The Best Breed For You

There is a lot to consider before purchasing a dog, but finding the best breed for you is easy. We're here to help make it a little easier!

The list of small breed dogs at the bottom of this page will link you directly to all the information you need to know about the breed that would be best for you. Keep an open mind... and don't be surprised if you learn that the breed that's best for you may not be the breed you had in mind...

Below are a few of the financial obligations that some people forget to consider before they make a commitment to own a specific breed. So before you begin your search, ask yourself these qustions.

For the dog I'm interested in:

What are the grooming expenses?
Small breed dogs, especially the non-shedding varieties with long hair have many hygiene and grooming requirements, like: hair cuts, nails trimmed and ears cleaned. There is also the issue of clean teeth and squeezed anal glands. (Need we say more?)

For a long haired dog especially, expect trips to a professional groomer about every 2 months or more at an average cost of $40-$50 per dog.

What will vet bills cost?
All dogs need vaccines and monthly heartworm pills and just like people, dogs will occasionally get sick. According to smartmoney.com, dog owners spent an average of $785.00 last year on vet bills.

If you've made plans to adopt your future best friend, you're already much further ahead. You must already know that adopting a purebred dog at a fraction of the cost of buying one could save hundreds of dollars and countless lives! And you probably already know that 25-30% of the 7 million dogs euthanized each year are purebreds, already spayed / neutered and vet checked!

Aside from the basic necessities, like food, shelter and doctor visits also keep in mind the occasional boarding costs, dog walker fees and the possibility of fencing in your yard.

Here's how it works... Our Bones Chart near the top of each breed's page makes it easy to find the personality traits and breed characteristics you're looking for. *Looking for a dog that doesn't shed a lot? *How about a breed that gets along well with other pets? Click the picture links below to get the answers.

Small-breed-dogs.com

Affenpinscher	American Hairless Terrier
Bichon Frise	Boston Terrier
Brussels Griffon	Bull Terrier
Cairn Terrier	Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Chihuahua	Chinese Crested
Cocker Spaniel	English Bulldog
French Bulldog	Havanese
Italian Greyhound	Jack Russell Terrier
Japanese Chin	Lhasa Apso
Maltese	Miniature Bull Terrier
Miniature Pinscher	Miniature Poodle
Miniature Schnazuer	papillon
Pekingese	Pomeranian
Pugs	Scottish Terrier
Shetland Sheepdog	Toy Poodle
West Highland White Terrier	Yorkshire Terrier