Its height is about six to seven inches and it weighs a mere one and a half to three kilograms. Would you believe that the Pomeranian is said to have bred down in size from a thirty-pound sheep dog in the early nineteenth century? The Pomeranian comes in many colors – white, black, brown, reddish brown and a mixture of these colors too. Cuddly and compact, the Pomeranian is a bundle of opposites –spirited and docile.

Another hot favorite is the Pekinese dog, a toy dog that boasts of a royal history. A breed developed in China, it was held sacred by the Chinese and maintained by the Royal Family. A smaller variety, known as “sleeve dog” used to be carried by the royalty in their sleeves. When the Imperial Palace in Peking was invaded by the English in 1860, the Pekinese was whizzed away to the West, where it became a sought after pet. Short and small, the Pekinese stands about six to seven inches in height and weighs about fourteen kilograms. Also known as “the lion dog”, this domestic pet is said to be as courageous and independent as the ferocious forest king. The Pekinese is a dog with long hair, broad and flat head, hanging ears and a short wrinkled muzzle or snout. Whatever its color, the Pekinese has a black mask across the face.  

A cousin of the Pekinese is the pug, that is believed to have originated in China but was taken to England much earlier, in the seventeenth century, by Dutch traders. A very alert dog, the pug is favored as a good companion. The pug too has a short muzzle. It is basically built squarely and has a tightly curled tail. It is a muscular dog, its weight ranging between thirteen and eighteen kilograms. It has a big head, with dark eyes and small, drooping ears. It measures a height of ten to eleven inches. It boasts of a glossy coat, in black, silver, fawn or apricot and has a black line that runs along the back. It has a black face.

Another cousin of the Pekinese is the Tibetan dog Shih tzu, developed from the Pekinese and the Lhasa apso. The Shih tzu is a long-haired, standing 10 inches in height. It is long in build, sturdy and has short legs to support its eight-kilogram body. This toy dog too has a short muzzle, hanging ears and a hairy tail. Its thick coat falls over its eyes, forming a beard and whiskers on the face. Its coat comes in a variety of colors.

Considered the smallest dog in the world, the chihuahua is believed to have developed from a small mute dog that was a pet of the Toltec people of Mexico in the ninth century. It takes its name from the Chihuahua state in Mexico, where it was first noticed more than a hundred years ago. Although small in size, measuring five inches in height and weighing less than three kilograms, the chihuahua is considered a sturdy dog. 

The Chihuahua