The Smallest Dog on Record

There are many people that claim to have had the smallest dog ever, and it is difficult to keep up with who is right. It is important that the dog be over one year old to ensure that he has actually stopped growing when deciding whether a dog is the smallest or not.
According to some, the smallest dog on record was a tiny Yorkshire Terrier named Sylvia. Sylvia was owned by Arthur Marples of England, and she died in 1945. It is said that she was two and a half inches tall and measured three and a half inches from her nose to the base of her tail. She was reported to have weighed only about four ounces.
If these statistics are true, Sylvia was certainly the smallest dog ever on record.

Guinness World Record Smallest Dogs

Nearly every year, someone claims they have a smaller dog than the current title holder. Here are some of the dogs that have claimed the titled of the smallest dog alive in the past few years.

Danka

 

In 2004, the smallest dog was Danka, a long coat Chihuahua that measured a little less than seven and a half inches.

Brandy

Heaven Sent Brandy is a female Chihuahua that measures six inches from her nose to the tip of her tail.

Dancer

Dancer is also a Chihuahua. He is reported to weigh only 18 ounces and stand four inches tall at the shoulder.

Ducky

In 2007, a smooth coat Chihuahua named Ducky won the Guinness title of smallest dog in the world. He stood just under five inches tall and weighed one and a half pounds.

Scooter

In 2009, a tiny Maltese named Scooter was reported to be the smallest dog in the world at just three inches tall. However, Scooter was not yet a year old at the time of the report, and he could have grown before reaching his first birthday.

Tom Thumb

A Chihuahua and Jack Russell mix was also reported to be the smallest dog in 2009. Tom Thumb is about one third as big as an average guinea pig. Although Tom Thumb weighed just a few ounces, he was still a puppy and may have grown larger by the time he reached adulthood.

Boo Boo

Boo Boo is a diminutive, long coat Chihuahua that is only four inches tall at the shoulder and weighs one and a half ounces.

Smallest Breed of Dog

Officially, the Chihuahua is the smallest breed of dog in the world. These dogs are generally less than six inches tall, and they must weigh not more than six pounds to fit the ideal American Kennel Club standard.

While many small dogs are generally healthy, it is important to note that the tiniest dogs on record often have a variety of health problems or live very short lives due to their unique needs. Getting a vaccine or antibiotic can be life threatening if the vet miscalculates the minute amount of medication to use. Tiny dogs are interesting to read about, but most people would find them difficult to own.