Lapdog breeds are not intended to fulfill functions like guarding or hunting. By definition, lap dogs should bring their owners positive emotions and sometimes relieve them from loneliness. Lapdogs are an indicator of their owner’s status. It is not for nothing that only emperors could own a Pekingese in China.
In addition, most of the lapdogs can take on the role of a bodyguard. Not full-fledged, of course, but many small dogs are characterized by good viciousness. And some people not afraid of sheepdogs will stay away from the same Chihuahua just in case, for its fury is unshakable.
Small dog breeds are great for apartment living. Some of them can even learn to use the litter box. They don’t need a lot of space, they don’t shed a lot of hair, and they cost a lot less to feed.
American naked terrier
Naked Terriers are a breed that originated in the United States. Their forebears, Rat Terriers, were excellent rat-catchers, but due to genetic mutation, there was such a hairless wonder. This sphynx dog is vulnerable because of its bare skin and has become an excellent companion.
But the dog’s genes have yet to go anywhere, especially if it is a terrier. Your pet will dig holes and chase cats, so you must watch him on walks.
Americans have interesting abilities: they store things, pick up trash, and copy the behavior of other pets. Each dog has its specialty, which is sure to please its owner.
A naked terrier is kind to children and will play various games with them. If you have a large-breed dog, you can be sure they will be friends. And if you have guests, you’ll know they’re coming long before the doorbell rings.
You will need to take care of your dog both in summer and winter: hide him from the scorching sun and put on warm overalls;
Video: American Naked Terrier
Belgian (Brussels) Griffon
The first time you see a griffon, you will be mesmerized: his facial expressions are similar to human ones. The doggy subtly feels the owner’s mood, and he will not be annoyed if he cannot communicate. Therefore, the breed is recommended for people with disabilities and older people.
The griffon does not tolerate loneliness. The owner should realize that leaving the dog alone for a long time is traumatizing to its psyche. But the griffon will have a great relationship with all your friends. And the pet will know exactly who is behind the door at any given moment.
The Belgian Griffon is completely non-conflicted. He will readily get along with a cat, a bird, or a dog. But this does not mean that he has no sense of dignity. If someone dares to bark at a griffon on a walk, this bearded-eyed griffon will not hesitate to bark back.
Grooming is easy, but they “shed” only after trimming. When walking a Belgian Griffon, you can safely let the dog off the leash—the breed is not prone to escape. The only thing is that the dog needs additional protection in the cold season through overalls or a vest.
This breed tries to dominate and bite the owner as a youngster, so training is essential.
Video: Brussels Griffon
Bichon Frise
The French Bolognese—that’s what Bichons are also called—is a natural antidepressant. Charming, mega-mobile, and friendly, they will find a common language in all households. With its chiming voice, the dog will warn its owners whenever someone appears on their doorstep.
Bichon Frises are perfect for people with low immunity—their snow-white coats are hypoallergenic. The dog does not like loneliness, so the owner’s absence will upset it immensely.
Despite its small size, the bichon is far from a gentle dog and can stand up for itself. If it is heavily tutored and not allowed to make independent decisions in critical situations, the bichon will eventually become a cowardly animal that climbs into its owner’s arms at the drop of a hat.
Training a bichon is possible and necessary, but it is somewhat willful and, therefore, requires a unique approach. Remember how many bolognese perform in the circus, and you can also train yours.
Video: Bichon Frise
Boston Terrier
Another terrier on our list whose ancestors include the English Bulldog. This is why Bostons have a slightly flattened face, funny round eyes, and a feathery color.
It is a very lively and kind lap dog, which finds a common language with the entire population of the apartment, and in the coming does not see a threat as long as it is not threatened or does not violate the clearly drawn boundaries of the territory.
Bostons are fine with forced loneliness. If you are not away for a long time, nothing terrible will happen. If the dog is well walked and tired beforehand, he will sleep without hind legs and probably won’t even notice your absence. If you are planning a permanent long absence – immediately get a pair of Boston Terriers. It will be easy for them to spend time together doing their own doggy things.
Terriers snore in their sleep and snort and snort when awake, just like bulldogs. You can read everything in their lively faces, from genuine joy to apprehension when they’ve done something wrong.
Because of their excessive gullibility, Bostons do not distinguish where a good person is, and in whom lurks malice. Any stranger with a treat can fool the terrier’s head and kidnap him. That is why after basic commands it is necessary to teach the dog not to trust strangers.
Video: boston terrier
Yorkshire terrier
Yorkshire Terrieris a very popular breed in the world and in our country. On their bristly face it is clearly written who is the master in the house, but at the same time they love their owners to no end.
Yorkies are brave dogs and will not hesitate to protect their owners from any encroachment. Their attitude to strangers is special and depends on their upbringing. It can bark, and can even kiss;
On a walk, the dog can be characterized as “holy simplicity”. As long as the owner is near, the yorkie like a tank goes to everything unfamiliar and is happily engaged in research. But as soon as you disappear from the field of vision, panic fuss begins.
The Yorkshire Terrier lends itself well to training, but like all terriers, it is quite unsettled and often gets distracted by something more to his liking.
A yorkie’s coat requires grooming: brushing, washing and regular haircuts. If you are not exhibiting your ornamental dog, you can easily learn to do basic haircuts yourself. Show class, on the other hand, requires a visit to a grooming master.Â
Video: Yorkshire terrier.
Chinese Crested Dog
The Chinese Crested is a dog with a glamorous appearance. A true Chinese Crested is not a vicious dog: it loves its owner immensely, even to the point of guessing his wishes.
The desire for contact with the owner sometimes takes a manic form: the animal follows his footsteps everywhere, rubs against his leg, climbs on his lap and settles there, curled up in a ball. To wean him from this is to cause psychological trauma to the dog. So either get over it or think about another breed in advance.
The ornamental Chinese Crested Dog just can’t stand being alone. If it is left alone for a long time – it will inform all the neighbors about it with a sorrowful howl. They love to whine and without any reason. Therefore, in order to save the nervous system of people around them, they should be weaned from this activity as much as possible.
Chinamen can be either naked or downy. The naked ones have wool on the head, legs and tail, which looks very beautiful against the background of hairless coat. The downy ones have fine wool all over their body and are called “powderpuff”.
And of course, like many lap dogs, Chinese Crested in the cold season should be taken out in warm clothes.
Video: Chinese Crested
Maltese Bolognese
This little doll is an agile, friendly and exceptionally jealous ornamental dog. Try to pet any other animal in its presence – there will be no end to resentment. All attention of the owner should belong only to the Maltese!
That is why it is not recommended to keep a bologna together with other animals. And if there are small children in the house – it is like death. The Maltese Bologna will not show much favor to your friends either: all human beings are potential stealers of the owner’s attention, and therefore should not be allowed “to the body”.
The bologna will also not be happy if you leave it alone. It will express its stress as chaos in the apartment. Therefore, if possible, always carry the doggie with you. And it is a smart, but rather stubborn breed, so it is not always possible to train it well.
The Maltese is considered one of the most popular ornamental dogs, and its “service” is engaged in many fashion houses.
Video: Maltese Bolognese
Pug
Pugs are a rather old breed, characterized by their affectionate nature, not only for their owner, but for everything that comes their way. So if you often have to be away from home, this is the perfect breed for you. Pugsic with equal adoration will meet your aunt, friend or neighbors who came to feed and walk the forced sitter.
Another distinctive feature is that pugs don’t need much attention. In their youth they will be playful and active, but in time they will settle down on the couch and will only get off the couch in case of obvious necessities.
As you know, pugs can make sometimes funny (snoring, sniffing) and sometimes not so funny (as a result of flatulence) sounds, which should be taken for granted. Dogs are not characterized by hysterical barking, but they can bark, which, however, will not bring inconvenience to neighbors.
Pug is quite difficult to train, which is not always required. But it is necessary to teach basic commands, if only to prevent the dog from eating something nasty on the street.
Pugs tire quickly, and their special respiratory system can’t cope with the strain of a long run. The owner should keep a close eye on the pet’s health.
Video: pug
Papillon
It is a spaniel ornamental dog, also called the Papillon Butterfly because of its ears, which look like the open wings of a butterfly. There is another variety, the Phalen, whose ears do not stand erect, but droop downward like the folded wings of a moth. However, the latter are not recognized by cynologists.
Papillons are characterized by a distinctive smiley face that gives them a very toy-like appearance. Indeed, they are almost never in a sullen mood. They are looking for positivity everywhere, willy-nilly transferring their mood into the surrounding space.
Butterflies do not tolerate abuse. Together with it, dogs get depression, which upsets their nervous system. Handle the papillon nadobno gentle and affectionate, especially since the dog rarely provokes rudeness. A properly socialized dog will never hurt anyone, but if you miss it, the pet may well bite and be aggressive.
You can leave your papillon alone and when you return, you won’t find mayhem. Of course, small breed dogs get very bored when they are alone, but in the case of a papillon, your apartment will remain as it was left. And to minimize stress at all, get him the same companion, you can even get a cat.
The Papillon Butterfly is a dog endowed with inexhaustible energy, which definitely needs an outlet in the form of a long walk or playtime. According to studies, it is one of the most intelligent dogs in the world, which, by the way, likes to manipulate its owners very much.
Video: Papillon
Pekingese
Our list would not be complete without this famous breed. With its lion’s mane and monkey face, the Pekin is instantly recognizable among hundreds of other breeds.Â
Pekingese is advised to people whose rhythm of life is characterized by slowness, because Pekingese does not tolerate fuss and running. The dog does not like children, though sometimes condescends to them with a direct imperial favor.
They are kings who are confident in their irresistibility and they regularly demand to be treated accordingly. Trying to pressure or distract the dog is a futile endeavor. If this stubborn dog has something in his head, it will stay there forever. And you can’t be rude and cruel to Peking. Not only will you drive him into a rage that would be the envy of a bull terrier, but you will also become a blood enemy after your rash actions.
The Pekingese does not require as much attention as other ornamental dogs. He is like a catwalking on his own. If he wants to show attention to you – accept it with all joy. If their majesties want to be alone – get out of sight.
All this, of course, is a joke, but it is not without meaning. A real Pekingese will never bother the owner with attention. And if this is not your case, then there is a reason to doubt the purity of the breed. A purebred Pekingese will build an independent relationship with you.
Other pets may peacefully neighbor the Chinese dog, but they will always be second-class creatures to her.Â
Video: Pekingese
Toy terrier
The breed was bred in Russia, and the Toy was a favorite of the elite. These dogs can be both loyal, cheerful companions and fearless defenders if someone wants to offend their owner.
They zealously seek their owner’s attention, but with the same stubbornness they constantly try to manipulate him. They are very easy to annoy, and it is not easy to calm them down. This instability has earned the Toy Terrier the reputation of being a psychotic dog, but this is just a peculiarity of the breed.
All this leads to a definitely clear conclusion: with a Toy Terrier you can not allow yourself to be rude, neither in voice nor in physical terms. Only caresses and tenderness, otherwise you risk to get at your disposal a little devil, which the whole world will perceive as a threat;
The Toy Terrier has a great memory and can easily remember a person or situation that happened several years ago. That’s why dogs are often called vindictive, but it doesn’t occur to anyone that people themselves remember bad events better than good ones.
Video: Toy Terrier
Chihuahua
And ending the list of breeds of lap dogs with an object called Chihuahua. This extreme literally in everything is one of the most popular dogs in the world. Each chih is a personality, albeit a small one. The doggie will not, like some breeds tantrum or shake. They love themselves too much for that. A sneeze will just take a bite and there is nothing you can do about it.
But the Chihuahua has a weakness for his owner. Everywhere follows him on his heels and is terribly jealous, like the Maltese. In addition, the Mexican dog is a bully. It can be provoked without any effort. Standing on the defense of the owner, chiha is not aware of what he is doing, and very often larger dogs (as well as people), in bewilderment retreat.
And naturally, Chihuahuas do not like aliens in the form of your friends, neighbors and other “rabble” who happened to appear on the doorstep of your home. Any guest will certainly be barked, or even bitten. Needless to say that the Chihuahua with great pleasure tries to dominate the owner?
Video: chihuahua
