12 Best Toy Dog Breeds — our top picks
Toy Poodle
Toy Poodle: very small-sized and high friendliness — genuinely tiny — a lap dog by build, not just by habit. Smallest variety of Poodle with intelligence and athleticism in a tiny package. Hypoallergenic and highly trainable. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Toy Poodle needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Maltese
Maltese: very small-sized, medium energy and high friendliness — genuinely tiny — a lap dog by build, not just by habit. Ancient toy breed with flowing white coat and gentle demeanor. Playful and affectionate companion dog. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Maltese needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Pomapoo
Pomapoo: very small-sized, medium energy and high friendliness — genuinely tiny — a lap dog by build, not just by habit. Pomeranian and Poodle cross creating tiny companion with big personality and reduced shedding. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Pomapoo needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Yorkshire Terrier
Yorkshire Terrier: very small-sized and medium friendliness. Small terrier with silky coat and big personality. Brave, determined, and sometimes bossy despite their tiny size. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Yorkshire Terrier needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Pomeranian
Pomeranian: very small-sized and medium friendliness. Fluffy spitz toy with fox-like face and confident attitude. Alert and lively despite their small size. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Pomeranian needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel: small-sized, medium energy and very high friendliness. Gentle toy spaniel with silky coat and sweet expression. Perfect family companion with sporting dog heritage. Worth knowing before you commit: the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel does badly left alone all day.
Havanese
Havanese: small-sized, medium energy and very high friendliness. Cuban toy breed with silky coat and cheerful disposition. Adaptable and social companion dog. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Havanese needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Chihuahua (Smooth Coat)
Chihuahua (Smooth Coat): very small-sized, medium energy and medium friendliness. World's smallest dog breed with huge personality. Alert, confident, and devoted to their family despite their tiny size. Worth knowing before you commit: the Chihuahua (Smooth Coat) is vocal, which matters if you share walls.
Chihuahua (Long Coat)
Chihuahua (Long Coat): very small-sized, medium energy and medium friendliness. Long-haired variety of the Chihuahua with soft, flowing coat. Same bold personality as smooth coat variety. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Chihuahua (Long Coat) needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Bichon Frise
Bichon Frise: small-sized, medium energy and very high friendliness. Cheerful white powder-puff with hypoallergenic coat. Playful and adaptable companion with minimal shedding. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Bichon Frise needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Pug
Pug: small-sized, medium energy and very high friendliness. Charming flat-faced toy breed with wrinkled face and cheerful personality. "Multum in parvo" - much in little. Worth knowing before you commit: the Pug sheds heavily enough that cleaning becomes a daily routine.
Cavapoo
Cavapoo: small-sized, medium energy and very high friendliness. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Poodle cross. Gentle and friendly with reduced shedding. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Cavapoo needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
How this ranking works: each of DoggyQ's 321 breeds is scored on the traits that decide this particular question — the same trait ratings shown on each breed's own guide page, so you can check the reasoning rather than take a ranking on faith. Read more about our methodology, or see which breed you look like from a single photo.
Popular breeds that are a poor fit for tiny-companion lovers
English Mastiff
The English Mastiff is a popular choice, but giant-sized put it at odds with tiny-companion lovers. On top of that, the English Mastiff drools enough to notice.
Great Dane
The Great Dane is a popular choice, but giant-sized put it at odds with tiny-companion lovers. On top of that, the Great Dane does badly left alone all day.
Cane Corso
The Cane Corso is a popular choice, but large-sized put it at odds with tiny-companion lovers.
Which dog do you look like?
Take one photo and an AI model tells you which of our 321 breeds you most resemble, and which features gave it away. Free, no account, and your photo is never stored. It is a game rather than advice — but every match links straight into that breed's real guide.
See which dog you look likeFrequently asked questions
- What is the best toy dog breed?
- Based on temperament and care needs, the Toy Poodle ranks as the top choice for tiny-companion lovers, followed by the Maltese and Pomapoo.
- How was this list of dogs for tiny-companion lovers chosen?
- Each breed is scored on the traits that matter most for tiny-companion lovers — such as energy, size, grooming and temperament — using DoggyQ's breed database. The same trait ratings are printed on each breed's own guide page, so you can check why a breed placed where it did.
- Which popular breeds are a poor fit for tiny-companion lovers?
- The English Mastiff, The Great Dane, The Cane Corso all rank near the bottom for tiny-companion lovers despite being widely chosen — usually because the traits that make them appealing elsewhere work against them here.