40 Of The Smallest And Easiest Dog Breeds To Look After
They say good things come in small packages — and that’s certainly true of small dogs! Because while tiny pooches will only take up a little bit of space in your home, they’ll more than make up for it with their outsized personalities. But there are drawbacks, too. Some of them need lots of grooming, for example, and some will need plenty of exercise. So if you’re looking for the smallest, easiest dog to handle, you’ve come to the right place.
To compile our ranking, we consulted the all-important stats put together by the American Kennel Club. We looked at each breed’s trainability and adaptability, how affectionate they are with family, how good they are with children, and how easily they get along with other dogs. And these gave us an “Easy Score” out of five for each dog. You’re welcome!
40. Beagle
Height:
13 inches & under (variety one)
13-15 inches (variety two)
Weight:
under 20 pounds (13 inches and under)
20-30 pounds (13-15 inches)
Life Expectancy: 10-15 years
Trainability: 3
Adaptability: 4
Affectionate with family: 3
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 5
Easy Score: 4
39. Japanese Chin
Height: 8-11 inches
Weight: 7-11 pounds
Life Expectancy: 10-12 years
Trainability: 3
Adaptability: 4
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 3
Good with other dogs: 5
Easy Score: 4
38. Norfolk Terrier
Height: 9-10 inches
Weight: 11-12 pounds
Life Expectancy: 12-16 years
Trainability: 3
Adaptability: 4
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 3
Easy Score: 4
37. Norwich Terrier
Height: 10 inches
Weight: 12 pounds
Life Expectancy: 12-15 years
Trainability: 3
Adaptability: 4
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 3
Easy Score: 4
36. Parson Russell Terrier
Height: 10-12 inches
Weight: 9-15 pounds
Life Expectancy: 12-14 years
Trainability: 3
Adaptability: 4
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 3
Good with other dogs: 5
Easy Score: 4
35. Russell Terrier
Height: 10-12 inches
Weight: 9-15 pounds
Life Expectancy: 12-14 years
Trainability: 3
Adaptability: 4
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 3
Good with other dogs: 5
Easy Score: 4
34. Border Terrier
Height: 12-15 inches
Weight:
13-15.5 pounds (male)
11.5-14 pounds (female)
Life Expectancy: 12-15 years
Trainability: 4
Adaptability: 4
Affectionate with family: 4
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 3
Easy Score: 4
33. Dachshund
Height:
8-9inches (standard)
5-6 inches (miniature)
Weight:
16-32 pounds (standard)
11 pounds & under (miniature)
Life Expectancy: 12-16 years
Trainability: 4
Adaptability: 4
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 3
Good with other dogs: 4
Easy Score: 4
32. Manchester Terrier (Standard)
Height: 15-16 inches
Weight: 12-22 pounds
Life Expectancy: 15-17 years
Trainability: 4
Adaptability: 4
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 4
Good with other dogs: 3
Easy Score: 4
31. Manchester Terrier (Toy)
Height: 10-12 inches
Weight: under 12 pounds
Life Expectancy: 15-17 years
Trainability: 4
Adaptability: 4
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 4
Good with other dogs: 3
Easy Score: 4
30. Pembroke Welsh corgi
Height: 10-12 inches
Weight:
up to 30 pounds (male)
up to 28 pounds (female)
Life Expectancy: 12-13 years
Trainability: 4
Adaptability: 4
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 3
Good with other dogs: 4
Easy Score: 4
29. Pumi
Height:
16-18.5 inches (male)
15-17.5 inches (female)
Weight:
27-29 pounds (male)
22-24 pounds (female)
Life Expectancy: 12-13 years
Trainability: 5
Adaptability: 4
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 3
Good with other dogs: 3
Easy Score: 4
28. Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen
Height: 13-15 inches
Weight: 25-40 pounds
Life Expectancy: 14-16 years
Trainability: 3
Adaptability: 4
Affectionate with family: 4
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 5
Easy Score: 4.2
27. Boston Terrier
Height: 15-17 inches
Weight: 12-25 pounds
Life Expectancy: 11-13 years
Trainability: 4
Adaptability: 3
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 4
Easy Score: 4.2
26. American Eskimo Dog
Height:
9-12 inches (toy)
12-15 inches (miniature)
15-19 inches (Standard)
Weight:
6-10 pounds (toy)
10-20 pounds (miniature)
25-35 pounds (standard)
Life Expectancy: 13-15 years
Trainability: 4
Adaptability: 4
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 3
Easy Score: 4.2
25. Italian Greyhound
Height: 13-15 inches
Weight: 7-14 pounds
Life Expectancy: 14-15 years
Trainability: 4
Adaptability: 4
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 3
Good with other dogs: 5
Easy Score: 4.2
24. Löwchen
Height: 12-14 inches
Weight: 15 pounds
Life Expectancy: 13-15 years
Trainability: 4
Adaptability: 4
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 3
Easy Score: 4.2
23. Swedish Vallhund
Height:
12.5-13.75 inches (male)
11.5-12.75 inches (female)
Weight: 20-35 pounds
Life Expectancy: 12-15 years
Trainability: 4
Adaptability: 4
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 3
Easy Score: 4.2
22. Wire Fox Terrier
Height: 15.5 inches
Weight:
18 pounds (male)
15-17 pounds (female)
Life Expectancy: 12-15 years
Trainability: 4
Adaptability: 4
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 3
Easy Score: 4.2
21. English Toy Spaniel
Height: 9-10 inches
Weight: 8-14 pounds
Life Expectancy: 10-12 years
Trainability: 3
Adaptability: 4
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 5
Easy Score: 4.4
20. Portuguese Podengo Pequeno
Height:
22-28 inches (large)
16-22 inches (medium)
Weight:
44-66 pounds (large)
35-44 pounds (medium)
Life Expectancy: 10-15 years
Trainability: 3
Adaptability: 4
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 5
Easy Score: 4.4
19. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Height: 12-13 inches
Weight: 13-18 pounds
Life Expectancy: 12-15 years
Trainability: 4
Adaptability: 3
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 5
Easy Score: 4.4
18. Cocker Spaniel
Height:
14.5-15.5 inches (male)
13.5-14.5 inches (female)
Weight:
25-30 pounds (male)
20-25 pounds (female)
Life Expectancy: 10-14 years
Trainability: 4
Adaptability: 4
Affectionate with family: 4
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 5
Easy Score: 4.4
17. Yorkshire Terrier
Height: 7-8 inches
Weight: 7 pounds
Life Expectancy: 11-15 years
Trainability: 4
Adaptability: 5
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 3
Easy Score: 4.4
16. Poodle (Miniature)
Height: 10-15 inches
Weight: 10-15 pounds
Life Expectancy: 10-18 years
Trainability: 5
Adaptability: 4
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 3
Easy Score: 4.4
15. Poodle (Toy)
Height: Up to 10 inches
Weight: 4-6 pounds
Life Expectancy: 10-18 years
Trainability: 5
Adaptability: 3
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 4
Easy Score: 4.4
14. Rat Terrier
Height:
10-13 inches (miniature)
13-18 inches (standard)
Weight: 10-25 pounds
Life Expectancy: 12-18 years
Trainability: 5
Adaptability: 4
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 3
Easy Score: 4.4
13. Teddy Roosevelt Terrier
Height: 8-14 inches
Weight: 8-25 pounds
Life Expectancy: 14-16 years
Trainability: 3
Adaptability: 5
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 5
Easy Score: 4.6
12. Bichon Frise
Height: 9.5-11.5 inches
Weight: 12-18 pounds
Life Expectancy: 14-15 years
Trainability: 4
Adaptability: 4
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 5
Easy Score: 4.6
11. Danish-Swedish Farmdog
Height: 12.5-14.5 inches
Weight: 15-20 pounds
Life Expectancy: 11-13 years
Trainability: 4
Adaptability: 4
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 5
Easy Score: 4.6
10. Lancashire Heeler
Height: 10-12 inches
Weight: 9-17 pounds
Life Expectancy: 12-15 years
Trainability: 4
Adaptability: 4
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 5
Easy Score: 4.6
9. Pug
Height: 10-13 inches
Weight: 14-18 pounds
Life Expectancy: 13-15 years
Trainability: 4
Adaptability: 5
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 4
Easy Score: 4.6
8. Japanese Spitz
Height: 12-15 inches
Weight: 10-25 pounds
Life Expectancy: 10-14 years
Trainability: 5
Adaptability: 5
Affectionate with family: 3
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 5
Easy Score: 4.6
7. American Hairless Terrier
Height: 12-16 inches
Weight: 12-16 pounds
Life Expectancy: 14-16 years
Trainability: 5
Adaptability: 5
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 3
Easy Score: 4.6
6. Miniature Schnauzer
Height: 12-14 inches
Weight: 11-20 pounds
Life Expectancy: 12-15 years
Trainability: 5
Adaptability: 5
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 3
Easy Score: 4.6
5. Papillon
Height: 8-11 inches
Weight: 5-10 pounds
Life Expectancy: 14-16 years
Trainability: 5
Adaptability: 5
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 3
Easy Score: 4.6
4. Havanese
Height: 8.5-11.5 inches
Weight: 7-13 pounds
Life Expectancy: 14-16 years
Trainability: 4
Adaptability: 5
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 5
Easy Score: 4.8
3. Shih Tzu
Height: 9-10.5 inches
Weight: 9-16 pounds
Life Expectancy: 10-18 years
Trainability: 4
Adaptability: 5
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 5
Easy Score: 4.8
2. Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka
Height: 11 inches
Weight: 6-9 pounds
Life Expectancy: 14-20 years
Trainability: 5
Adaptability: 5
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 5
Easy Score: 5
1. Shetland Sheepdog
Height: 13-16 inches
Weight: 15-25 pounds
Life Expectancy: 12-14 years
Trainability: 5
Adaptability: 5
Affectionate with family: 5
Good with young children: 5
Good with other dogs: 5
Easy Score: 5
