Small dogs: every small dog breed
Under 40 cm at the withers: dogs that are easy to take everywhere. Small does not mean calm: many terriers are bursting with energy.
Ranked using our 1 to 5 ratings on 20 criteria, up to date as of October 13, 2026.
Refine with your own criteria-
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Staffordshire, England · Terriers
Small · high energy · minimal coat care
Struggles when left alone -
English Cocker Spaniel
England · Retrievers, flushing dogs and water dogs
Small · high energy · high coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Miniature American Shepherd
United States · Sheepdogs and cattle dogs
Small · high energy · average coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
United Kingdom · Companion and toy dogs
Small · moderate energy · average coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Dachshund
Germany · Dachshunds
Small · moderate energy · low coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Beagle
England · Scent hounds
Small · high energy · minimal coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Chihuahua
Mexico · Companion and toy dogs
Very small · moderate energy · low coat care
Struggles when left alone -
French Bulldog
France · Companion and toy dogs
Small · calm · low coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Shiba Inu
Japan · Spitz and primitive types
Small · moderate energy · low coat care
Sheds a lot -
Pomeranian
Germany · Spitz and primitive types
Very small · moderate energy · high coat care
Sheds a lot -
Yorkshire Terrier
Yorkshire, England · Terriers
Very small · moderate energy · very high coat care
High-maintenance coat -
Shih Tzu
Tibet / China · Companion and toy dogs
Very small · calm · very high coat care
High-maintenance coat -
Shetland Sheepdog
Shetland Islands, Scotland · Sheepdogs and cattle dogs
Small · high energy · high coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Pembrokeshire, Wales · Sheepdogs and cattle dogs
Very small · high energy · low coat care
Sheds a lot -
Jack Russell Terrier
Great Britain (developed in Australia) · Terriers
Small · boundless energy · low coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Coton de Tulear
Madagascar · Companion and toy dogs
Very small · moderate energy · very high coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Havanese
Cuba · Companion and toy dogs
Very small · moderate energy · high coat care
Struggles when left alone -
English Bulldog
England · Pinschers, molossers and Swiss mountain dogs
Small · very calm · low coat care
Demanding to train -
West Highland White Terrier
Scotland · Terriers
Very small · high energy · high coat care
High-maintenance coat -
Miniature Poodle
France · Companion and toy dogs
Small · high energy · very high coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Bichon Frise
Belgium / France · Companion and toy dogs
Very small · moderate energy · very high coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Pug
China · Companion and toy dogs
Small · calm · low coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Basset Hound
Great Britain · Scent hounds
Small · calm · low coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Basset Fauve de Bretagne
France · Scent hounds
Small · high energy · low coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Maltese
Malta, Mediterranean basin · Companion and toy dogs
Very small · moderate energy · very high coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Boston Terrier
Boston, Massachusetts, United States · Companion and toy dogs
Small · moderate energy · minimal coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Cairn Terrier
Scotland · Terriers
Small · high energy · low coat care
Likes to bark -
Papillon
France and Belgium · Companion and toy dogs
Very small · high energy · average coat care
Struggles when left alone -
German Hunting Terrier
Germany · Terriers
Small · boundless energy · low coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Lhasa Apso
Tibet · Companion and toy dogs
Very small · calm · very high coat care
High-maintenance coat -
Italian Greyhound
Italy · Sighthounds
Small · moderate energy · minimal coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Miniature Pinscher
Germany · Pinschers, molossers and Swiss mountain dogs
Very small · high energy · minimal coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Japanese Spitz
Japan · Spitz and primitive types
Small · moderate energy · average coat care
Sheds a lot -
Miniature Schnauzer
Germany · Pinschers, molossers and Swiss mountain dogs
Small · moderate energy · high coat care
High-maintenance coat -
Miniature Bull Terrier
England · Terriers
Small · high energy · minimal coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Border Terrier
Border regions between England and Scotland · Terriers
Small · high energy · low coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Parson Russell Terrier
Great Britain · Terriers
Small · boundless energy · low coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Tibetan Spaniel
Tibet · Companion and toy dogs
Very small · moderate energy · low coat care
-
American Cocker Spaniel
United States · Retrievers, flushing dogs and water dogs
Small · moderate energy · very high coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Wire Fox Terrier
England · Terriers
Small · boundless energy · high coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Toy Poodle
France · Companion and toy dogs
Very small · moderate energy · very high coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Scottish Terrier
Scotland · Terriers
Very small · moderate energy · high coat care
High-maintenance coat -
Cardigan Welsh Corgi
Cardiganshire, Wales · Sheepdogs and cattle dogs
Small · high energy · low coat care
Sheds a lot -
Schipperke
Belgium · Sheepdogs and cattle dogs
Small · high energy · low coat care
Likes to bark -
Smooth Fox Terrier
England · Terriers
Small · boundless energy · minimal coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Chinese Crested
China · Companion and toy dogs
Small · moderate energy · average coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Basset Bleu de Gascogne
Gascony, France · Scent hounds
Small · moderate energy · minimal coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Tibetan Terrier
Tibet · Companion and toy dogs
Small · moderate energy · very high coat care
High-maintenance coat -
Basset Artésien Normand
France · Scent hounds
Small · moderate energy · minimal coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Russian Toy
Russia · Companion and toy dogs
Very small · moderate energy · low coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Swedish Vallhund
Sweden · Spitz and primitive types
Small · high energy · low coat care
Sheds a lot -
Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen
France · Scent hounds
Small · high energy · average coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Pekingese
China · Companion and toy dogs
Very small · very calm · very high coat care
Sheds a lot -
Japanese Chin
Japan · Companion and toy dogs
Very small · calm · average coat care
Sensitive to heat -
Nederlandse Kooikerhondje
Netherlands · Retrievers, flushing dogs and water dogs
Small · high energy · low coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Australian Silky Terrier
Australia · Terriers
Very small · moderate energy · high coat care
High-maintenance coat -
Norfolk Terrier
Norfolk, England · Terriers
Small · high energy · low coat care
Struggles when left alone -
King Charles Spaniel
England · Companion and toy dogs
Very small · calm · average coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Affenpinscher
Germany · Pinschers, molossers and Swiss mountain dogs
Very small · moderate energy · average coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Löwchen
France · Companion and toy dogs
Small · moderate energy · high coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Norwich Terrier
East Anglia, England · Terriers
Small · high energy · low coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Lancashire Heeler
Lancashire, England · Sheepdogs and cattle dogs
Very small · high energy · minimal coat care
Struggles when left alone -
English Toy Terrier
England · Terriers
Very small · moderate energy · minimal coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Australian Terrier
Australia · Terriers
Very small · high energy · low coat care
Avoid with cats -
American Eskimo Dog
United States
Small · high energy · high coat care
Struggles when left alone -
Rat Terrier
United States
Small · high energy · minimal coat care
Struggles when left alone -
German Spitz
Germany · Spitz and primitive types
Small · moderate energy · high coat care
Sheds a lot -
Glen of Imaal Terrier
Glen of Imaal, County Wicklow, Ireland · Terriers
Small · moderate energy · average coat care
Demanding to train -
Toy Fox Terrier
United States
Very small · high energy · minimal coat care
Struggles when left alone
