Where Do Miniature Dogs Come From?

Dog lovers are lucky—our canine companions come in an astonishing array of shapes and sizes. In recent decades small dogs have become quite popular. These diminutive pups tug at our heartstrings, fit in our purses, and sleep on our laps.

The question is: how were miniature dogs created? And could they really be descended from wolves? We’ve got your answers.

The science behind small dogs

Scientifically speaking, canines have a “slippery genome” in their DNA that allows for faster mutation and adaptation. This helps explain why there’s such vast variety in dogs from oversized Irish wolfhounds to tiny teacup Chihuahuas.

Evidence suggests the development of smaller dogs began 12,000 years ago in the Middle East when our dog-loving ancestors bred and domesticated four-legged friends. These dogs trace their heritage to the smaller, Middle Eastern gray wolf. Before domestication canines were predominantly Great Dane-sized to help them survive the harsh wilderness.

How humans helped create small dogs

It’s no exaggeration to say, then, that human interaction—domestication, loving care, and protection—is the reason we have so many petite varieties of dogs to love.

With humans helping to protect and feed them, dogs had less of an evolutionary need for size and strength. Instead of adapting for survival in the wild, domesticated dogs adapted more for companionship with humans.

Sometimes human desired smaller dogs for practical reasons like wanting them to fit in small spaces where they could hunt rodents. Other times, they simply wanted a smaller dog that could fit comfortably in a lap. Regardless of the reason, humans have been specifically breeding smaller dogs with one another over time to achieve a desired combination of physical and temperamental traits.

Origins of popular small dog breeds

Where did your small dog come from? Let’s take a look at the origins of some of the most popular small dogs:

American Cocker Spaniel

Spaniels were originally used by the Spanish for bird hunting as early as the 14th century. They were brought to the United States in the late 1800s where they diverged into two separate breeds: the English Cocker Spaniel and the American Cocker Spaniel. The American breed is slightly smaller with a more voluminous coat.

Australian Terrier

During the 19th century, rough-coated terriers were brought from England to help exterminate rats and snakes in Australia. After being crossbred with several types of English terriers, the brave, tenacious Australian terrier was born.

Beagle

The Greek historian Xenophon describes a beagle-like dog in Treatise on Hunting in the 5th century B.C. By the 1500s, English gentlemen were hunting with hounds, some of whom were of a smaller variety. These miniature hounds are said to be the ancestors of our modern beagle. Beagles were particularly attractive to hunters who couldn’t afford a horse as Beagles were small enough to be accompanied on foot.

Bichon Frise

This poofy pooch descended from the water spaniel and sailed the high seas of the Mediterranean in the 1600s. Sailors viewed the bichon as good luck, and a great companion.

According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), they were the preferred toy dog of French aristocrats until the French Revolution sent most of the Bichon’s owners off to prison, leaving these dogs to be adopted by street performers. This transition led to Bichon Frises performing in the circus and likely contributed to their highly-trainable nature.

Boston Terrier

Shortly after the Civil War in the United States, the English bulldog was crossed with an English terrier to create the Boston breed. Though first used for fighting, this trait was intentionally bred out to create the companion we have today.

Brussels Griffon

This spunky little sprout was bred in Belgium in the early-1800s and used to keep the horse quarters rat-free. The breeding trifecta for this scrappy pooch included the Ruby spaniel, the Pug, and the Affenpinscher.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Though toy spaniels have been around since at least the Rennaisance, the King Charles variety emerged in the 17th century as a product of a British royal with a penchant for breeding spaniels. Later in the 19th century, the breed was crossed with Asian toy breeds—most likely Pugs and Japanese Chins—to produce the breed known as the English Toy Spaniel in the United States or King Charles Spaniel in the UK.

Chihuahua

From the Toltecs in Mexico to the Mayans in South America, this little charmer has attracted civilizations since ancient times. It was introduced to Europe by Christopher Columbus and believed to have been crossed with the Chinese crested to achieve the smallest sizes we have today.

Dachshund

If you had a badger problem in 17th century Germany, you bred these dogs to dig and hunt for them. Dachshund literally means “badger dog” in German. In the last 60 years, their popularity has surged in the United States.

French bulldog

People loved their English bulldogs but wanted one they could hold on their lap. To achieve this end, English bulldogs were bred with French terriers (and maybe Pugs), and the French bulldog was born in the mid-1800s.

Italian Greyhound

The Italian greyhound presumably came being by repeatedly breeding small greyhounds with other small greyhounds.  Archeological evidence suggests that this miniature breed existed as far back as 2,000 years ago when the Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean. This breed was particularly popular during the Renaissance when owning a miniature dog was a sign of status.

Jack Russell Terrier

Originally bred to chase foxes, the Jack Russell Terrier is small and tenacious. Reverend John Russell’s breed has been flushing out foxes since the 1800s.

Lhasa Apso

Nowadays its bark may be worse than its bite, but over 4,000 years ago, a mountain wolf was domesticated and used as a guard dog for Tibetan nobility and Buddhist monasteries, culminating in the adorable Lhasa Apso we know and love today.

Maltese

Greek tombs existed for this royal dog, and Roman poetry sings praises for this regal pooch from the island of Malta. The Maltese was likely brought to Malta by travelers who passed through the Mediterranean island on their way to Italy.

Miniature Bull Terrier

The white English terrier may now be extinct, but this bold-snouted buddy carries its genes mixed with bulldog traits. This miniature breed was originally created to be an above-ground rat hunter.

Miniature Pinscher (Min Pin)

Though there’s debate over the origins of the min pin, the most commonly accepted theory is that they’re a cross between an Italian greyhound and a dachshund. They’re one of the most popular miniature breeds in Europe.

Norfolk Terrier

English breeder Frank Jones is responsible for the Norfolk terrier. He created this breed in the early 20th century to be excellent rat and fox hunters. The Norfolk terrier can be distinguished for their close cousin the Norwich terrier by their floppy ears.

Pomeranian

The Pomeranian is a descendant of much larger, more powerful sled dogs in the Spitz dog family. It’s said they were originally bred in the Northern European region of Pomerania. This miniature spitz breed has been popular among royalty since the 1800s.

Pug

Originally bred over 2,000 years ago as temple guardians, pugs were brought from China to Europe in the 16th century. Though we’re unsure of the Pug’s precise bloodline, we do know that Eastern nobility revered dogs with flat faces like the Pug, the Shih Tzu, and Pekingnese.

Shih Tzu

This little “lion dog” is also ancient, appearing in Chinese paintings back in the 7th century in the high court during the Ming Dynasty. They’re likely a cross between two other ancient Asian breeds: the Pekingese and the Lhasa Apso.

Toy Fox Terrier

Take a fox terrier, add Manchester, a pinch of pinscher, a dose of greyhound, chase it with Chihuahua, and you wind up with this toy dog breed, first recognized in 1936.

Yorkshire Terrier (Yorkie)

In the mid-1800s Scottish weavers bred several types of Scottish terriers to create the Yorkshire terrier to chase rodents inside of textile mills. When the Yorkie was recognized by the Kennel Club of England in the late-1800s, the breed became a popular lab dog for proper English ladies.

For more information on small dog breeds, check out the American Kennel Club’s dog breed directory.

Top photo via Flickr/Josiah Gordon