10 Smallest Dog Breeds in India You May Fall in Love With

Dogs are a man’s best friend. The proverb has proved itself time and again with so many stories telling dogs’ loyalty and friendship. Because of these characteristics, everyone wants to have a dog. Dogs are cute, but puppies are cuter. These little darlings melt everyone’s heart. But puppies grow and become dogs. However, various dog breeds remain small and cuddly even when they grow. 

In India, depending on the climate, some of the smallest dog breeds are available. Small size dogs in India are suitable for apartments or condominiums. They are a perfect companion and small, tiny member of a family. Though small, these dog breeds are not at all small in their personality. They are aggressive, playful, and naughty and some of the best guard dogs for your family.

Dogs	Height	Weight	Life Span
Beagle	12-16 inches	10-12 kgs	12-15 years
Dachshund	7-9 inches	7-15 kgs	12-16 years
Chihuahua	5-9 inches	1-3 kgs	12-18 years
Pomeranian	7-14 inches	1-3 kgs	12-16 years
Mi-Ki	10-11 inches	2-5 kgs	14-15 years
Maltese	8-10 inches	3-4 kgs	12-15 years
Bichon Frise	9-11 inches	6-9 kgs	14-15 years
Pekingese	6-9 inches	2-3 kgs	12-14 years
Papillon	8-11 inches	2-5 kgs	14-16 years
Australian Terrier	10-11  inches	5-7 kgs	11-15 years

Smallest Dog Breeds

The smallest dog breeds are also called toy dog breeds in India. These tiny dog breeds are available in all shapes and colors and are easy to maintain.

1. Beagle

Beagles are little happy, active and loving dogs. They are among the smallest dog breeds in India, well-known for their strong ability to smell. Because of their exceptional sense of smell, they are used for hunting. They are intelligent and playful and are suitable for your small and cosy apartments. This breed has fewer health problems.

Beagles are good family dogs, neither too aggressive nor too timid. Beagles are kid-friendly, and your kids are safe to play with them. Grown beagles are strong-minded and get easily distracted by any smell. Thus, training them might be harder than the younger Beagles. However, a bit of effort and rewards might do the trick.

Beagles howl very loudly and might trouble your neighbours. Beagles come in a variety of colours, including white, lemon and red. Their cute features, large brownish eyes, and large ears render them famous with Indian pet parents. The short coat of beagles make them perfectly adaptable to the Indian climate and easy to maintain, but they are heavy shedders.

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2. Dachshund (Pronounced daks-hund)

Dachshunds are German-origin dogs brought to India by British imperialists, and after living in India for several years, they have adapted to the Indian climate. They have a long and muscular trunk with tiny, paddle-shaped legs that help them in digging and a long nose that raises their breathing rate. They can also enter narrow tunnels. Because of their unique shape, they are also called sausage dogs and badger dogs.

These toy breed dogs in India are playful, loyal, protective and intelligent. They have a moderate temperament and are playful with kids. Their courage makes them perfect watchdogs for defending your homes. Their short legs make them very agile and jumpy. However, they need continuous and frequent action as they get bored quickly and easily and might chew on your footwear.

Dachshunds can be quite determined and naughty. They bark loudly and get suspicious towards strangers. Nevertheless, their antics and tantrums turn heads. Dachshunds can live in small flats, but they are most suitable for large spacious apartments.

3. Chihuahua

Chihuahuas are Mexican native lap dogs that make them the perfect tiny pets. They are the smallest dog breeds in India and the world as well. They are cute pocket and purse pups which make them the ideal buddies. Chihuahuas are aggressive and a little cautious around strangers, but patient and affectionate training at an early age can get them to socialize.

Once they get familiar and comfortable with you, they are affectionate, obedient and playful. Chihuahuas are quite loyal to their pet parents and hence, profoundly alert. They can bark up a storm when they see strangers around their people. However, they are usually one-person people and might not be the perfect companion to kids.

They are intelligent and active, needing frequent playtime and walks. They bark loudly when teased or pestered. Chihuahuas are suitable for the Indian climate, but extra care needs to be taken during cold as they are extremely vulnerable to cold. They need to be brushed daily as they shed a lot of furs. Chihuahuas are very rare in India. Only a few breeders breed Chihuahua.  

4. Pomeranian

Pomeranians have descended from German Spitz. But many a time, they are mistakenly called Indian Spitz because of the similarity in the resemblance between the two. Pomeranians are energetic, cute, intelligent, active, affectionate, bold, curious, loyal, comforting and alert toy dog breeds in India. They have shiny eyes, pointed ears, and a beautiful, thick, double fur coat that sheds too much and needs to be brushed and groomed frequently.

Pomeranians are very courageous. They are alert of their surroundings and determined to protect their family and pet parents from any danger. They bark loudly, even when faced with a dog much larger in size than them. Pomeranians make good watchdogs. They are quick learners and pick up commands and instructions very easily. Their curious nature makes them very friendly with kids and even other animals. Pomeranians are too active and require daily exercise.

They obey their pet parents instantly, demand attention and offer comfort to their parents. They love to cuddle and sleep on your laps. Because of their comforting and loving nature, they are often trained as therapy dogs. Pomeranians do not require much space. They are healthy but might have certain food allergies and eye problems. 

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5. Mi-Ki

Mi-kis are toy breed dogs in India. They are cute little furballs that just win your hearts with one glance. They have an apple-shaped head, dark eyes, a short mouth and a black nose. Mi-Kis have both long and short coats, which they shed a lot. They need frequent grooming, or you will find fur everywhere. 

Mi-Kis are affectionate, playful and easy-going. They are warm to humans. Even when met with strangers, they are cordial with them as long as their pet parents are comfortable and familiar with them. Mi-Kis also get along with other animals. They are not too agile or aggressive, thus, not ideal watchdogs.

Some of their antics are similar to a cat, but they resemble dogs in their loyal and friendly nature. They are cuddle-lovers and need play, but not too much.They are suitable for small apartments as they are not too active. Their fur coating easily helps them to adapt to the Indian climate. 

6. Maltese

Maltese are European origin small size dogs in India. In ancient Greece, Maltese had tombs and temples dedicated to them, and they were also considered royal dogs in Europe. They have white, silky fur and are often confused with other white fur dogs. Maltese have a round face, dark snout and eyes, droopy ears and long legs.

Maltese are gentle, intelligent, playful, well-mannered and dedicated. They are loyal and cuddly with their pet parents but are not suitable to play with kids as they do not like rough play. They are alert of their and their pet parents’ surroundings, making them good watchdogs. Maltese are responsive and can be easily trained to obey commands and perform tasks. 

Maltese are hypoallergenic, i.e. that they do not shed much fur. However, they have long hair, which needs grooming frequently. These small dog breeds are prone to injuries as they are very delicate. You might also need to make frequent trips to a veterinarian as Maltese quickly catch diseases. Their fur coat makes them suitable for the Indian climate. 

7. Bichon Frise

Bichon is a tiny dog breed in India with white, velvety fur originally from Europe. Their fluffy, white coat makes them suitable for the Indian climate. They have a round head, white long tail, off-white or peach ears and dark eyes and lips. 

Bichon is intelligent, friendly and playful. People fall in love with their cute and friendly nature. They are not too alert of strangers; Bichons treat strangers as new friends they are not introduced to yet. They are not ideal watchdogs because of their curious nature to meet new people. Owing to their affectionate nature, Bichons are great companions with children. With training, Bichons obey commands and instructions.

The coat of Bichons needs regular grooming. Though hypoallergenic, non-maintained coats can lead to parasitic infections on the Bichons. The dogs might be allergic to certain foods and weather changes. Nevertheless, their happy and cheery personality turns heads wherever they go. They love to cuddle and snuggle with their pet parents.

8. Pekingese

Pekingese has a Chinese royal origin bred by the Chinese Empress.  Even the name of this dog breed comes from Peking (present Beijing). According to Chinese legend, Pekingese was an offspring of a lion and monkey. Pekingese have ‘lion’s mane’, i.e. their fur coats are longest at their neck and shoulders.

Imitating their royal origin, this dog breed is independent and stubborn. But they can be made to obey commands through patient and reward training. Other than these characteristics, Pekingese are quite playful, affectionate, loyal and feisty. They are friendly, charming and have a close bond with their pet parents.

Pekingese are not best for kids, but they can accept children. However, too much rough handling is off-limits for them. But they make for amazing watchdogs with their alert and suspicious nature. However, they are also called “couch potatoes” because of their laidback and cuddly nature. They can bark a storm when encountering a stranger. Pekingese can do well with the Indian climate.

9. Papillon

Papillon is the smallest French origin dog. They get their French name from their butterfly-shaped ears that makes them recognizable from far away. They have smooth, long fur with varied colours. However, their undercoating does not stay on, and they shed a lot and need brushing regularly. Their fur is thin but strong. They have a dark nose, mouth and eyes.

Papillon is the most intelligent among all in the sack. They are affectionate, friendly, obedient, and loyal tiny dog breeds in India. Papillons are too active and often win you a medal in most sports competitions. They are very agile and robust. They are good companions to humans but are not good with kids as they are delicate and prone to injuries. 

Papillons are brave and strong-minded. However, training them is a little difficult. But with patience, they can be trained. Papillons are suspicious of strangers, but they could be made to socialize with training. Papillons shower their pet parents with love and cuddles. They are also very active and need frequent activities.

10. Australian Terrier

As the name suggests, the terrier comes from Australia. Australian terriers have a rough coat and erect ears. This terrier might be among the smallest dog breeds, but his personality is nothing small. They are lively-spirited, mischievous little dogs. Intelligent and quick learners, repeated training gets boring for them. They need dynamic and fun training. With early training, they can be made to socialize and obey commands.

Though lively, the terrier is deeply attached to its family. When you are sad, they become quiet with you, and when you are happy, they reflect your mood more than you do- they become feisty and naughty. They are also loyal and affectionate. They exhibit a good sense of vision and sound, which alerts them to any intrusion and good watchdogs. When encountering a strange occurrence, they bark very loudly.

They have dense hair growth, and their coats are available in varied colours- blue, grey, red and sandy. They do not shed much hair and thus do not need much grooming. Australian terrier is a healthy dog breed, but they are vulnerable to certain diseases. Their coat makes them suitable for the Indian climate.

Conclusion

This is the list of the smallest dog breeds in India. However, before buying any of these smallest dog breeds, there are a few things that you need to consider:

• Make a list of your requirements and expectations.
• After that, check the availability of the dog that you want.
• Consider if you and your family members or housemates are allergic to dog’s hair and danders.
• Keep in mind the health issues that the dog you want to adopt might catch.
• After shortlisting the dog that meets your needs, find an authorized and legal dog breeder.

Toy dogs are too adorable. They win your hearts with their tantrums and playfulness. You can easily cuddle them on your lap or carry them when travelling. These dog breeds are also very loyal and greatly attached to their families.

Frequently Asked Questions