Decorative dogs: description of the breeds and features of the content

Initially, a man tamed a dog for utilitarian purposes - protection, hunting. But with the advent of free time among the rich layers of the population, love for these animals did not pass, and the desire to have them at hand (in the literal sense of the word) intensified. It was then that in the houses of noble citizens and small dogs appeared that served one purpose - to decorate the house and the owners. Although, they say that they also lured the fleas of the owners onto themselves. No one knows how true this is, but the fact that there were breeds of rodents that drove rodents through the locks is reliably known.

Remember how many portraits of famous people with pet dogs are written: queens and empresses, celebrities and just famous people. And the variety of breeds allows you to choose a pet by size, color, character, price - it would be a desire. But what type to prefer and how much effort will be required in caring for a decorative dog is a big question.

According to the classification of the International Cynological Federation (FCI), decorative dogs belong to the 9th group of “Toy and Companions”, which currently includes about 50 breeds. According to other classifications, some breeds are added or excluded from this group, so there are discrepancies in their description. At all, this concept means dogs with a height at the withers of up to 38 cm. They are not intended for protection, search, escort, hunting and other types of work. Their task is to give pleasure to their beloved owners with their appearance.

So, the first two features were determined: a small growth and lack of specified performance characteristics. Some breeds are really so small that they are called pocket, cup. At all, the name of the group - toy - translates as "toy". Therefore, the third feature can be called attractive external data, although this concept is very subjective, because some of the people do not like hairless dogs, and others - long-haired. But here it is not even a matter of subjectivity, but rather the origin of the breed and its selection.

During selection, external attributes were fixed that the hosts liked. Sometimes they are brought to excessive protrusion, exaggeration. The result is the appearance of mutant and dwarf forms. The next feature is selection by nature. A small dog should be tender, like the owners and guests, be attached to the person. It is these character traits that are considered correct. If the animal is aggressive, hysterical, then this is the fault of the breeders - they fixed only the exterior to the detriment of behavior.

Another feature is the sonorous voice of almost all small breeds. And it can greatly annoy not only you, but also your neighbors. But thanks to the flood barking, companions have repeatedly saved the apartments and houses of their owners from the penetration of strangers - they will not attack, they will be so scared.

But among the decorative breeds, there are many who retained their performance characteristics. For instance, West Highland White Terrier - a beautiful hunting dog, adapted to live in an apartment. Like all terriers, she is active, energetic, sonorous, devoted to her master, and at the same time she has a withers growth of less than 30 cm and a beautiful appearance. The work of breeders in relation to such dogs is to achieve a reduction in size for keeping in the house.

Of course, the main advantage of small pets is their compactness. Even in a small apartment there is a place for them. Some breeds are smaller than a normal cat. She eats little, which means that the cost of food will be much less than for large individuals. It is easier to deal with such a dog on a walk; a woman or a teenage child can walk with it. There are breeds of bald dogs with or without undercoat, and this is a good chance for allergy sufferers to make a real four-legged friend. Among the small breeds there are also good hunting dogs. But any coin has a flip side.

• Very often, decorative dogs have bones so fragile that careless handling of a small pet by their children can lead to fractures. And in order to break the paw of a toy terrier or chihuahua, they just need to jump off the couch.
• Due to their small size, animals often freeze, especially short-haired or bald (hairless) breeds. They will have to buy, sew, knit overalls, blankets and other clothes and shoes.
• For them, you need to more carefully select the feed, as their stomach is weak. In addition, dogs of ornamental breeds, often being hypoallergenic, themselves are prone to allergies.
• Many types of indoor miniature dogs have a beautiful long coat, which requires special care: special cosmetics, visiting the groomer, trimming.
• Most breeds will not be able to protect you or keep your property - the qualifications are not the same.
• Miniature dogs are hard to breed. Only females with a weight of at least 1.6 kg are allowed to mate. Infrequently, they give birth on their own. And, therefore, it will be necessary to consult a veterinarian for a cesarean section.

On different sites you can find ratings of the most popular breeds of domestic dogs.But none of them can be objective, because each of us needs his own dog: smooth or fluffy, active or melancholy, hunting or knee. Therefore, we will not rank pets in our top, but only talk about the most interesting breeds and their varieties, summarizing data from different sources.

Leading positions in the list can be divided by three breeds: Yorkshire Terrier, Chihuahua and Pomeranian. York has varieties: with a weight of up to 1.5 kg - micro York, 1.5–2 kg - mini, 2.1–3.1 kg - standard. The maximum height is 24 cm at the withers, the minimum is unlimited. This is the favorite of the female half of humanity, but there is a suspicion that men simply carefully hide this love.

The history of the breed's origin is quite prosaic - York was bred for catching rats at coal mills in Yorkshire in old England. But a long-haired dog at a coal plant was an unpleasant sight, but one noble lady really liked it in its pure form. Soon, moving, bold, curious, devoted Yorkies appeared in the houses. They treat all members of the family well, but even with small stature they try to dominate other animals. York terriers need walks, but can relieve the need and in the tray. The disadvantages of the breed include loud (sometimes unreasonable) barking. And to obvious pluses - hypoallergenicity.

Men call a chihuahua a pigfish. The short-haired little dog evokes emotion and a dumb question: "What is the soul holding on to?" But do not flatter yourself - these little ones are rather capricious, they may be offended if you don’t treat them with delicious food or take them for a walk. At the same time, they are curious, active, observant, and temperamental. They can be called conformists, able to understand and adapt to the character of the owner. Despite the growth of 15-23 cm and weight from 0.5 to 3 kg, the chihuahua will rush to defend its master, barking loudly at the opponent.

Pomeranian Spitz is an almost round fluffy toy with stiff fur, a playful character, indefatigable energy. This is a true friend, a kind of psychologist, able to save a person from the blues and just a bad mood. The most popular color is red (orange - orange citrus fruit), therefore, it looks like a fox. The breed was already known in the XVI century. The aristocrats of the Holy German Empire often kept a friendly and peaceful dog at home. And her immunity is quite strong. Only wool is needed special care, which is better to pluck than to cut.

Another favorite of the modern beau monde is the Maltese lapdog (maltese). The snow-white beauty, 20–25 cm tall and weighing 3-4 kg, appeared supposedly on the island of Malta. If the owner has enough time and patience to look after the pet’s hair, then this will be a real decorative dog. Beauty is the trump card of the breed, but not the only one. Curiosity, mobility, a high level of intelligence, coupled with obstinacy, restlessness, a desire to find adventure - this is still a cocktail, the owners will definitely not get bored. Many people note the extraordinary magic of Malta's gaze: it penetrates so deeply that, as the owners say, it is able to take on all the fatigue and worries, raise the mood in order to again feel like a person.

A pug is a funny creature with a flat muzzle, which once appeared in China a long time ago. The dog is compact, but by no means miniature. Convex eyes, bent ears, tail into a ringlet, waddling gait - all these exaggerated features do not cause rejection, but emotion. The dog is not as mobile as the hunting species, but with pleasure it runs and plays with the owner. The pet is simply created for communication, including with children.Dogs are smart, and therefore they are happy to train. The pug does not like to be alone, he needs attention and care. They live for a long time, amusing people with their appearance, guilty eyes. And they sniff funny in a dream, and sometimes snore.

There are several varieties of poodles: large, medium, small, toy. Plus, there are a large number of different colors. Initially, the breed was so popular that breeders crossed it with others quite often. As a result, several decorative breeds appeared precisely from the poodle. These are very smart dogs, they lend themselves perfectly to training, they have an aristocratic appearance. But if you train him, he will be an excellent hunter. The dog is not afraid of strangers, loves attention. She is affectionate and cheerful. The dwarf poodle is ideal for both children and the elderly. At the withers it reaches 35 cm, has a sharp muzzle and long drooping ears. Not subject to molt.

The French say: "If you go on a visit and inadvertently take a sharpei with you, do not be surprised that you simply will not be noticed." One side, Shar Pei is a hunting, fighting, guard dog, and its growth is higher than apartment individuals. On the other hand, she is gaining more and more popularity precisely as a domestic decorative dog. It is likely that over time, sharpei can decrease in growth in order to meet FCI standards in the Toy and Companions group, while in the meantime, amateurs, but not professionals, belong to this group.

This dog is loved for its unusual appearance - a large number of folds on the plush skin of the body and head want to squeeze what the child, what the adult. Family members will be allowed to do this, but Shar Pei is careful with strangers.

The ninth section of the IX group of FCI classification includes the continental toy spaniels of the papillon (papillon) and falen, as well as the Russian toy terrier. The papillon and falen are distinguished by the setting of the ears: in the papillon they are upright, resembling butterfly wings, in the falen they are refracted. These breeds knew social events and halls of royal palaces. They are created solely for decoration, were previously considered a symbol of monarchical power. Pets are very attached to the owners, but they require the same from a person - separation of 10 minutes is considered a tragedy.

They love to play and caress, but often become selfish and will not tolerate insults. But even with great grief, they will never allow themselves to bite someone. Dogs are smart, but they must be brought up, as well as walk a lot and comb out long hair daily.

Russian toy terrier reaches a height of 20–28 cm and a weight of up to 3 kg. A Russian toy appeared in the middle of the 20th century and significantly reduced the appearance of the illegal import of English decorative dogs. The breed was clearly successful for breeders: smooth-haired, nimble, funny, active, with good hearing and a clear voice. He loves to travel, but also feels great in a big city. He has strong physical and mental health: the desire to be the best among the four-legged (regardless of size) is just off scale.

Chinese shih tzu (lion cub, chrysanthemum dog) is one of the oldest breeds. They called the dog a lion due to the fact that, supposedly protecting the Buddha, she was able to turn into a lion. And chrysanthemum - because of the features of hair growth on the nose, which resembled a flower. Shih Tzu is distinguished by its beautiful coat, which will require a lot of time to care. Color can be absolutely any. And to maintain beauty you need a very balanced diet.

This is the kindest pet that loves to communicate and play with both people and animals. A proud creature who prefers to be in the spotlight. These daffodils are so absorbed in their beauty that they will let in not only their own, but also the stranger.Therefore, they should not be guards.

Chinese crested belongs to a subgroup of hairless dogs. Height - from 23 to 33 cm, weight - up to 5.5 kg. But the dog is very lean and beautiful. The crest on the head, fluffy tail, mane and paws make it look like a horse in apples (the color is often spotted). To give such an exterior will help the groomer. Another crested subspecies - Powderpuff - long-haired. The character is quiet, peaceful, they easily get along with other animals, often being in their submission.

Despite the name, there is speculation that the dog began its history in Africa or Mexico. Animals are very sociable, do not tolerate loneliness, while being shy. It’s good if someone else’s pet is in the house, it will be easier to keep the adventurous character crested. But they are very devoted and complaisant. From early childhood puppies need to be raised, start training at 4–5 months old.

Japanese chin, like the Pekingese and Shih Tzu, was bred for the emperor. The task of the “precious” was to raise the mood of its owners. No one had the right, except for members of the imperial family and a specially trained person, to touch the hin. She was worth fabulous money. A soft and silky dog ​​can only be in two color combinations: black and white or red-white. The structure of the skull, muzzle - from the spaniel, the density of the hair - from Shih Tzu. The height of the dog at the withers is 20–25 cm, and its weight is from 1.8 to 4 kg.

Royal habits make themselves felt: the dog is aristocratic, neat, restrained. Her character is easier than that of other representatives of the group. Active dogs need movement, although historically hin lived only indoors. Japanese will suit both families with children and the elderly. The dog is highly devoted - not for a minute will leave the owner.

This is only a small part of the list of decorative dogs, but you can talk about each breed endlessly - they are so interesting, and sometimes unusual.

For maintenance in an apartment and a private house, any of the listed breeds is suitable. The only question is what do you expect from a pet, how much time are you ready to devote to it and what money to spend on the acquisition and maintenance. In addition, there are several more positions that need to be well thought out:

• Is there enough space in your house or apartment so that the dog does not get in the way;
• the dog is not in vain similar to its owner: the temperaments of all family members must be taken into account before choosing a puppy (an active dog can cheer up your melancholic child, and a calm dog can neutralize hyperactivity);
• will there be enough time for family members to walk the dog on time, visit the veterinarian, bathe, comb out;
• Do you plan to mate a dog;
• puppy of which sex is preferable for you;
• Is it important for you that the dog will / will not participate in exhibitions;
• Are you ready that the dog can get sick, because she will need treatment and care;
• would you like to see the pet during your trips next to him or he will remain sad at home.

If the answers to these questions have appeared, it is worth considering the choice of a nursery. Decorative breeds are defined in cynological associations, which means that each thoroughbred puppy will be provided with documents. If this is important for you, it means that you need to choose only the nursery that is registered with the dog handlers. If the availability of documents is completely unimportant, then you can afford absolutely any puppy of the suitable breed, but immediately get the vaccination pass issued by a veterinarian.

All little puppies are charming, but take your time buying at a glance. If possible, observe the puppy's parents, and even him. Pay attention to the conditions in which the puppy was born and lives: the uncleanliness of the owners can affect the health of the baby.Carefully inspect it for activity, clean skin, discharge from the eyes, nose, anus: everything should be clean, no wounds, scars, wetness. Breeder dog breeders always have test results for genetic diseases of puppy parents - feel free to ask for such documents.

Some potential owners of miniature dogs choose small pets, thinking that they have less worries. For example, there is a myth that there is no need to walk with decorative individuals. Yes, indeed, they can be accustomed to the tray, but paddock is required: the dog needs physical activity so that muscles do not atrophy, so that obesity does not appear, to maintain immunity, to communicate with others like him.

Before the puppy appears, the apartment needs to be prepared: choose a place for a lounger, feeding, tray, remove all small items from the places accessible for the pet (he, like a child, pulls everything in his mouth), prepare combs, shampoo, cosmetics for the care of wool and paws, purchase harness, clothes for walking, of course, you need toys, and also learn in detail how, how and how many times you need to feed the puppy of your breed.

In many families, puppies are purchased for a small child. As a result, one of them cannot be explained that it is impossible to squeeze a little friend endlessly, and the other does not understand that biting a friend is bad. A puppy is not a toy. And even an adult indoor dog can not always adequately respond to the harassment of children. For a child, choose a dog not by size, but by typical character traits.

Another myth says that a small trembling animal does not need to be raised and trained. This very deep misconception will lead to the fact that the dog will not obey, will run away or bark constantly, rush at people and animals. In addition, for many breeds, training is a game, an interesting lesson with the owner. Therefore, each dog, regardless of size, must know the mandatory commands: "Fu!", "Stand!", "Place!", "Come to me!", "Sit!". And also all dogs must be able to walk on a leash.

Owners of ornamental breeds need to know that due to excessive care, miniature individuals later change milk teeth. The reason is not only the structure of the jaw, but also because the owner is sure that it is difficult for a small dog to chew solid food. This is not so - the load on the jaw must be mandatory (not only carrots, apples, dry food, but also hard toys, bones, toothpicks).

Because of problems with reproduction, allow only planned mating, and if you do not want to lose the baby, then check it regularly during pregnancy. Perhaps she will need to give birth in the presence of a veterinarian. In decorative dogs, metabolism is accelerated, which is why body temperature is higher than in large breeds. The result - they often freeze, tremble. Caring owners get the right clothes for their pet. But they often forget that this is a dog, not a doll. Things should be comfortable first and only then beautiful.

The well-known proverb “a small dog to an old puppy” is absolutely unfair. Due to the accelerated metabolism, dwarf breeds grow up faster, but the owners do not always understand this, continuing to lisp, forgive pranks, and not pay attention to obvious deviations from canine norms of behavior. And some continue to feed more saturated puppy foods, dooming adult dogs to obesity.

And one more important point: since 2019, the rules for keeping dogs have changed. The regulatory documents clearly state where and how to walk with them.For decorative breeds, there are some indulgences, but there are general obligations, for example: each owner must remove excrement behind his pet, you can walk away from playgrounds and medical institutions, etc. Each city has developed its own standards, so the owner of the dog must be familiar with with the rules, because their violation is punishable by a fine.

In the next video you will find interesting facts about the breed of toy poodle.