Toy Group - Purebred
Dogs and Puppies

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The AKC toy group dog breeds were developed simply to be our loving companions due in part to their small size and robust health. Their main job - to make their owner happy. The dogs of this group are best known as our small companions or "lap dogs".

Their miniature size and playful nature make them wonderful companions overall and for several years they have been considered chic among well to do people.

The name "toy" is a bit misleading. No, you don’t wind them up and they don’t take batteries either. These small dogs are not animated playthings - and the temperaments of many of the breeds included in this group suggest these dogs are anything but that.

Many of these toy dog breeds are originally from Asia where the process of selectively breeding dogs to make them smaller and smaller is believed to have begun, but there are plenty of these smaller breeds from other areas of the world as well.

During the Middle Ages these "lap dogs" became very popular. Many people would hold and carry small dogs around with them so that the fleas that were so prominent at the time (personal hygiene was not very good during this period) would not stay on the owner, but instead go onto the dog that they were carrying.

Many Toy dogs are extremely tough; don't let their small size fool you - there is a lot of dog in that small package! Many of these Toy Breeds have their origins in larger breeds. The only things the members of this group have in common is their small size.

Toy group dogs have always been popular with people that live in cities and apartments. One common factor of dogs in this dog breed group are the fact that these dogs are small enough to be carried easily. Overall, they do vary quite a bit in behavior, size and type, however.

Our dog breed directory is designed to present you research information about some of these different AKC toy group dog breeds, and to also help you choose the best type of dog for you. Feel free to browse around to learn more about your perfect canine friend.

AKC Toy Dog Breed Profiles

	Affenpinscher		Brussels Griffon		Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
	Chihuahua (Smooth and Longcoat)		Chinese Crested		English Toy Spaniel (Blenheim and Prince Charles, King Charles and Ruby)
	Havanese		Italian Greyhound		Japanese Chin
	Maltese		Toy Manchester Terrier		Miniature Pinscher
	Papillon		Pekingese		Pomeranian
	Pug		Toy Poodle		Shih Tzu
	Silky Terrier		Toy Fox Terrier		Yorkshire Terrier

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