Types of Small Dogs

The dog is a man's best friend. It is essential for a person to have a pet if he or she is wishes selfless companionship. Small dogs, though not as tough as strong as the bigger dogs, do offer companionship and are more interesting to have. It's not for nothing that these dogs are sometimes called companion dogs, as these dogs are mainly used for companionship as a pet, and not the other attributes of a dog such as safety and security. Apart from companion dogs, there are other smaller dogs, termed as toy dogs that are used strictly for companionship. Here is some information on the different types of small dogs.

Pomeranian : These dogs originate from the sled dogs of Iceland and Lapland. They were eventually brought into Europe in Pomerania. Modern Pomeranian are around twenty pounds less than their weight when they were first brought. It weighs around two to seven pounds today. Pomeranian are very good with children if they are raised with them at an earlier age. Their rich coat requires them to be groomed almost daily. They have two coats, a top coat and an undercoat. Males shed their undercoat once in a year, while females shed their coat either when they are in litter or in stress.

Bichon Frise: The Bichon Frise is another small breed of dog. The Bichon Frise is more intelligent as compared to other breed of dogs. These dogs are known to have happy dispositions. The Bichon has descended from the Water Spaniel or Barbet. It was brought to the United States in 1955.

It is sensitive, playful and affectionate. They also enjoy the company of people and other dogs. They are at their best behavior when there is a lot of activity around them. These dogs like attention.

Like other toy dogs, the Bischon also requires care and should be kept clean and trimmed. Eye discharge and mucus tend to accumulate in the air in front of the eyes. This can lead to serious problems if not taken care of in the beginning.

Boston Terrier Boston Terriers are small and built compactly.They are a cross breed between the White English Terrier and the English Bulldog. They have well proportioned and have erect ears, short tails and a short muzzle. The muzzle is generally free of any wrinkles.

Bolognese: The Bolognese has a height of around twenty five to thirty centimeters. They weigh not more than five kilograms. They are small in size and compact. They have a white coat. They have a single coat. Their coal falls in loose open ringlets all over the body. They have shorter facial hair. Though they don't' shed their hair, it requires regular combing. They have large and dark eyes and nose.The Boston Terrier is gentle, alert and expressive. It is one of the few well mannered dogs.

Maltese: The Maltese is another small dog. It has a distinctive coat as compared to other small dogs. The Maltese dog has silky,long and white hair from head to toe.The Maltese can be very energetic. They are also known for short outbursts of physical activity, like running around in circles while trying to chase their tails. The Maltese are relatively easy to train and like playing games with the humans.

Chinese Crested Dog The Chinese Crested dogs are of two types, the Hairless and the Powderpuff. The Hairless dogs have almost human like skin and has tufts on its paws and tail. It also has long and flowing hair on its head.

The Powderpuff variety has a thick double coat. It has a variety of colors, from white to black.