Toy Dogs: Pomeranian

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This is a member of the Spitz family. This perky dog's name traces to Pomerania, where, around a century ago, it was bred down in size. Its ancestors were the northern sled dogs of Iceland and Lapland. When first presented to England during the mid-nineteenth century, some breeds weighed as much as 30 pounds. Despite its tiny size today, it has retained its make and shape. The Pom's body is short and dense having a level topline. A foxy head, small upright ears, dark almond-shaped eyes, thick coat, and crested tail laid flat over the back complete the picture.

WEIGHT: 3-7 pounds

HEIGHT: 6-7 inches

COLOR: any solid color, with or without lighter or darker shadings of the same color, or with sable or black shadings; particolor; sable; black and tan.

By: Tip Writer

Pekingese

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The Pekingese was sacred to Chinese emperors as far back as the Tang dynasty of the 8th century. Thieving of a sacred dog was at one time punishable by death. After the British looted the Imperial Palace at Peking in 1860, one of four dogs smuggled out was gifted to Queen Victoria and a vogue began. Here is a dignified toy with bravery far beyond his size. Its head is broad and massive, muzzle super short, broad, and wrinkled. The eyes are dark and prominent. The body is deep, compact, big-boned, and lionlike—heavier in the front than in back. The short forelegs are strange in that the bones of the forearm are bowed. The feathered tail rests back to either side, and the coarse, thick coat has a lush mane which forms a ruff or frill around the neck.

WEIGHT: under 14 pounds

HEIGHT: 6-9 inches

COLOR: red, fawn, black, black and tan, sable, brindle, white, and parti-colored, frequently with black mask and spectacles.

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Toy Dogs: Japanese Chin

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The Japanese Chin was the spoiled pet of Oriental royalty for centuries and was allowed to associate only with those of noble birth. Commodore Perry first presented them to the West in 1853. A lively, well-bred fellow, the Chin spells quality from nose to tail. Its head is big for his size, having a broad skull rounded in front. His dark lustrous eyes are striking and set wide apart, while his small V-shaped ears fall gradually forward. His muzzle is broad, full, and quite short. The body is square and dense, legs exquisitely boned and tail heavily feathered and set up over the back. The long and silky coat has an inclination to stand out, particularly around the neck, so as to produce a thick mane or ruff.

WEIGHT: 5-7 pounds

HEIGHT: about 10 inches

COLOR: black and white or red and white.

By Tip Writer

Toy Dogs: English Toy Spaniel

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English Toy Spaniels, perhaps native to Japan or China, was well known for four centuries in England, where they were pets and darlings of royalty. There are 4 kinds, similar in type but different in color. They're compact and short-bodied dogs, relatively broad in chest. The strange skull is well-domed, with large, dark, widely set eyes. The stop, or indentation between the eyes, is remarkably deep—deep enough to bury a small marble in it—while the short nose is somewhat turned up, as is the under jaw. The coat is long, silky, and wavy.

WEIGHT: 9-12 pounds

HEIGHT: about 10 inches

COLOR: King Charles— black and tan; Prince Charles—white, black, and tan; Blenheim—red and white; Ruby—solid red. 

Brussels Griffon

Brussels Griffon

The Brussels Griffon was produced fairly recently from numerous breeds, among them the German Affenpinscher, the Pug, the Belgian street dog and the Ruby Spaniel. He was an efficient ratter in his native Belgium, but here he is generally a pet and companion. He is short-backed and chunky, with a virtually human expression. The domed forehead bulges over large, wide set eyes, and the ears stand semierect. The nose is exceedingly short and tipped up, the muzzle broad. Bushy eyebrows, whiskers, and cheek fringes complete a curious but appealing picture. There are two distinguishable types of coat: rough and smooth.

WEIGHT: 8-10 pounds

HEIGHT: about 8 inches

COLOR: reddish brown, black, or black with reddish-brown markings.

Toy Dogs: Affenpinscher

Affenpinscher

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This pert short fellow is known as the "monkey dog" due to its big bright eyes, prominent chin, bushy eyebrows, and hair tufts about the face. Its shaggy coat is hard and wiry. His tail is docked and sported straight up. The ears stand upright when cropped. The breed was known in Europe since the seventeenth century.

WEIGHT: about 7-8 pounds

HEIGHT: under 10 1/4 inches

COLOR: black, black and tan, red, or gray.

How to groom an Affenpinscher:

Toy Dog Breed: Silky Terrier

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Named after his fine silky coat, this tiny dog from Australia was once called the Sydney Silky, later the Australian Silky. Derived primarily from Australian Terriers interbred with Yorkshire Terriers, he was first shown in his native land in 1907. A fascinating little fellow of marked terrier character and spirit, he is a lightly built, reasonably low-set dog, with strong, straight forelegs, well-muscled thighs, and having a high-set tail that is sported erect or semierect.

WEIGHT 8-10 pounds

HEIGHT: 9-10 inches

COLOR: blue and tan. 

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Toy Dog Breed: Yorkshire Terrier

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Named for the English county of Yorkshire, this terrier was produced by workers about 1860 to control rats in mines and mills. He hails back to Waterside Terriers, rough-coated Black-and-Tans, Paisley and Clydesdale terriers. A popular pet in Victorian times, this is a spunky little dog, covered from top to toe with a wealth of glossy, silky hair that's parted down the back and hangs directly to the floor on each side. The body is short and dense with a level topline. The head is small, relatively flat on top, having a short muzzle, dark and sparkling eyes, and small V-shaped ears that are carried upright.  It is also called the Yorkie and is considered one of the hypoallergenic dog breeds.

WEIGHT: under 7 pounds

HEIGHT. 7-8 inches

COLOR: steel blue and tan. 

By Tip Writer