A dog is a dog is a dog is a dog, right? Wrong. Sure, all healthy dogs have four legs, a tail, a noggin’, and most have a furry body. The similarities end there. Of all of the animals on the planet, the species canis lupus familiaris, (the domestic dog,) has the widest variety of breeds. There are 159 dog breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC). The Kennel Club of the United Kingdom recognizes 210 breeds. Both of these clubs categorize dogs by function and type. For example, the AKC places dogs into one of seven groups: Sporting Group; Hound Group; Working Group; Terrier Group; Toy Group; Non-Sporting Group; and Herding Group. Here at asmalldog.com, we recognize two groups of dogs: Dogs that can knock you over and dogs that cannot. (more…)
Posts Tagged ‘Types of Small Dogs’
Let the Big Dog Eat. Let the Small Dog Nibble.
Monday, November 24th, 2008Poodles Do It
Tuesday, November 11th, 2008And that’s why Poodles do it. Maltese do it. Even educated Havanese do it. Let’s do it. Let’s shed some fur. (With apologies to Cole Porter.)
In the previous article, I beat the daylights out of the subject of shedding. Before we bury that dead horse, I have three last words on the subject and then we will move on to something else in the same category. (Note: There will more words after those last three. Sorry.) Here are the three last words: All dogs shed. No, perish the thought! You brought that Poodle home on the premise that it is non-shedding. (more…)
Golly Mrs. Cleaver, Which Dog is Right for Me?
Thursday, October 16th, 2008There are a lot of books on the shelves and quite a few websites that profess great knowledge about the differences between various dog breeds. These sources also believe you can find your ideal dog mate by cross-referencing such categories as “trainability,” “ease of care,” “need for exercise,” etc. After watching small dogs come and go with their owners at Kelsey’s Dog House for years, I have come to believe that it’s a shame dogs can’t read. Those books and websites should really be written for the dogs so they could determine “Which owner is right for me?” I know that sounds ridiculous, but it has a kernel of truth. (more…)
Tell Me What I Need to Know About Small Dogs by Breed
Wednesday, October 15th, 2008“This is the internet, darn it! Tell me what I need to know about the different breeds of small dogs or I’ll move on to the next website that does.”
Okay, okay, I’m with you. Here it comes. I am going to send you to another website to do this, because it presents the essential information pretty well. The site was created by a woman named Beverly Lee, who I believe is British. You will see reference to a few dogs that are available in Europe but rare in the U.S. Before I send you off, here are some points to keep in mind: (more…)