Small Dog Breeds: What You Need to Know

Challenges of Keeping a Small Dog

Despite the benefits, small dogs do come with a number of challenges. Although they tend to be hardy when it comes to their health, their small bodies are more delicate and prone to injury, especially if they're dropped, played with too roughly, or if they fall or jump from furniture that's too high. For this reason, toy dogs especially are generally not a good match for households with very young children, and older children should be supervised and taught how to handle small dogs properly.

Many small breeds are also prone to various health conditions such as patellar luxation, which is when the kneecap is located in the wrong position when the knee is bent, as well as to a collapsing trachea. It is always important to check in with your veterinarian if you pet has these conditions (or others), as they may recommend special handling instructions.  For example, if you pet has a collapsing trachea, they may need a harness that fits across the chest instead of a standard leash and collar.

While small dogs are often thought to be sedentary lap dogs that love to cuddle, the truth is that some small breeds need more exercise than others, and all dogs need some exercise. If you don't like to go for walks and you don't have a large yard where a dog can run and play, you should look for a breed that gets all the exercise they need with indoor play. Small breeds are often a bundle of energy. While they may not play and exercise as long as some other dogs that you can take running, shorter, more frequent play times will help give them the exercise they need.

It's also worth noting that, according to a 2009 study published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science, the top three most aggressive dog breeds were small breeds: the Dachshund, Chihuahua, and Jack Russell terrier. According to Dogtime, it's generally thought that aggression isn't inherent to these breeds, but is a fear response based largely on their tiny size, exacerbated by poor socialization and overindulgence from pet parents who don't take the aggression seriously and instead treat it as cute. The lesson here is that proper socialization and obedience training is as necessary to raising a small dog to be friendly and well-mannered as it is to large dogs. It's also important to let small dogs act like dogs, and not allow their size and appearance lure you into them like human infants, which can lead to behavioral problems, says PetPlace.

Small Dog Nutritional Requirements

Although small dogs eat less overall than big dogs do, pound for pound, small breeds actually require more calories. According to PetMD, small and toy breeds, whose metabolisms are faster than those of large dogs, require 40 calories per pound per day, whereas larger dogs need just over half that amount. With this in view, adult small breed dogs typically need to eat two or three calorie-dense meals per day. Puppies need to be fed even more frequently to avoid developing hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, which can result in weakness and lethargy, muscle tremors, seizures, and even death.

You can make sure your small dog receives the right amount of calories by feeding him a specially formulated small breed dog food that's more calorie-rich than food designed for larger breeds. Due to their longer lifespans, small dogs also benefit from food containing high levels of antioxidants, which can help prevent damage from longer-term exposure to free radicals during their long lives.

Small dogs often have big personalities. This not only makes them a lot of fun, but can also make them ideally suited to companionship under the right circumstances. Now that you know what to expect from a small dog, you'll be able to confidently choose the right small dog breed for your household.