Miniature Dog Breeds That Are Just Too Cute

1.Poodle

Elegant. Proud. Clever. Poodles are impressive dogs, as the many best-in-show winners from this dog breed can attest. Behind the blue ribbons, impressive hairdos, and regal attitude, you’ll find an affectionate family dog with an ancient history and many talents.Poodles come in three sizes: standard, miniature,  and toy. The smallest of the bunch measure between 4 to 6 pounds, so you can scoop one up with just one hand! Bonus: Poodles are one of the smartest breeds around.

Because of their intelligence and playful nature, obedience training is essential to keep your Poodle's mind active. A Poodle who is thinking and learning isn't bored, and therefore won't find destructive ways to occupy himself.

The Poodle coat needs a lot of upkeep to stay beautiful and healthy. Most Poodle owners take their dogs to a professional groomer every three to six weeks. If you want to save money on grooming expenses, you can learn to do it yourself, but it takes time and effort.

Vital stats:       HEIGHT: From 1 foot to 10 inches tall at the shoulder

                       WEIGHT: 45 to 70 pounds

                      LIFE SPAN: 12 to 15 years

2.Shih Tzu

His name means little lion, but there’s nothing fierce about this dog breed. The Shih Tzu is a lover, not a hunter. Bred solely to be a companion, the Shih Tzu is an affectionate, happy, outgoing housedog who loves nothing more than to follow his people from room to room. In recent years, however, owners have started taking the Shih Tzu off their laps and into dog sports, training him for obedience, rally, and agility competitions.

The Shih Tzu is a small, sturdy dog with a body that is slightly longer than it is tall. The head is round and broad, and wide between the eyes. The square muzzle is short, with an inch or less from the tip of the nose to the defined stop. The nose is broad, with well-open nostrils. Nose, lips and eye rims are liver on liver colored dogs, blue on blue dogs and black on all other colors. The teeth meet in a level or under bite. The large, round eyes are dark in color, but lighter on blue and liver dogs.

Height: Up to 11 inches (28 cm).Weight: 9 - 16 pounds (4 - 7 kg)

3.Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a well-proportioned little dog. The head is slightly rounded, the muzzle full, tapering a little with a shallow stop. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is an eager, affectionate and happy dog, always seeming to be wagging its tail. Outgoing and sportive, these fearless lively little dogs are eager and willing to please. They are intelligent enough to understand what you want and therefore are usually easy to train and respond well to gentle obedience training. They are said to be naturally well behaved and get along well with other dogs and non-canine pets.

Height: 12 - 13 inches (30 - 33 cm).Weight: 10 - 18 pounds (5 - 8 kg).

4.Pomeranian

The Pomeranian is loved because of its small and compact size. In spite of their instinct to believe they can take on any adversary, Poms are for the most part incapable of surviving on their own or outdoors. They are affectionate and warm with their humans, a characteristic that ensures they don’t often go without love and protection.   Poms are best avoided when very small children are around, more so for the safety of the dog than the child. Poms are smart, vivacious and outgoing dogs. They tend to love to meet new people, which is a great way to start socializing them when their still puppies, especially if you see signs of a cranky, moody Pom.

Height: 7-12 Inches.Weight: 2-4 Kg.

5.Pekingese

Pekingese is a very brave little dog, sensitive, independent and extremely affectionate with its master. These adorable dogs can make wonderful companions. If overfed, the Pekingese will quickly become overweight. This breed makes a good watchdog. The Pekingese may be difficult to housebreak. Do not allow this dog to develop Small Dog Syndrome, human induced behaviors where the dog believes he is pack leader to humans. This can cause varying degrees of negative behaviors, including, but not limited to being obstinate, self-willed, jealous, separation anxiety, guarding, growling, snapping, biting, and obsessive barking as the dog tries to tell YOU what to do.

Height: 6 - 9 inches (30.4 - 45 cm), Weight: 8 - 10 pounds (3.6 - 4.5 kg)

6.Dachshund

The Dachshund is curious, clever, lively, affectionate, proud, brave and amusing. Devoted to its family, it can be slightly difficult to train and housebreak, but not impossible. Dachshunds travel well. This little dog needs an owner who understands how to be his pack leader or he will take over the house, and begin to try and tell the owner what to do. If the dog is allowed to take over, many behavior problems will arise, such as, but not limited to, guarding furniture, separation anxiety, guarding food, toys or other objects, snapping, biting and obsessive barking. It will become unpredictable with children and adults they do not know.

Standard: Height 8 - 11 inches (20 - 27cm); Weight - over 11 pounds (4.9 kg) at the age of 12 months.

7.Beagle

Beagles are gentle, sweet, and funny. They will make you laugh, but that's when they're not making you cry because of their often naughty behavior. Beagle people spend a lot of time trying to outthink their dogs, and they often must resort to food rewards to lure the Beagle into a state of temporary obedience. Like every dog, the Beagle needs early socialization — exposure to many different people, sights, sounds, and experiences — when they're young. Socialization helps ensure that your Beagle puppy grows up to be a well-rounded dog.

HEIGHT: 1 foot, 1 inch to 1 foot, 3 inches tall at the shoulder.

WEIGHT: 18 to 30 pounds.

8.Shiba Inu

The Shiba Inu dog breed was originally bred to flush birds and small game, and was occasionally used to hunt wild boar. He is one of Japan’s six native breeds: Akita (large), Kishu, Hokkaido, Kai, Shikoku (medium), and Shiba (small). He is known for his spirited personality, small upright ears, and cat-like agility. Today he serves primarily as a companion dog in Japan and the United States. The well-bred Shiba  Inu is good-natured, alert, and bold. He is strong-willed and confident, and often has his own ideas about things. He is loyal and affectionate with his family, though tends to be suspicious of strangers. The Shiba Inu doesn't share well. He tends to guard

, sometimes aggressively, his food, toys, or territory. And he doesn't always get along with other dogs, especially if he's intact. 

HEIGHT: 1 foot, 1 inch to 1 foot, 5 inches tall at the shoulder.

WEIGHT: 17 to 23 pounds

9.Pug:

Pugs often are described as a lot of dog in a small space. These sturdy, compact dogs are a part of the American Kennel Club’s Toy group, and are known as the clowns of the canine world because they have a great sense of humor and like to show off. Originally bred to be a lap dog, the Pug thrives on human companionship.

Pugs are clowns at heart, but they carry themselves with dignity. Pugs are playful dogs, ready and able for games, but they are also lovers, and must be close to their humans. Pugs love to be the center of attention, and are heartsick if ignored.

HEIGHT:10 inches to 1 foot, 2 inches tall at the shoulder
WEIGHT: 14 to 18 pounds

10.Basenji:

The Basenji is an elegant and poised African hunting dog. African natives used this breed for pointing, driving game into nets and retrieving. The dog's light build and balanced structure allows it to move with agility and ease. Known as the "barkless dog," the Basenji makes a yodeling sound when excited. It is poised, alert and has an aloof air as the breed often worked worked out of sight of the native hunters. The Basenji uses both sight and sound for hunting skills.

The Baseji is proud and independent yet affectionate. They may be reserved with strangers but can eventually form strong bonds and are eager to please. They are playful, curious and intelligent. They are usually patient with children but may do best with older ones. They should not be kept in families with cats and other non-canine pets. They like to climb, so care should be taken with chain wire fenced property. They are chewers and need to be provided with chew toys.