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Small dog breeds: profiles from A to Z

Small dogs fit into smaller flats and under your arm, but not every small dog is a lapdog. They include terriers with hunting instincts and dachshunds with their own ideas, as well as true companion dogs. In small breeds, pay particular attention to teeth, kneecaps and, with short noses, breathing.

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Small dog breeds in the encyclopedia (86)

A quick comparison

Breed Height according to the standard For beginners
Affenpinscher Males and females 25 to 30 cm With reservations
Alpine Dachsbracke (Alpenländische Dachsbracke) 34 to 42 cm; ideal males 37 to 38 cm, females 36 to 37 cm Generally unsuitable
American Cocker Spaniel Ideal males 38,1 cm, females 35,6 cm, with 1,3 cm deviation permitted for each Suitable
Andalusian Terrier (Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz) males 37 to 43 cm, ideally 40 cm; females 35 to 41 cm, ideally 38 cm; a 2 cm tolerance for balanced, fault-free construction With reservations
Australian Silky Terrier Males 23 to 26 cm, females may be slightly smaller With reservations
Australian Terrier desired: approximately 25 cm, females slightly less With reservations
Norman Artesien Basset (Basset Artésien Normand) males and females 30 to 36 cm, with a 1 cm tolerance for exceptionally good dogs With reservations
Blue Gascony Basset (Basset Bleu de Gascogne) Males and females 34 to 38 cm With reservations
Basset Fauve de Bretagne Males and females 32 to 38 cm, an extra 2 cm tolerated in exceptional specimens With reservations
Basset Hound 33 to 38 cm With reservations
Beagle desired minimum 33 cm, maximum 40 cm With reservations
Bichon Frise (Bichon à poil frisé) 25 to 29 cm; tolerances of 1 cm above for males and 2 cm below for females Suitable
Bolognese Males 27 to 30 cm, females 25 to 28 cm Suitable
Border Terrier not specified in the FCI standard With reservations
Boston Terrier not specified in the FCI standard With reservations
Brazilian Terrier (Terrier Brasileiro) males 35 to 40 cm, females 33 to 38 cm With reservations
Cairn Terrier Approx. 28 to 31 cm With reservations
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel not specified in the FCI standard Suitable
Chihuahua (Chihuahueño) not considered in the FCI standard; only weight is assessed With reservations
Chinese Crested Dog Ideal males 28 to 33 cm, females 23 to 30 cm With reservations
English Cocker Spaniel Males around 39 to 41 cm, females around 38 to 39 cm Suitable
Coton de Tuléar Males 26 to 28 cm, females 23 to 25 cm, each with tolerance of 2 cm above and 1 cm below Suitable
Dachshund three sizes by chest circumference (measured from 15 months): Standard over 37 to 47 cm (females over 35 to 45 cm), Miniature over 32 to 37 cm (over 30 to 35 cm), Rabbit 27 to 32 cm (25 to 30 cm) With reservations
Dandie Dinmont Terrier 20 to 28 cm; body length no more than twice the height, preferably 2,5 to 5 cm less With reservations
Danish-Swedish Farmdog (Dansk-Svensk Gårdshund) Males 34 to 37 cm, females 32 to 35 cm, tolerance plus or minus 2 cm Suitable
German Hunting Terrier (Deutscher Jagdterrier) Males and females 33 to 40 cm Generally unsuitable
Drever Males ideally 35 cm (permitted 32 to 38 cm), females ideally 33 cm (permitted 30 to 36 cm) Generally unsuitable
English Toy Terrier ideally 25 to 30 cm With reservations
Wire Fox Terrier (Fox Terrier (Wire)) Males no more than 39 cm, females slightly smaller With reservations
Smooth Fox Terrier (Fox Terrier (Smooth)) Males no more than 39 cm, females slightly smaller With reservations
French Bulldog (Bouledogue Français) Males 27 to 35 cm, females 24 to 32 cm With reservations
Griffon Belge not specified in the FCI standard; body length should roughly equal height at the withers With reservations
Brussels Griffon (Griffon Bruxellois) not specified in the FCI standard With reservations
Havanese (Bichon Havanais) 23 to 27 cm, tolerance 21 to 29 cm Suitable
Dutch Smoushond (Hollandse Smoushond) males around 37 to 42 cm, females around 35 to 40 cm Suitable
Irish Glen of Imaal Terrier males no more than 35,5 cm, females proportionately less With reservations
Italian Volpino (Volpino Italiano) Males 27 to 30 cm, females 25 to 28 cm; exceeding this by more than 2 cm is a fault With reservations
Italian Greyhound (Piccolo Levriero Italiano) Males and females 32 to 38 cm Suitable
Jack Russell Terrier ideally 25 to 30 cm With reservations
Japanese Chin (Chin) Males approx. 25 cm, females slightly smaller With reservations
Japanese Spitz (Nihon Supittsu) males 30 to 38 cm, females slightly smaller Suitable
Japanese Terrier (Nihon Teria) Males and females approximately 30 to 33 cm Suitable
King Charles Spaniel not specified in the FCI standard With reservations
Kooikerhondje (Nederlandse Kooikerhondje) ideally males 40 cm, females 38 cm; 2 cm above or 3 cm below allowed With reservations
Lakeland Terrier No more than 37 cm With reservations
Lancashire Heeler ideally males 30 cm, females 25 cm With reservations
Lhasa Apso ideally males 25 cm, females slightly smaller With reservations
Löwchen (Petit Chien Lion) 26 to 32 cm, 1 cm more or less allowed (no distinction between sexes) Suitable
Maltese Males 21 to 25 cm, females 20 to 23 cm Suitable
Miniature Bull Terrier No more than 35,5 cm With reservations
Pug not specified in the FCI standard With reservations
Norfolk Terrier ideally 25 cm With reservations
Norwegian Lundehund (Norsk Lundehund) Males 35 to 38 cm, females 32 to 35 cm With reservations
Norwich Terrier ideally 25 cm With reservations
Papillon (Epagneul Nain Continental) approximately 28 cm Suitable
Parson Russell Terrier ideal: males 36 cm, females 33 cm With reservations
Pekingese not specified in the FCI standard With reservations
Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen 34 to 38 cm, tolerance 1 cm above or below (no distinction by sex) With reservations
Petit Brabançon not specified in the FCI standard With reservations
Prague Ratter (Pražský krysařík) Males and females 21 to 23 cm (tolerance plus/minus 1 cm) With reservations
Russian Toy (Russkiy Toy) males and females 22 to 27 cm, preferably 25 cm With reservations
Schipperke not specified in the FCI standard With reservations
Swedish Vallhund (Västgötaspets) Ideal height males 33 cm, females 31 cm; 2 cm above or 1 cm below tolerated With reservations
Small Swiss Hound (Schweizer Niederlaufhund) Males 35 to 43 cm, females 33 to 40 cm, tolerance plus or minus 2 cm With reservations
Scottish Terrier 25 to 28 cm With reservations
Sealyham Terrier no more than 31 cm at the shoulder With reservations
Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie) Ideal males 37 cm, females 35,5 cm; more than 2,5 cm above or below highly undesirable Suitable
Shiba (Shiba Inu) males 39,5 cm, females 36,5 cm, with a tolerance of 1,5 cm above or below With reservations
Shih Tzu no more than 27 cm Suitable
Skye Terrier ideal 25 to 26 cm, length from nose to tail tip 105 cm; females slightly smaller in the same proportions With reservations
Staffordshire Bull Terrier desirable 35,5 to 40,5 cm, depending on weight With reservations
Sussex Spaniel ideal 38 to 41 cm (no distinction between sexes) With reservations
Tatra Hound (Tatranský Durič) Males 38 to 42 cm, females 36 to 40 cm With reservations
Tibetan Spaniel Approx. 25,4 cm Suitable
Tibetan Terrier Males 36 to 41 cm, females slightly smaller With reservations
Cesky Terrier (Ceský Terier) 25 to 32 cm; ideal males 29 cm, females 27 cm Suitable
Valencian Terrier (Gos Rater Valencià) Males 30 to 40 cm, ideal 36 cm; females 29 to 38 cm, ideal 33 cm; an extra 1 cm tolerated with harmonious build With reservations
Cardigan Welsh Corgi (Welsh Corgi (Cardigan)) ideal 30 cm With reservations
Welsh Corgi Pembroke Approx. 25 to 30 cm With reservations
Welsh Terrier no more than 39 cm With reservations
West Highland White Terrier Approx. 28 cm With reservations
Westphalian Dachsbracke (Westfälische Dachsbracke) 30 to 38 cm (no distinction between sexes) Generally unsuitable
Yorkshire Terrier not specified in the FCI standard With reservations
Miniature Pinscher Males and females 25 to 30 cm With reservations
Miniature Schnauzer (Zwergschnauzer) Males and females 30 to 35 cm Suitable
Pomeranian (Deutscher Spitz, Zwergspitz variety) 21 cm, plus or minus 3 cm Suitable

Still unsure which breed suits you?

Our free breed quiz asks ten questions about your everyday life and suggests three breeds. Our book takes a more thorough look: “Welcher Hund passt WIRKLICH zu dir?” (book in German). If your puppy is already on the way, the free Puppy Starter Pack supports you through the first weeks. To see your dog on the wall, explore our dog portraits from your own photo.

The profiles are based on FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale) breed standards; health and lifespan information comes from the studies cited in each entry. Size categories follow our own classification: average male height at the withers up to 40 cm small, over 40 to 55 cm medium-sized, over 55 cm large; where the standard gives no height, classification is by weight.

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