Dimensions Guide

What is the World’s Smallest Dog?

The smallest dog in the world ever reported was a Maltese puppy named Scooter. He was only 8 centimeters tall and 20 centimeters long. In a litter of three, Scooter stopped growing when he was 2 months old. His loving owner, Cheryl McKnight of New Zealand, made a shirt from a purple sock that he wore around the house.

McKnight had planned to enter her pet into the Guinness Book of World Records when he turned a year old. Sadly, Scooter died when he was only 6 months old. After breaking his leg in a jump, Scooter was given medicine that gave him stomach ulcers, which eventually caused his death. McKnight buried him in a tiny shoebox that had been his home.

What is the World’s Smallest Dog on Record?

The world’s smallest dog, at least in terms of its length, is a female Chihuahua named Brandy. From nose to tail she measures only 15.2 centimeters or just over 6 inches. This was verified in January 31, 1995. Brandy lives with owner Paulette Keller in Florida, USA.

What is the World’s Smallest Dog Breed?

The world’s smallest dog breed is the Chihuahua. It is named after a province in Mexico. It is universally agreed that the breed came from that country. It is probably descended from a pet dog among the Toltec Indians, the Techichi. Historical evidence for the Techichi suggests that it was first bred as a hunting and companion dog in the 9th century. The modern Chihuahua is smaller than the Techichi, due perhaps to inter-breeding with other small dogs from China.

Chihuahua dogs average between 6 to 10 inches in height. The taller of the breed can be as tall as 15 inches. Breed standards in the US and Britain require a dog to be no more than 6 pounds. The British standards prefer 2-4 pounds and all things being equal between two dogs, the smaller is favored. The FCI on the other hand, likes dogs to be between 3.3 to 6.6 pounds for show ring purposes. However Chihuahuas bred as pets and companions are typically larger than these, and can weigh 10 pounds or more. Chihuahuas can be long or short haired. More correctly these are called long coat and smooth coat. The long coat Chihuahuas have a fine smooth fur. They do not require a lot of grooming and in fact, shed less than the smooth coat.

Chihuahuas are territorial and easily provoked. Because they are temperamental and quick to bite, they aren’t suitable for very young children. Chihuahuas often become attached to just one person in the family. They are wary of strangers and may not get along well with dogs of other breeds.