7 Best Small Dog Breeds in Australia

Small dogs suit a huge range of Australian households: apartments, retirees, first-time owners, and busy families who want a dog without the exercise demands of a larger breed. But "small" doesn't mean "low-maintenance" across the board. Several of the most popular small breeds carry specific, well-documented health risks tied directly to their size and structure, and knowing those risks before bringing a puppy home makes a real difference over the dog's lifetime.

This guide covers seven small breeds that are consistently popular in Australia. A few well-known small breeds, including the Cavoodle, French Bulldog, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, and Spoodle, are already covered in detail in the family dog breeds guide, so this list focuses on breeds that guide doesn't cover.

Why Small Breeds Need Their Own Health Conversation

A few things are worth understanding before the individual profiles:

• Patellar luxation is disproportionately a small-breed problem. A slipping kneecap is one of the most common orthopaedic issues in small dogs, driven by their bone structure rather than body weight the way large-breed joint disease is.
• Dental disease hits small breeds harder. Smaller jaws mean more crowded teeth, and small breeds develop periodontal disease earlier and more severely than large breeds on average.
• Toy breeds are genuinely fragile as puppies. Hypoglycaemia risk, delicate bone structure, and vulnerability to rough handling or falls are real considerations in the first year, particularly for breeds under 3 kg.
• Longevity is a real advantage. Most small breeds live longer than medium and large dogs, commonly 12 to 16 years, which is worth weighing against any breed-specific health risks.

Toy Companion Breeds

1. Maltese

The Maltese is a gentle, affectionate toy breed with a striking pure white coat and a temperament suited to companionship above almost anything else. They're intelligent, generally easygoing, and adapt well to apartment living, though their long silky coat needs genuine daily commitment to stay free of matting.

Patellar luxation is common in the breed, as is early-onset dental disease given their small jaw. Tear staining around the eyes is a well-known cosmetic issue tied to the breed's facial structure rather than a health risk in itself.

2. Chihuahua

The Chihuahua is the smallest recognised dog breed and one of the most personality-dense. They're alert, loyal to the point of being one-person dogs in many cases, and often unaware of their own size in how boldly they interact with the world. Their small stature means genuine care is needed around handling, other pets, and cold weather.

Patellar luxation and dental disease are both common. Tracheal collapse appears at a meaningful rate, particularly in older Chihuahuas, and is worth discussing with a vet if a persistent honking cough develops.

3. Pomeranian

The Pomeranian is a confident, fluffy, fox-faced toy breed with a personality far bigger than its frame. They're alert, intelligent, and often make excellent small watchdogs, though their confidence sometimes outpaces their common sense around larger dogs. Their thick double coat is genuinely striking but needs regular grooming to prevent matting.

Patellar luxation and tracheal collapse are both breed considerations, alongside dental disease common to most toy breeds. Alopecia X, a coat-thinning condition sometimes nicknamed "black skin disease," appears in the breed and is one reason coat and skin support gets specific attention for Pomeranians.

4. Shih Tzu

The Shih Tzu is an affectionate, outgoing companion breed bred specifically for companionship rather than any working role, and it shows in their easygoing, people-focused temperament. They adapt well to apartment living and generally get along with children, other pets, and new people without much fuss.

Their flattened face brings some heat sensitivity, though less severe than true flat-faced breeds. Skin allergies and ear infections are relatively common given their long, dense coat and the moisture it can trap around the face and ears. Patellar luxation also appears in the breed.

5. Bichon Frise

The Bichon Frise is a cheerful, affectionate breed known for its curly white coat and consistently happy disposition. They're genuinely well suited to families, adapt easily to apartment living, and are one of the more reliably good-natured small breeds around children and other pets.

Skin allergies are a defining health issue for the breed, appearing at a notably high rate and often showing up as recurring ear infections, paw licking, or generalised itchiness. Patellar luxation and dental crowding are also common, as with most toy and small breeds.

Terrier Breeds

6. Jack Russell Terrier

The Jack Russell Terrier is a small dog with an outsized amount of energy, intelligence, and determination. Bred for fox hunting, they retain a genuinely strong prey drive, fearless temperament, and near-constant need for mental and physical engagement. An under-stimulated Jack Russell is one of the more challenging small dogs to live with; a well-exercised one is a sharp, engaging companion.

Patellar luxation and Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, a degenerative hip condition seen in small breeds, are both breed considerations. Their high drive and food motivation also make them well suited to training-based nutrition and reward strategies.

Brachycephalic Small Breeds

7. Pug

The Pug is a charming, sociable companion breed known for its flat face, expressive eyes, and consistently affectionate nature. They thrive on human company, are generally excellent with children, and adapt well to most living situations, though their brachycephalic structure brings some genuine health trade-offs that are worth understanding upfront.

Heat intolerance and breathing difficulty are the defining considerations for the breed, particularly in Australian summers. Skin fold dermatitis, caused by moisture trapping in facial folds, is common and needs regular cleaning to manage. Somewhat counterintuitively for a small breed, Pugs also carry a meaningful rate of hip dysplasia, and obesity is a significant risk given their low exercise tolerance and food motivation.

Health Patterns Across Small Breeds

Patellar luxation shows up almost everywhere on this list

Five of the seven breeds here carry a meaningful rate of luxating patella, a structural issue rather than a weight-driven one. Osteo Connect with glucosamine, chondroitin, and green-lipped mussel is a reasonable proactive addition for any small breed with a known predisposition, ideally started well before symptoms appear.

Skin allergies cluster in specific breeds, not across the board

The Bichon Frise and Shih Tzu both carry genuinely elevated rates of allergic skin disease, distinct from the general population of small dogs. Luminous marine omega-3 is worth prioritising specifically for these breeds rather than applying blanket coat support across every small dog.

Dental disease is close to universal and under-addressed

Every breed on this list carries an elevated risk of periodontal disease from crowded small jaws. This is more a dental-care conversation, regular brushing, dental chews, and vet check-ups, than a supplement one, but it's worth flagging since it's often the most overlooked health issue in small dogs.

High-drive small breeds need training rewards that match their food motivation

The Jack Russell Terrier and Pug are both strongly food-motivated, for very different reasons, prey drive versus general enthusiasm. Aussie Roo Chews single-ingredient kangaroo treats hold up as a high-value reward without adding excess kilojoules to a small dog's tightly balanced daily intake.

Choosing the Right Small Breed

Small breeds suit a wider range of Australian households than almost any other size category, but "easy" and "small" aren't the same thing. A Jack Russell Terrier needs as much daily engagement as some medium breeds. A Bichon Frise or Shih Tzu owner should expect ongoing conversations about allergies. A Pug owner needs to take heat and weight management seriously from day one.

Matching the breed's specific temperament and health profile to the household, rather than choosing on looks or size alone, is what makes a small dog a genuinely easy companion rather than a source of recurring vet visits.