Miniature dog breeds are defined as any breed of dog weighing less than 11 pounds and standing less than 11 inches at the shoulder. There are many different breeds coming in many different shapes and sizes. To name just a few, there’s the Affenpinscher, Beagle, Bichon Frise, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Chihuahua, Dachshund, English Toy Spaniel, Havanese, Maltese, Miniature Schnauzer, Pekingese, Pomeranian, Shih Tzu, Toy Poodle, and Yorkshire Terrier.
Further, miniature dogs come in a variety of activity levels. Don’t be fooled that, just because a dog is small, his activity level will be small as well. While there are some lower energy small breeds, such as the Pug, many can be pretty high energy, including the Australian Terrier, Beagle, Cairn Terrier, Italian Greyhound, Miniature Pinscher, and Wire Fox Terrier. All miniature breeds will need some amount of exercise, such as a walk with their owner or a romp around the yard or a large garden.