The number-one small breed in the United States, the dachshund comes in two sizes and three coat types. The miniature weighs nine to eleven pounds, in line with our definition of a small dog. Both versions come in smooth, wirehaired, or longhaired coat types and are available in a rainbow of single colors, two-color combinations, dapples, and brindles. Its grooming needs depend on coat type, from the low-maintenance smooth version to the setter-like coat of the longhair, which should be brushed daily, to the coarse-coated wirehair, which must occasionally be hand-stripped.

Called a sausage dog, hot dog, and wiener dog, the Doxie will bring a smile to your face with its comical demeanor and winning personality. As originally developed, it was one formidable hunter, killing badgers that weighed as much as forty-five pounds. With that low-slung body perfectly suited for tunneling underground, it will happily dig up your flower bed in pursuit of who knows what. This mighty mite is versatile, excelling in obedience, tracking, agility, field trials, Earthdog events, and therapy work. Although the Doxie is a great family dog, children need to be taught how to handle it because its long back makes it prone to back problems.