds are a little dog breed. Standing just over 1 foot tall at the shoulders, Italian Greyhounds are sociable & sensitive. They are best suited for families with older children who know how to safely play with these small, slender dogs.

18. Chinese Crested

Weight: 8–12 pounds

Height: 11–13 inches

The Chinese Crested is an ancient breed that comes in 2 varieties: powderpuff (with silky hair all over their little body) & hairless (with hair only on their head, tail, & ankles). With either type you choose, your Crested will need a lot of care to stay in tip-top shape, with powderpuffs requiring attentive grooming & hairless dogs needing special skincare.

19. Havanese

Weight: 7–13 pounds

Height: 8–12 inches

The only dog native to Cuba, Havanese are small, fluffy dogs who bounce through life. They are highly affectionate & get along well with children & other dogs, making them excellent family pets. These happy dogs are very sociable & love the company of people, so pet parents should be ready to give them lots of attention.

20. Lhasa Apso

Weight: 12–18 pounds

Height: 11 inches or less

Lhasa Apso roughly means “bearded lion dog,” & it’s not hard to see why. With their graceful mane-like coat, these elegant toy dogs resemble small lions. Lhasa Apsos originated in Tibet, where they were bred to be watchdogs & are considered sacred & symbols of good fortune. These dogs are affectionate & loyal to their family but may be wary of strangers due to their breeding history.

21. Miniature Schnauzer

Weight: 11–20 pounds

Height: 12–14 inches

Of the 3 types of Schnauzers, the Miniature Schnauzer is the smallest. These intelligent & charming dogs need lots of exercise due to their history as farm dogs. Give them a job, & these bearded puppies will have the time of their life. Mini Schnauzers also don’t shed much, making them good pets for families with allergies.

22. Border Terrier

Weight: 11–16 pounds

Height: 12–15 inches

The scruffy & scrappy Border Terrier is the smallest of the long-legged terriers. These little dogs are bursting with energy & will thrive with at least an hour of exercise every day. Border Terriers have a distinctive “otter head” that pet parents may find irresistibly cute.

23. Miniature Pinscher

Weight: 8–10 pounds

Height: 10–13 inches

Hailed as the “king of toy breeds,” the Miniature Pinscher doesn’t let their small size slow them down. The Min Pin packs a bold personality despite their stature & needs plenty of action to stay happy. This German toy breed sports a short coat that needs minimal maintenance.

24. Toy Fox Terrier

Weight: 4–9 pounds

Height: 8–12 inches

Standing less than 1 foot tall, the Toy Fox Terrier is feisty & playful. Their mischievous antics are typically a great source of entertainment for pet parents. These terriers overflow with energy & will benefit from regular outdoor exercise before coming home & running around your living room.

25. Silky Terrier

Weight: 10 pounds

Height: 9–10 inches

Though they look a lot like Yorkies, the Silky Terrier is a separate breed that is native to Australia. This little dog is surprisingly energetic for their size & loves having a job to do. Pet parents need to provide Silkies with plenty of exercise to keep them happy, & Silkies also have a long, luscious coat that needs to be brushed every day.

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Oct. 2/2024

 

25 Small Dog Breeds To Fit Any Lifestyle Part 1

By Emily Sanders. Reviewed by Barri J. Morrison, DVM

8/ 6/ 2023

Cute & compact, there’s a lot to love about small dog breeds. But there are also lots of different types of small dogs, & no 2 are exactly alike. Here are some of the best toy & small dog breeds that can fit into your family.

1. Chihuahua

Weight: 6 pounds or less

Height: 5–8 inches

Chihuahuas are charming little dogs who make adorable companions thanks to their sassy personalities & spunky nature. One of the longest-living dog breeds, Chis are full of energy & liven up any room they’re in—which is usually whatever room their beloved pet parents are in.

2. Pomeranian

Weight: 3–7 pounds

Height: 6–7 inches

With their cute strut & beautiful coat, Pomeranians are a popular lap dog. But they weren’t always the little dog breed we know today—Pomeranians are actually descended from sled dogs, & their predecessors weighed around 30 pounds. But once they captivated Queen Victoria & became more popular, Poms were selectively bred to be the tiny, cute dogs we know today.

3. Yorkshire Terrier

Weight: 7 pounds

Height: 7–8 inches

The Yorkshire Terrier, or Yorkie, is a playful, energetic, & affectionate dog. Like other small dog breeds, Yorkies don’t handle the cold well & may be prone to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

4. Shih Tzu

Weight: 9–16 pounds

Height: 9–10 inches

Small but mighty, the Shih Tzu was bred by Buddhist monks in Tibet to look like a little lion. These tiny, cute dogs are very attached to their pet parents & their long & luxurious coats need lots of attention to stay tangle-free. This breed does best with an attentive family who will brush them a few times throughout the week.

5. Papillon

Weight: 5–10 pounds

Height: 8–11 inches

Elegant & stylish, Papillons are named after their wispy ears that resemble butterfly wings (papillon means “butterfly” in French). This small dog is also highly intelligent & needs ample activity & mental stimulation to ward off boredom. Some of the Papillon’s favorite pastimes are taking long walks, running an agility course, & playing with their favorite people.

6. Toy Poodle

Weight: 4–6 pounds

Height: 10 inches or less

Toy Poodles are the smallest of the Poodle breeds (the other 2 being the Standard & the Miniature). Like their larger cousins, Toy Poodles are smart & playful, & they probably don’t mind bath night (which should be every 2 to 4 weeks).

7. Affenpinscher

Weight: 7–10 pounds

Height: 9–12 inches

German for “monkey terrier,” it’s easy to see how the Affenpinscher got their name: Their distinctive flat, bearded face makes this small dog breed look more like a monkey than a pup. Like other little dogs, Affenpinschers have a long lifespan that can reach 15 years or more.

8. Maltese

Weight: 7 pounds or less

Height: 7–9 inches

The Maltese is a small white dog known for their straight, sweeping curtain of fur. Despite their long coat, this toy breed isn’t a heavy shedder & is often labeled as “hypoallergenic” (although there’s no truly hypoallergenic dog).  Still, Maltese can be a good choice for people with allergies.

9. Bichon Frise

Weight: 12–18 pounds

Height: 9–12 inches

Another small white dog is the Bichon Frise. But what these dogs lack in size, they make up for in heart. Bichons are known for being curious, friendly, & eager-to-please, which makes them easy to train in both basic commands & fun tricks.

10. Biewer Terrier

Weight: 4–8 pounds

Height: 7–11 inches

Pronounced “beaver,” Biewer Terriers are cute dogs that are small & love their family, making them ideal lap dogs. Originating from Germany, they are descendants of Yorkies, but with a unique genetic twist: they carry the rare piebald gene, resulting in white fur with patches of color.

11. Brussels Griffon

Weight: 8–10 pounds

Height: 7–10 inches

Brussels Griffons are adorable & sociable companions. Their wide-set eyes give them a childlike, expressive face that adds to their endearing “Velcro dog” personality. These small dogs are equally happy to exercise & be a little couch tater tot. Here’s a fun fact: Griffons were the inspiration for Ewoks in Star Wars.

12. Alaskan Klee Kai

Weight: 6–25 pounds

Height: 12–17 inches

The Alaskan Klee Kai is a small dog breed that comes in 3 variations: Toy, Miniature, & Standard. They are a new & rare breed that began with one small Siberian Husky in the 1970s. Like Huskies, Alaskan Klee Kai dogs have an independent, talkative, & determined spirit.

13. Cairn Terrier

Weight: 13–14 pounds

Height: 9–10 inches

Cairn Terriers are shaggy, athletic dogs bred in Scotland to hunt foxes & other small mammals. The breed saw a boost in popularity after 1939, when a Cairn Terrier named Terry starred as Toto in The Wizard of Oz.

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Sept. 25/2024

 

8 Pets That May Keep You up at Night

By Sandra C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP

Published 12/15/2023

Some pets do most of their activities at night—when most people are asleep. It’s important to keep a pet’s natural wake/sleep schedule in mind when choosing one for your family. While most pets can adapt to a pet parent’s attention during the day, their instinct is to do most of their more active behaviors, like exploring & playing, at odd hours.

Nocturnal Pets vs. Crepuscular Pets

Many animals that are active at night fall into one of 2 groups: nocturnal or crepuscular. 

Nocturnal animals become active when the sun goes down & are generally more or less awake for the entire night, unless they decide to grab a nap.

Crepuscular animals have 2 main periods of activity: near dawn & dusk. These critters are typically up a little before the sun sets in the evening & are active until a few hours after it sets. They then go to bed & catch a long nap until shortly before dawn. At this point, they get up again, are active for a few hours after dawn, then sleep during the day.

Nocturnal Pets

1. Hamster

Hamsters are nocturnal & best suited to households that are active after dark, without any early risers. This is because hamsters are one of the louder nocturnal pets—they like to run on their wheels for long hours & chew noisily at anything they can.

Do not place hamster cages where people sleep. A place that’s also quieter during the day (when the hamster wants to sleep) is ideal. Hamsters are often very grumpy when awakened, so if it’s necessary to wake up your pet (for example, for a trip to the vet), it’s best to do so slowly. When possible, it’s best to leave a sleeping hamster asleep.

2. Rat

Rats require a lot of time & socialization, & they thrive on attention. Though they’re nocturnal rodents that prefer to be active overnight, rats are also willing to get up during the day if that’s what’s necessary to spend time with their people. But if it were up to them, they’d be most active in the early evening, through most of the night, & in the early morning.

Overnight, rats love to play in groups. They enjoy climbing, & ladder toys made for birds are some of their favorite objects to scale. Rats will also use running wheels, so keeping their cage outside of your bedroom is a good idea.

3. Hedgehog

Hedgehogs are largely solitary creatures that tend to do most of their exploring & foraging in the evening. Although some will make noise while they run on wheels or play, many quietly explore their environment, looking for tasty snacks that might be hiding in the nooks & crannies of their homes.

In addition to being primarily nocturnal, hedgehogs also need an area to retreat to that’s always warm. A night heat lamp (like one used for reptiles) or a chew-safe heating pad is an essential part of their cage. Don’t surprised if your hedgie basks in that area all day long, even if it seems warm to you!

4. Sugar Glider

Sugar gliders are strictly nocturnal & spend much of their night actively gliding, foraging, & playing. Like hedgehogs, they also need at least one part of their cage to be warmer than the environmental temperature. Sugar gliders can be entertained by hiding components of their diet throughout the environment to allow for hunting.

Luckily, most sugar gliders are not noisy household companions. However, they do have a fairly strong & distinct smell, which not all people will appreciate. As such, it may be best to plan to place their cage in a non-central, quieter part of the house.

5. Mouse

Mice are active creatures at night, often up running on wheels, chewing, & scratching at corners in their cage. Although they are small, mice can make some mighty noises that can bother sleeping humans. They’re best kept in small, same-sex groups (although males may fight), which can elevate the noise as they play & squeak at one another. For sound sleep, keep them outside of your bedroom.

Crepuscular Pets

1. Cat

Cats do great with families that have hectic schedules, as they can meld around the chaos well. However, despite their tendency to sleep 12–16 hours a day, they are also good at waking us up sometimes for attention or food.

As a crepuscular species, your cat may choose to get up at night to grab a snack, play with some toys, or just sit & stare at you, hoping you’ll get up & play. They may accompany you on trips to the bathroom overnight or try their best at the crack of dawn to get you to fill the food bowl. These are all very normal behaviors.

2. Chinchilla

Chinchillas are petite rodents with adorable large eyes & ears. Much like cats, chinchillas are crepuscular; although they may be up at night, they prefer to be active in the early evening & early morning. You can spend time with them before you go to bed & when you first get up, & they will be happy to see you.

Chinchillas also tend to spend some time being active overnight & can be noisy. They like to climb, jump, run, & chew, so they also need very large areas to be active over the nighttime hours.

3. Leopard Gecko

Leopard geckos are small, compact crepuscular reptiles. Most leopard geckos will get up during the evening hours & be most active both during the evening & early mornings, although they will also spend some time awake overnight & occasionally during the day as well.

Leopard geckos will spend their awake time burrowing & hunting. Most of their nighttime activity is quiet, so a leopard gecko enclosure can often be left in or near human sleeping areas. Keep in mind their lighting requirements (heat is generally needed 24 hours per day) may bother some people at night.

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