The history of friendship between man and dog has more than one millennium. At first it was a mutually beneficial coexistence, and then it grew into a sincere affection. Breeders are still breeding new breeds, and indoor-decorative dogs have always occupied a place of honor in this exciting work. After all, a person needs not only a watchman and protector, but a pet, albeit placed in his pocket, which can be cherished and cherished.
What are they, little indoor dogs? Let's find out the most popular breeds, how they earned their recognition and love of millions.
How it all began
When people moved from the caves to the huts, and from there to the palaces, they realized that you couldn’t put a faithful dog watchman or hunter on your lap, as your soul required. And then active selection began to reduce the size of animals and to suppress their natural instincts. Small indoor dogs were called Lap Dog (knee-high) and appreciated in them cute, toy appearance, emotionality, friendliness and affection for their master.
Even medieval ladies and gentlemen had a strange attitude towards hygiene. It was not accepted to bathe, and the dog in her arms took over half of the host fleas. During dinner, fingers were wiped on the pet’s coat, and dishes were not always washed, it is enough that a faithful friend licked a plate. And, of course, to keep a decorative dog was very prestigious, as, in fact, now.
Most popular babes
In Renaissance Europe, Italian greyhounds (the smallest greyhounds) and the ancestors of modern French and Maltese lapdogs were held in high esteem. In China, pugs and Pekingese were considered sacred animals. And when Columbus discovered America, the world learned about the existence of an amazing chihuahua. Over time, new decorative breeds appeared, and they are all loved and appreciated like hundreds of years ago.
Today, dwarfs are considered to be dogs whose height at the withers does not exceed 35 cm. And this is the only thing that unites them, because each breed has its own history and, of course, unique features. Some are laid by nature, others are perfected by the work of breeders.
We offer you an overview of the smallest indoor dogs. Breeds with photos and interesting facts about them - read below.
Chihuahua
According to the standard, the baby's growth should not exceed 23 cm. This is a descendant of the ancient leaky dog, the smallest dwarf breed in the world, originating from the largest Mexican state of Chihuahua. The first chihuahua appeared in the USSR in 1959, when Fidel Castro presented two long-haired doggies to N. S. Khrushchev.
Yorkshire Terrier
A breed bred in northern England. Interestingly, the first Yorks belonged to peasants who were forbidden to keep large dogs. Despite their modest dimensions, these animals retained the best behavioral qualities of large terriers - curiosity, courage and restless temperament.
Pomeranian Spitz
Pomeranets is the smallest representative of a large group of Spitz. The breed was bred in Germany, more precisely - in Pomerania. Famous in history, Pomeranian Spitz Marco was a favorite of the English Queen Victoria, who never parted with him.
Bichon Frize
The name of the breed is translated from French, like a curly lapdog. According to the standard, a real Bichon must be square in shape and exclusively white in color, and no more than 30 cm long and tall.
Affinpincher
This is a funny little doggie in the shape of which there really is something ape (affe in German means "monkey"). Representatives of the oldest German decorative breed gave birth to the bird-brabancon and miniature schnauzer popular today.
Prague rat
This is the smallest of European dogs, whose history goes back to the 13th century. Small Prague "Pied Piper" for centuries regularly defended the royal property from rodents, and today they bring a lot of joy to the owners thanks to the mind and cheerful character.
Russian toy
A young breed of small house dogs was bred in Moscow in the 50s of the last century from English toy terriers. Russian toy can be smooth-haired or long-haired, but necessarily long-legged and elegant. These dogs rarely get sick and are ideal for apartment keeping.
There is a Russian toy puppy from 2 to 25 thousand rubles. And let's find out how much people are willing to pay for the dog of their dreams.
Small spool but precious
Despite the fact that there are much fewer dwarf breeds, three of them are not inferior in value to their large relatives:
- Yorkshire Terrier. The price of a puppy with a good pedigree in Russian kennels is about 50 thousand rubles.
- Pomeranian Spitz. Fashion for oranges will never go away. To purchase a "plush" puppy from eminent parents you need to cook at least 80 thousand rubles.
- Rabbit dachshund. A very popular variety of dachshund up to 15 cm tall and weighing about 3 kg. The cost of puppies reaches 150 thousand rubles.
Talking about dwarf rocks, one cannot fail to mention the smallest pet dog in the world.
It never happens less
Today, the tiniest Chihuahua on the planet is Magic Milli, who lives in Puerto Rico. The growth of the dog at the withers is only 9.65 cm, and the baby weighs 400 g.
According to the hostess, when she was a puppy, Millie was placed in a teaspoon, but with age, she needed an eye and an eye. On the street, she can easily get lost in the grass, and at home she needs to be removed from the couch. After all, the crumbs bones are very thin and it is impossible to fall.
In the puny little body of many small house dogs, the heart of a brave dog beats. They often do not calculate their strength. Therefore, they need not only love, but also the special care of their owners.