Brought to you by Training your Puppy in 5 Minutes
Most of the toy breeds were developed from the other major dog groups, their behaviors similar to the breeds from which they were derived. Toys acclimate easily to any living space and, due to their small size, do not require much space to receive proper exercise. Most of these breeds have house-training problems; however, this is due more to their being spoiled than to their own stubbornness, although that can be part of the problem. If not trained, toy breeds tend to bark excessively and are easily aggravated if they don't get what they want.
These dogs may be itty-bitty as pups, but they are still highly capable of learning everything taught to a larger-breed puppy. In fact, toys learn quickly, and they thoroughly enjoy the training interaction. A trained toy dog is an incredible companion. One of the many jobs available to a trained toy dog is therapy work. The size of the dog makes him very portable and appealing.
Reprinted from Training Your Puppy in 5 Minutes © 2004. Permission granted by Kennel Club Books, an imprint of BowTie Press.