Benefits of Choosing a Small Dog
Many people who live in a small apartment or condo tend to look for a small dog to fit in with their lifestyle. There are many adorable little dogs that will melt your heart at first glance, but it is always wiser to get to know more about the breed before committing oneself.
Small ( not to confused with mianiature) dogs seem to be more cuddly than a larger dog, and that is often true. Some small dogs are actually lap dogs, and that is where they like to spend most of their time. If you do not have this time to spare you should look in another direction. But this is not always the case – Jack Russells for example can be a real bundle of energy and a handful.
Often people are allergic to pets, thinking that the fur is the culprit. Not so, say the experts. It is the dander from skin shedding that causes the allergies. A smaller dog has less skin and therefore would not produce as much dander as a large dog. This is an important issue to address before purchasing your pet.
Some of my favorite small breeds include:
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, whose mature weight runs between 12 and 18 pounds. This dog is clean, gets along with other pets and loved children. He will need a monthly bath and a daily grooming.
- Tibetan Spaniel. This dog is happy, confident, easy to train and is an intelligent household pet. The size runs from 9 to 15 pounds.
- The Pekingese is a dog that likes to walk long distances and enjoys other dogs.
- Lhasa Apso dogs are from Tibet, where the long golden-haired breed guarded the temple at Lhasa.
- The West Highland White Terrier ( known as Westie), is attractive, easy to train and good with children. He needs to be brushed and combed every day.
- The Papillon (butterfly), is a quiet and usually well-behaved dog. There is a story that King Henri II of France’s favorite Papillon tried to save the king’s life by constantly barking when a royal advisor was in the room. The dog was sent out of the room and later the king was stabbed by the same advisor.
So there are a great number of small dogs from which to choose but I know which one I’d go for, living in France and being given ‘advice’ all the time :-) actually another nice French option is the Brittany Spaniel though some might consider that more medium sized and, being a hunting dog, needs lots of exercise.
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