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Part 2 of this article on small dog breed types looks at small dogs in the terrier, toy, non-sporting, and herding groups.

Terrier Dogs

Terriers were bred to hunt – rats, rabbits, foxes, and even badgers, river rats, and otters. Instead of the hunters of old, most terriers these days are bred as pets. And with their affectionate and loyal personalities, they do make great pets. However, they are dogs with a strong personality, and they need similarly strong and determined owners. This is even true of the small, toy terriers – their personalities are just the same as their larger terrier cousins. Terriers also have an abundance of energy, so you’ll need to exercise them a fair bit. They have wiry coats, and to keep the characteristic wiriness of their coats you’ll need to do a special grooming technique called stripping.

If you’re after a small dog, you’re spoilt for choice in the terrier group. The small dog breeds are: the Australian Terrier, Border Terrier, West Highland White Terrier, Manchester Terrier, Irish Terrier, Kerry Blue Terrier, Norwich Terrier and Norfolk Terrier, Dandie Dinmont Terrier, Welsh Terrier, Smooth Fox Terrier, Cairn Terrier, Bedlington Terrier dog breed, Sealyham Terrier, and Scottish Terrier.

Toy Dogs

Toy dogs are amongst the most well known of the small dog types, due to their popularity with celebrities and people alike. Because many 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 angry and fierce as well. But they are great lap dogs, and often a cherished member of the family. Toy dogs include: Pug Dog Breed, Chinese Crested, Italian Greyhound, 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 breed dogs in this category are: the bichon frise, Boston Terrier, Tibetan Terrier, Tibetan Spaniel, French Bulldog, Schipperke, and the Lhasa Apso.

Herding Dogs

The herding dog category is quite new. The breeds in this category were part of the working group. And, a number of breed registrars in other countries they still are a sub-catgory of the working group. The dogs registered by the American Kennel Club are usually bought as pets, although working (and herding) dogs are still used throughout the world on farms, cattle stations, and ranches 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 children in the family.

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

Miscellaneous Dogs

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