Doggy Mentor

In part 2 of this article, we look at small dogs in the non-sporting, toy, terrier, and herding groups.

Terrier Dogs

Terrier dogs were bred to hunt – foxes, rabbits, rats, and even river rats, badgers, and otters. Today, almost all terriers are bred as pets. And with their affectionate and loyal temperament, they make lovely pets. However, they are dogs with a strong personality, and they need equally strong and determined owners. This is just as true for the small, toy terriers – they don’t see themselves as little dogs. Terriers also have a lot of energy, so will need their exercise. Their coats are wiry, and to keep the characteristic wiriness of their coats you’ll need to learn a special grooming technique called stripping.

There are many small breeds in the terrier grouping. They are: the West Highland White Terrier, Border Terrier, Irish Terrier, Manchester Terrier, Australian Terrier, Kerry Blue Terrier, Dandie Dinmont Terrier, Norwich Terrier and Norfolk Terrier, Smooth Fox Terrier, Welsh Terrier, Cairn Terrier, Bedlington Terrier dog breed, Sealyham Terrier, and Scottish Terrier.

Toy Dogs

Toy dogs are a very recognizable small dog type, due to their popularity with both people and celebrities. Because some toy dogs are large breeds bred down to size, you’ll find toy breeds in many of the other categories as well.

Toy dogs are generally very friendly, though they can be fierce and angry as well. They do make great lap dogs, however, and are often cherished members of the family, akin to a child. Toy dogs include: Miniature Poodle, Shih Tzu, Yorkshire Terrier, Chihuahua, the Papillon, and the Pomeranian dog breed.

Non-Sporting Dogs

Non-sporting dogs is a general term for those breeds the AKC recognizes, that don’t fit into any of the other groups. They are different in terms of their ancestry, temperament, coat, size, and color. Small breeds in the non-sporting group are: the bichon frise, Tibetan Spaniel, Tibetan Terrier, Boston Terrier, Lhasa Apso, Schipperke, and the French Bulldog.

Herding Dogs

Herding dogs are a relatively new classification in the American Kennel Club. The dogs in this group used to be part of the working group. And, a number of breed registrars in other countries they still are a sub-catgory of the working group. In the American Kennel Club, most dogs in this group are bought as pets, although herding (and working) dogs are still used worldwide on cattle stations and farms due to their talents in herd livestock. They can be trained to respond to specific commands and whistles, and perform a variety of herding related tasks particularly well. When herding dogs are pets, the herding instinct is still there. They generally express it by gently herding their humans, particularly if there are any kids in the family.

Small dog breeds in the herding group are the Border Collie, Shetland Sheepdog, Pembroke Welsh Corgi, and the Cardigan Welsh Corgi. 

Miscellaneous Dogs

This category is for dog breeds not fully accredited by AKC. There aren’t any small dogs in it currently, however.

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