Small Dog Breeds

So you want to get a small breed of dog, huh? With so many to choose from, how do you know which one is right for you? And what do you do once you get you new puppy? Here we will take a brief look at four popular small dog breeds, examine their different characteristics, and start you down the road of proper accessorization!
• American Eskimo: The American Eskimo dog, a beautiful white spitz-type that resembles a Samoyed, comes in three sizes: Standard, Miniature, and Toy. Charming, intelligent, and affectionate, these dogs tend to get along well with children and are often easily trained. This breed needs a good amount of exercise, but can do well in an apartment with a small yard. It needs to be groomed about twice per week.

• Bichon Frise:  Another all white dog, the Bichon Frise is a lovely small dog (9-12 inches tall) with a loosely curled double coat. This dog is charming, intelligent, and lively with an independent spirit. Bichon Frise are easy to train and are kept most happy when around people and not isolated. They can have sensitive skin, eyes, and ears and require frequent grooming. Needing only a moderate amount of exercise, the Bichon Frise can live quite comfortably in an apartment with no yard.

• Boston Terrier: The Boston Terrier is a small, muscular dog, 15-17 inches at the shoulder, with a short muzzle and slightly protruding, expressive eyes. The coat is short and sleek and comes in brindle & white or black & white, the latter being more common. Occasionally a Boston Terrier puppy will be born brown & white. Although the Boston Terrier was originally bred for dog fighting, the modern dog has been bred for excellent character and most of the aggressive tendencies have been bred out of this intelligent dog. Boston Terriers love to learn and are easily trained. They need occasional brushing and have a low need for exercise.

• Chihuahua: A tiny dog (6-9 inches) with a huge dose of courage and personality aptly describes the Chihuahua. Originally from Chihuahua, , the Chihuahua is lot of dog to handle. They are deeply loyal, extremely lively, strong-willed, and great at demanding attention! They can be dog-aggressive and often regard human strangers with much suspicion. Chihuahuas are well adapted to apartment living, but should be walked to keep fit. Short-coated Chihuahuas should be brushed occasionally, but long-coated dogs require daily brushing.