The Top 9 Smallest Dogs in the World

Key Points:

• The Chihuahua breed, first recognized as a breed in 1908 by the American Kennel Club, is the breed that showcases the smallest dog in the world, standing at a height of 5-8 inches and typically weighing 6 pounds. This breed is more prone to heart problems than some other breeds but generally lives 14-16 years.
• The Dorkie is a small breed created by crossing the Mini Dachshund with the Yorkshire Terrier. Dorkies typically weigh between 5 and 12 pounds and stand between 5 and 9 inches tall. They have prey instincts, are wary around children, and tend to bond with one person.
• A cross between a Shi-tzu and a Maltese, the adorable Mal-Shi dog has a gutsy and gregarious temperament and loves people. This breed is often used as a therapy dog.

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the smallest dog in the world living is a Chihuahua from Puerto Rico named Milly, who stands 3.8 inches tall at her shoulders. But amazingly, the smallest dog in the world ever recorded was a dwarf Yorkshire Terrier that was owned by Arthur Marples from the U.K. This tiny dog had a height of 2.8 inches to the shoulder and 3.75 inches from nose to tail. Will another dog in the future break that unbelievable record to be the smallest dog in the world ever recorded?

If you think it would be fun to own a dog about the same size as Milly, then there are several choices to consider. When compiling our list, the dog breed’s minimum height was first considered. Then, we evaluated their weight when compiling the final list.

Teacup designer dogs can be the perfect addition to your home, but do not overlook some standard breeds that stay small. Who knows? Maybe your future tiny dog will break the record, becoming the next smallest dog in the world!

#9 Maltichon — 6 to 12 Inches

Breeders created the Maltichon by breeding the Maltese and the Bichon Frise. This dog should stand between 6 and 12 inches tall and weigh between 6 and 14 pounds. It is a friendly family dog who loves to be involved in everything that your family is doing. This dog also does well in homes where there is already another dog.

All Maltichons have soft wide hair. Some will have apricot, bluff, or cream markings. The coat can be a single layer or a double layer of variable length. This designer dog breed will have brown eyes and a black nose. A quick 20-minute romp is appreciated, but take precautions that those with a double-layer coat do not become overheated.

#8 Broodle Griffon — 6 to 11 Inches

Broodle Griffons stand between 6 and 11 inches tall. Typically, they weigh between 6 and 12 pounds. This cross between a Poodle and a Brussels Griffon may also be called brussapoo, brusapoo, brus-A-Poo or griffinpoo.

The head of the Broodle Griffon can take after either parent, but it is seldom a mixture of both. This dog can have a wavy, smooth, or curly coat.

If you are looking for a hypogenic dog, consider those with a curly coat. If the dog has a curly coat, expect to spend more time grooming it. This dog is eager to please her owners so that makes training much easier.

Griffs have a high degree in intelligence and form an especially strong bond to their owners. As with many other toy breeds, potty-training and house breaking can take some extra time and effort. Broodle Griffons are very sensitive and they don’t respond well to harsh training methods. They are lovable and need to be loved in return.

#7 Mal-Shi — 6 to 10 Inches

The Mal-Shi is a cross between the Maltese and the Shih Tzu breeds. They stand between 6 and 10 inches tall and typically weigh between 6 and 12 pounds. Most are gutsy and gregarious and love people. Therefore, they often make great therapy dogs. This dog does best when he has a place to romp.

The Mal-Shi is prone to heat-aggravated respiratory problems, so if you live in a warmer area, share your air conditioning with your pet. While this dog requires little clipping, you do need to brush it daily. Typically, these dogs do very well in homes with other dogs and children.

#6 Chorkie — 6 to 9 Inches

The Chorkie is a designer pooch and is a cross between a Yorkshire terrier and a Chihuahua. They should be between 6 and 9 inches tall and weigh between 2 and 8 pounds. They may also be known as a Yorkiechi. Any color combination is possible, but most have a noticeable grizzled appearance because of their Yorkshire heritage. Unlike some designer pups, you cannot breed two Chorkies together and get a similar-looking dog, so a Yorkshire terrier and a Chihuahua must be bred each time.

While one or two baths a month is generally enough, watch for hair growth inside this breed’s ears. This blocks the air from flowing into the air, which can cause ear infections. Frequent ear infections can lead to deafness.

Learn more about chorkies.

#5 Toy Poodle — 5 to 10 Inches

The Toy Poodle has been around since at least the 17th century when they were known as sleeve dogs. This breed usually measures between 5 and 10 inches tall and weigh 6 to 10 pounds, and produces the fifth-smallest dog in the world.

The American Kennel Club says that this dog can live between 10 and 18 years. It is the smallest of the three types of poodles that the club recognizes. A variety of colors are possible, including blues, grays, silvers, browns, cafe au laits, apricots and creams, but the dog should be one color over its entire body.

Toy Poodles were originally bred as hunting dogs and have lots of energy. Activities they enjoy are playing fetch with balls or sticks, long walks, and even swimming. They are also very intelligent dogs and easy to train.

Learn more about toy poodles.

#4 Dorkie — 5 to 9 Inches

Dorkies are a cross between the Mini Dachshund and Yorkshire Terriers. These dogs usually weigh between 5 and 12 pounds and stand between 5 and 9 inches tall. Black and tan is the most common color combination, but they can be chocolate and tan, fawn and tan, or gray and tan. They can be dapple, brindle, piebald or sable.

Since their lineage on both sides were hunting dogs, you can expect this designer pooch to have strong prey instincts. Many owners report that they attach themselves to one person. They are often wary around young children. Try limiting the amount of jumping that this dog does as they are prone to intervertebral disk disease.

Learn more about dorkies.

#3 Mini Dachshund — 5 to 9 Inches

The Mini Dachshund, the breed that produces third smallest dog in the world, can weigh up to 11 pounds and stands 5 to 9 inches tall. Its hanging ears on its oval head add to the lovable look of this dog. This breed can be red, tan, or yellow, or a combination of the three. They are brilliant dogs that can quickly get bored. Their coats can be smooth, long-haired, or wire-haired.

The Mini Dachshund is a highly loyal dog, but it can take the animal a while to warm up to outsiders. They have a long spine and a short rib cage, which can lead to back problems. Most have almost boundless energy.

#2 Chiweenie — 5 to 9 Inches

Chiweenies stand between 5 and 9 inches tall and weigh between 4 and 11 pounds. They are a cross between Dachshunds and Chihuahuas. Most Chiweenies have a short coat, but there are long-haired Chiweenies. Ears can be erect like the chihuahuas or droopy like the dachshund.

This breed makes terrific watchdogs, but they can be stubborn to train. These dogs usually do not have a high prey instinct, but they will bark to alert you to any changes in your environment. While this designer dog breed may have accidentally bred much earlier, breeders started intentionally breeding these dogs in the 1990s.

#1 Chihuahua — 5 to 8 Inches

The American Kennel Club’s chihuahua breed standard says this dog will grow to be between 5 and 8 inches tall and should not exceed 6 pounds. As we’ve already noted, the Chihuahua Milly is currently the smallest dog in the world, measuring only 3.8 inches tall.

This breed often lives between 14 and 16 years. The coat on this breed can be long or short and groomed appropriately. This breed can be any color, and it can be marked or splashed.

Despite their tiny size, chihuahuas have a big-dog attitude. This breed is more prone to heart problems than some other breeds. The American Kennel Club first recognized this breed in 1908.

Learn more about Chihuahuas.

If you are looking for a small dog, consider these breeds. They may make the perfect companion for your household. Remember that taking on any dog is a commitment to love and take care of that dog until it passes away in several years. These tiny and teacup dogs may be the perfect addition to your life.

They have a ton of love to give despite their small size.

Summary of the Top 9 Smallest Dogs in the World

Here’s a look back at the dogs that made the cut as the smallest on Earth:

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Lim Tiaw Leong/Shutterstock.com