TOP 20 – decorative dogs: breeds with names and photos

Probably everyone will agree that most people strive to have a decorative breed of dog at home, because many of them do not shed, they are dwarf, smooth-haired or, on the contrary, very fluffy and cute. Small breeds require almost no care or training. But some are hunting dogs and have watchdog qualities and devotion to their owner. We'll look at them all in our list below. Let us immediately note that most decorative dog breeds are dwarf, short-haired, and their coat requires almost no maintenance. Therefore, they can be started in a small apartment.

West Highland White Terrier

• Height – up to 30 cm
• Weight – up to 10 kg

Scottish dog breed, previously used for hunting small animals. The West Highland White Terrier has short, light hair, a straight tail and small ears. It is distinguished by its peaceful character, endurance, devotion and activity.

Advantages of the breed:

• takes root in any conditions;
• can be defenders.

Minuses:

• require constant training and walking;
• can be touchy and selfish.

Choosing a pet

American cynologists have created a classification of dogs according to three main qualities - excitability, aggressiveness and trainability. Using this classification, you can determine which dog breeds are suitable for children, and which breed will be comfortable for older people. In principle, among miniature dogs there are no such peaceful and highly trainable breeds as Collies or Labradors. Tibetan chrysanthemum dogs Shih Tzu and French lapdogs have suitable characters, and the best dog breed for children is the Toy Poodle.

Cairn Terrier

• Height – 28 cm
• Weight – 7 kg

Appeared in Scotland, used for hunting and protection. It has a short, stiff coat of fawn, gray or red color. The dog has short but strong legs. By nature, the Cairn Terrier is peaceful, loyal, active and friendly.

Pros:

• loves children and is easy to learn;
• follow the owner everywhere;
• intelligence.

Minuses:

• get along better in rural areas or country houses;
• require long walks.

Italian Greyhound

Italian Greyhounds are characterized by bare skin and a modest look. The greyhound's elegant appearance is combined with a friendly, shy disposition. The hound has large lungs, which means it loves to run fast, is quite strong, and hardy.

The basis of the Italian greyhound's character is obedience, readiness to serve the owner, to obey him. She becomes very attached to humans; separation from her beloved owner can lead to the death of the animal.

The breed is suitable for both an elderly woman who spends most of her time at home watching TV, and a male hunter who is actively involved in hunting.

The Italian Greyhound loves to be pampered; her refined nature does not tolerate rudeness or punishment. Your pet needs to be provided with a comfortable living environment and not be exposed to stress. Italian Greyhounds are prone to fear; they are frightened by loud noises and mood swings of the owner. But they get along well in the same house with their own kind, are friends with cats, and are able to find a common language even with rodents.

Norwich Terrier

• Height – up to 30 cm
• Weight – 6-7 kg

An English breed created for hunting rodents and small animals. The dog has a medium body and large eyes. Color – gray, black, red. The coat is hard and lies tightly to the body. By nature, he is a cheerful, active dog who loves to explore new places and walk a lot. The Norwich Terrier is also characterized by loyalty and fearlessness.

Pros:

• ease of learning.

Minuses:

• long walks.

Yorkshire Terrier

• Height – up to 20 cm
• Weight – up to 3 kg

An English breed of toy dogs that were bred to hunt rodents. They have long hair and no undercoat, so they hardly shed. Coat color ranges from light brown to dark brown. By nature, Yorkshire Terriers are fearless, active, loyal and passionate.

Pros:

• almost do not cause allergies;
• adapt to people's moods.

Minuses:

• are vindictive;
• often get sick.

Owner reviews

Yulia Shch. “My Yorkshire Terrier has been making me happy for 5 years now. This is an easy dog ​​to keep and care for. She seems to understand me when we communicate. Despite the small apartment and cramped interior, we are not cramped.”

Kostya A. “My wife and I spent a long time choosing what kind of dog we could get for our one-room apartment. The choice fell on a French bulldog; I already had experience in keeping such a breed. This is an intelligent and beautiful animal, the fur hardly sticks out. There is a drawback - heavy snoring, but we have already gotten used to it.”

Biewer Yorkshire Terrier

• Height – about 25 cm
• Weight – up to 6 kg

Appeared in Germany, a relatively new breed. The dog has white, gold, and black fur with spots. The Biewer Yorkshire Terrier is distinguished by its peaceful character, loyalty, cheerfulness, and curiosity.

Pros:

• require almost no walking or training;
• gets along easily with children.

Minuses:

• You constantly need to take care of the fur and pin up your bangs;
• In winter you need clothes.

The cleverest

The smartest animals are those with good working qualities, high learning ability and the ability to make independent decisions. They are easy to train, so even a novice dog breeder can handle their training.

Poodle

Thanks to their extraordinary intelligence and artistic abilities, poodles take 2nd place among the smartest dogs. Regardless of size, these dogs are famous for their friendliness and complete lack of aggression.

Poodles are unpretentious and long-lived. In the absence of chronic pathologies, their life expectancy is 15 years.

German Shepherd

One of the most popular four-legged animals takes 3rd place. German Shepherds are very energetic animals, so when kept in apartments they need frequent walks and intense physical activity.

If you follow all the rules, even a child can handle training a shepherd puppy. Representatives of this breed do not show stubbornness and unquestioningly recognize the authority of their owners.

Papillon

Papillons are in an honorable 8th place on the list of smart cats. These little extroverts perform well in agility, so it is recommended to direct their training towards sports.

Due to the lack of undercoat, Papillons shed very modestly. Representatives of this breed are bathed only when dirty and are always dried with a hairdryer. Otherwise, their fur curls, making combing difficult.

Australian Silky Terrier (Silky Terrier)

• Height – 25 cm
• Weight – 7 kg

First appeared in Australia, now especially popular in England. The body of the dog is medium in size, the coat is long and silky, the color is fawn. The Australian Silky Terrier quickly becomes attached to its owner, can be a hunter of small animals, and is distinguished by its calmness.

Pros:

• clean breed;
• feels good in the apartment.

Minuses:

• requires constant grooming.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a family four-legged friend who adopts the owner's lifestyle as a companion. Their training is carried out without problems due to their high intelligence.

The breed is perfect for people who are getting a pet for the first time. British spaniels are not prone to leadership; they will obey even a soft, docile person or child.

Cavaliers do not have security qualities; they are friendly to everyone. They do not like long walks, nor do they like high physical activity.

Grooming for the British Spaniel is standard, but the coat requires daily brushing with a wire brush. The puppy needs early socialization (from about 3 months), regular communication with other dogs.

English toy terrier

• Height – up to 30 cm
• Weight – up to 9 kg

It is distinguished by its small size and smooth coat. It is distinguished by protruding ears in the shape of a candle flame, and its color is dark with tan marks. The English Toy Terrier is distinguished by its active character, friendliness, and intelligence. It is an endangered breed and is therefore rarely found among breeders.

Pros:

• learns quickly;
• distinguished by fearlessness.

Minuses:

• very noisy dog.

It will be useful:

• how to choose a puppy?
• how to accustom a puppy to a collar and leash.

Welsh Corgi Pembroke

The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is one of the herding breeds native to Wales. There are legends about the appearance of puppies in England, which were given to people by forest fairies. The pet looks compact, has a medium body, weighs up to 15 kg. Their peculiarity is a saddle-shaped spot on the back, fluffy, golden-colored fur.

The character of the dog is kindness, activity, devotion, and tenderness towards family members. And puppies are especially suitable for children, as they are ready to take care of and protect them. Therefore, Pembroke is suitable for living in a city apartment and for teenagers. It is also important that the puppy learns quickly, easily follows and remembers commands.

Russian toy terrier

• Height – up to 28 cm
• Weight – about 3 kg

It can be long-haired or short-haired; it appeared on the territory of Russia. The dog's body is small, its paws are thin and sinewy. Coat color – tan, fawn, black with shades of brown. By nature, Russian toy terriers are active, fearless dogs, devoted to their family.

Pros:

• require almost no grooming;
• get along easily with children.

Minuses:

• some dogs require strictness and training;
• have an unstable psyche and are easily exposed to stress.

The laziest

Workaholics who love dogs should not refuse to buy them because they are busy. It is enough to choose your favorite among those who walk little and do not need intense physical activity.

Basset Hound

Because of their love for comfort, the British call Basset hounds “couch athletes.” These long-eared short-legged creatures are very cunning. If the owner forbids them to sleep on the bed, then they will still climb there, waiting for the two-legged overseer to go to work.

Caring for basset hounds is quite problematic. They often drool and get their lunch all over their faces. Due to the abundance of folds, male dogs do not always smell pleasant, so they are washed with tar shampoo, avoiding water getting into the giant hanging ears.

English bulldog

Representatives of this breed have to be literally forced to go outside, because otherwise they will simply lie on the sofa. Because of their short muzzle, Bulldogs often snore in their sleep and make loud gurgling noises.

When caring for a bulldog, special attention is paid to the folds on its face. Dirt and moisture quickly accumulate in them, forming pathogenic microflora. Lack of regular care can lead to dermatitis and infections.

Pug

Friendly Pugs make wonderful companions. The peak of activity in these dogs is observed in childhood. After a year, it practically disappears, so instead of active games and walks, pugs prefer a quiet holiday next to their beloved owner.

During the shedding period, pugs' fur must be combed every day, and the rest of the time - once a week. Due to their short fur, representatives of this breed do not tolerate cold weather well, and due to their shortened nasal passages, they do not tolerate high temperatures. In winter they are walked in warm overalls, and in summer they are kept in a room with powerful air conditioning.

Chihuahua

• Height – 12 cm
• Weight – no more than 2 kg

They first appeared in Mexico and are one of the oldest breeds of dwarf dogs. There are long-haired and short-haired Chihuahuas, colors - fawn, black, red, white. By nature, Chihuahuas are brave pets who are distinguished by their observation, loyalty and friendliness.

Pros:

• have a stable psyche;
• require almost no training.

Minuses:

• some dogs can be vicious and selfish.

Features of indoor breeds

When breeding dwarf dogs, breeders paid attention mainly to maintaining the attractive appearance of the breed. For example, Pekingese have the reputation of being “pet lions,” and poodles are known for their fluffy, curly hair.

The refined features of the “indoor lion” are the result of the painstaking work of breeders

During the development of the breed, mutant changes often persisted:

• short stature;
• short, incorrectly planted paws;
• long, tangled hair;
• changes in the nasal septum;
• changes in the organs of vision.

They did not allow animals to perform their original functions: hunt, protect, attack. Therefore, such dogs remained in their owners’ homes as companions.

Despite the fact that the parameters of indoor breeds are distorted and far from ideal, there is always a demand for them

Character traits that are valued in these pets:

• friendliness and loyalty;
• affectionate character;
• playfulness;
• good attitude towards people and other animals;
• obedience in training.

The inability of decorative dogs to perform traditional canine functions is compensated by their good nature and openness.

The last point is especially important, since many owners forget to train lap dogs due to their cuteness.

Hunting and guard qualities (developed sense of smell, physical strength and endurance) are not sufficiently developed in most animals.

Miniature Pinscher (Miniature Pinscher)

• Height – up to 30 cm
• Weight – up to 4 kg

Decorative dog, the coat is short and smooth, the color is red and tan. Miniature Pinschers have a slender body with strong paws. The characteristics of the breed are energy, sharp intelligence, activity and curiosity.

Pros:

• cautious towards strangers;
• may be a hunter.

Minuses:

• In winter you need to dress your dog in overalls, it freezes quickly.

Chinese Crested Dog

The Chinese Crested is a dog with a glamorous appearance. Real corydalis are not known for their malice: they love their owner immensely, to the point that they can guess his wishes.

The desire for contact with the owner sometimes takes manic forms: the animal follows everywhere, rubs against the leg, climbs onto the lap and settles there, curled up. To wean yourself from this means causing psychological trauma to the dog. Therefore, either accept it or think about another breed in advance.

The decorative Chinese Crested dog simply cannot stand being alone. If she is left alone for a long time, she will notify all the neighbors about this with a sorrowful howl. Crested cats love to whine without any reason. Therefore, in order to preserve the nervous system of those around them, they need to be weaned from this activity as much as possible.

Chicks can be either hairless or downy. The bare legs and tail have hair that looks very beautiful against the background of a hairless coat. Downy ones are equipped with fine fur all over the body and are called “powderpuff”.

And of course, like many decorative dogs, the Chinese Crested should be taken out in warm clothes in the cold season.

Video: Chinese Crested

Affenpinscher

• Height – up to 30 cm
• Weight – 4-6 kg

An ancient dwarf dog breed with short and coarse hair, dark color and medium body size. The Affenpinscher is distinguished by its intelligence, endurance, and balance.

Pros:

• gets along easily with children.

Minuses:

• Wool requires constant care.

Brussels Griffon

• Height – up to 28 cm
• Weight – up to 5 kg

First appeared in Belgium, all varieties have hard, short hair, color - tan, red. Distinctive features of the Brussels Griffon are intelligence, liveliness, and an unusual muzzle.

Pros:

• learn quickly;
• love children and other animals.

Minuses:

• often suffer from eye diseases.

Poodle

• Height – up to 60 cm
• Weight – up to 30 kg

It is considered one of the smartest and most popular dogs. All varieties differ in size, coat type and color. It is noteworthy that red poodles have recently been bred, and black and white are becoming less common. By nature, they are smart, self-sufficient pets, easy to train and perform tricks, and can be hunters or watchmen.

Pros:

• require almost no training;
• can be a companion and protector.

Minuses:

• special attention is paid to wool and nutrition.

Maltese

This little doll is an active, friendly and extremely jealous lap dog. Try to pet any other animal in her presence - there will be no end to the insults. All the owner's attention should belong only to the Maltese!

That is why it is not recommended to keep a lapdog together with other animals. And if there are small children in the house, it’s like death