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Toy Dog breeds
Here's Jasper, the Bichon Frise
This is the list of Toy Dog Breeds as defined by the Kennel Club of Great Britain.
The Toy Dog Breeds. These diminutive dogs were originally bred to sit on laps and yes, up the sleeves of wealthy women! Unlike many breeds whose roles have changed over the centuries, dogs in the Toy Group still primarily have this function (though maybe not travelling round in sleeves as often!)
They should have friendly personalities although some, due probably to sheer indulgence, may be rather over-protective of their owners. Breeds include the Chihuahua, the Pomeranian and the Pug.
Yorkshire Terriers were once a working breed and were used to hunt rats in the mines and cotton mills of Yorkshire. Today they tend to be spirited and not easily intimidated by larger dogs or intruders. Buster, a three year old Yorkshire Terrier, is a very lively little dog and was very hard to take a photo of! His owner said she bought him as a lapdog but he acts more like a Labrador much preferring the wild side of life!
The Bichon Frise is thought to have originated on the Canary Islands and specifically Tenerife. Indeed two of its alternative names include Bichon Tenerife and Tenerife Dog. The breed has had a colourful past and has been a companion of sailors, part of the circus and lived a royal life in palaces in France and Spain.
Male and female dogs are of a similar size with an average height of 26.5cm and average weight of 4.5kg. They do not shed hair so dead hairs should be removed with a brush. They need regular grooming to prevent matting and skin problems. They love human company and are buoyant, lively dogs.
Here's Jasper, a three year old Bichon Frise, running at top speed towards the camera. 'Bichon Frise' literally translated means ‘curly lapdog'.
The King Charles Spaniel is known as the English Toy Spaniel in the U.S. and Canada. Their coat colours are Black and Tan, Tricolour, Blenheim (red and white) and Ruby. They are a breed with truly royal connections being a favourite of Mary Queen of Scots and Charles II. Samuel Pepys wrote in his diary that all he noted at court, ’was the silliness of the King playing with his dog all the while and not minding his business.’
There is some confusion between the King Charles and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. They do share the same coat colours and do look remarkably similar. The main differences are the domed forehead of the King Charles (the Cavalier has a flat forehead) and the nose of the King Charles is turned up to meet the skull. The King Charles is also smaller than the Cavalier and the latter has a longer muzzle.
Here is Bonnie. We think she may be a King Charles Spaniel cross, aged three. From time to time she’ll change from a placid lapdog into ‘Wild Bonnie’, scampering through the woods at full speed chasing rabbits.
The photos on this page have been taken on our morning or evening dog walks. Thank you to all the owners for permission to use them. More dogs will be added over time. Click on each photo for more information on the Toy Dog breed that interests you. Perhaps you have a pedigree dog? You might like to write a special piece about that particular breed. I can add a link from this page straight to your information and photo of your dog. We'd love to hear from you!
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