There is a common saying about animals that they learn and grow on their own. Raising a man’s child is way more demanding than raising an animal’s child. But when it comes to bringing dogs as pets, it demands training and care, just like a human child.
Now, we do not say that animals are as demanding as human beings, but yes, to make them thrive in our environments, they need proper training and socialization. Here we will be focusing on the smartest small dog breeds that offer companionship, lighten up your mood and space with their presence, and yet are easy to train.
These breeds qualify for small spaces, and new pet parents and grown-up children can also handle them. While we say they are easy to train, owners must be careful because their intelligence often gets in the way of their training.
In this guide, we aim to focus on seven small dogs that are easy to train and bring everyday ease. This will help you pick a dog that matches your home, schedule, and style.
Intelligent Small Dog Breeds Ready to Train
1. Miniature Poodle
The Miniature Poodle is an intelligent pup that weighs between 10 and 15 pounds and is a pleasant and high-spirited breed. It is an eager-to-learn breed that is adaptable to different environments and households and gets along well with children. It is a versatile and playful breed that can lead a group and follow orders.
Considering its training, it is an easy-to-train breed that picks up new commands and can learn anything the owner wishes to teach it quickly, even if it’s complex. Back in the day, they were used in circuses by gypsies to perform tricks because they were quick learners. So, they respond best to positive reinforcement and engaging training methods.
Apart from their brains, they have a playful personality and thrive when they get to exercise regularly, followed by fun activities: tug of war, food puzzles, swimming, and long walks, etc.
2. Shetland Sheepdog
The Shetland Sheepdog, also called Sheltie, is known for being the comedian of the dog world. It weighs between 15 and 25 pounds and is an eager-to-please dog that likes to show off once it has learned something new. Earlier, they were bred to herd livestock, while today they make affectionate dogs that meet the needs of the unique environment.
Hill’s Pet says that with their eager-to-please nature, intelligence is combined, which is why they excel at obedience training and agility. And as they were bred for herding, it illustrates that they are smart dogs that enjoy discovering unfamiliar tricks and challenges.
Shelties can be vocal and will bark to alert the owners of anything that’s unusual. They require early socialization, which helps them get along well with other pets.
3. Papillon
The Papillon is one of the small dogs that weighs 5-10 pounds, and is famous for its cute appearance, eyes, and ears that look like butterfly wings. It is one of the easiest breeds to train, which is happy, alert, and friendly. They are small in size, but they think of themselves as big dogs. Bred to be lap dogs, they even serve the role today remarkably.
What defines their energy and intelligence is that they are quick learners but even quicker to play and enjoy activities like catching, leash walking, outdoor playtime, and performing tricks while staying close to their owners. They excel at obedience training and in the agility ring as well.
Papillons are healthy dogs with a lifespan of 14-16 years, but some of the conditions require extra care, such as dental problems, Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA), and tracheal collapse, etc.
4. Miniature Schnauzer
The Miniature Schnauzer is known for its sturdy build, wiry coat, and bright appearance. It is an active, happy, alert, and obedient dog that was bred to work as an all-around farm helper and rat hunter. Today, the breed likes to be the center of attention in family life.
They have a spirited personality and thrive in households when they are provided with consistent training, exercise, and socialization. Its trainable nature makes it respond to positive reinforcement methods well and follow cues and commands.
They are easy to train but demand patience and consistency. Further, it is a low-shedding breed that makes it ideal for new dog owners.
5. Bichon Frise
The Bichon Frise is also called a small fluff ball that is affectionate, cheerful, playful, sensitive, and gentle. Their fluffy coat adds to their cheerful look, and because of their affectionate nature, they tend to get along well with everyone. PDSA writes that these are lap dogs that quickly jump for a cuddling session and do not miss any cuddling opportunity.
These fluffy dogs are always eager to please their owners, and as they are trainable dogs, they bark when alert owners of unusual sounds. Being among the easiest dog breeds, they enjoy learning new tricks, neighborhood walks, playing with their favorite toys, and tug of war, etc. The interesting fact about this breed is that it turns a simple game into a useful learning session.
Since Bichon Frise is a hypoallergenic breed, it is suitable for allergy sufferers too. But the coat demands brushing and a professional grooming session.
6. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
One of the family-friendly dogs that weighs 13-18 pounds was bred to warm laps in castles and on chilly carriage rides. Even today, their loving, affectionate, gentle, and eager-to-please nature makes them qualify for apartment living because they remain calm at home.
They learn commands quickly when they are instructed gently. To see them as confident and well-mannered dogs, early socialization is extremely important. Their flexibility makes them easy to train, dogs that adapt to different lifestyles easily. This breed makes a great family dog that does not demand extensive exercise for its mental stimulation.
Being classy and attentive, the breed has a medium-length coat that demands basic grooming and focusing on regular brushing. When around kids, constant supervision is required.
7. Boston Terrier
Boston Terriers are spunky dogs with lots of energy and a tidy tuxedo look. They are affectionate, people-oriented, intelligent, and playful dogs that were originally bred as fighting dogs. But today, we know them as funny, easy-to-train, and wonderful companion dogs.
They thrive in any environment when they are provided with enough exercise and proper training. PetMD says they are incredibly smart and respond best to positive reinforcement methods. To have successful training sessions with a Boston Terrier, they must be positive, patient, and training turned into an interactive game session.
Because of their comical personality, they get along with all age groups of people. They enjoy working with owners who prefer a softer approach to teaching commands.
Conclusion
Here we conclude by saying that patience and consistency are the key to a successful training session. The best dogs are not the ones that are big in size or are highly intelligent. Even small dogs with a mixture of problem-solving skills, an affectionate and playful personality, and an easier routine bring light to the owner’s life.
Training not only helps in managing the dogs, but it also helps in controlling their unwanted behaviors. And the breeds that we have mentioned, be it Boston Terrier or Bichon Frise, all of them qualify as wonderful companions with playful and lively personalities. They are ideal for active households, adaptable to any environment, and first-time owners.
