Dogs surely do make wonderful pets, showering you with almost unconditional love and affection. Not only do they give you this gift directly, more than one study has shown that simply owning a dog can lower your blood pressure (though we admit they can also raise it, at least briefly!).

But what kind of dog is the right kind for you? Should you get a small breed, or something larger? And if you opt for the small dog, what choices do you have? Which breed is best for you?

These days, more and more pet owners are gravitating to the small dog, and even very small dogs. Of course, some of this is celebrity influence. Who minds feeling a little like Paris Hilton, heading out to the town with her adorable, pocket-sized pup tucked into a faux alligator dog tote? Almost no one. But more down-to-earth reasons for small dog ownership include the fact that small dogs can be very convenient.

The small breeds bred as lap dogs are born companion animals. They don’t have the needs of some larger, working dogs for hours of exercise, useful jobs and intellectual stimulation. Unlike a Rottweiler or a Dalmatian, a toy dog doesn’t need you to live in a big house with a large, fenced yard. In fact, you can live in a studio apartment and still have no trouble keeping one.

Small dogs are also perfect for elderly people, especially those who live alone. In fact, the only families small dogs don’t mesh well with are the large, boisterous kind with young children. If you have that kind of family, take a hard look at some of the larger, more resilient family-dog breeds like Labradors and golden retrievers. A young child can easily injure a toy dog, purely by accident.

This isn’t to say that small dogs come without needs. They share a lot of needs with their larger brethren – needs for exercise, play, excitement, grooming, and above all, training. Even your tiny toy dog can think of himself as the head of the family pack if you ignore his need for training, which can put a strain on your relationship when it comes time for important lessons, like house training. But for most people, these needs are slightly more manageable when presented in a pint -sized package.

Click here to learn more about toy dog breeds.