Toy Group /

Toy Group is the name of a breed Group of the smallest kinds of dogs, used by kennel clubs to classify a defined collection of dog breeds. Toy Group does not necessarily refer to one particular type of dog. Most major English-language kennel clubs include a Toy Group although different kennel clubs may not include the same breeds in their Toy Group. The international kennel club association, the Fédération Cynologique Internationale, includes toy dogs in Group 9 Companion and Toy Dogs, which is then further broken down into eleven Sections based on dog type and breed history. The use of the term toy to refer to dogs is based on tradition, and is not a precise classification. Dogs traditionally referred to as toy dogs are usually the very smallest dogs. Toy dogs can be one of several dog types. Some are of ancient lap dog types, and some are small versions of hunting dog, Spitz, or terrier types, bred down in size for a particular kind of work or to create a pet of convenient size. The very smallest dogs are sometimes called Teacup, although no major dog registry recognizes that term. The term "toydog" is also criticized, as pets should not be considered being toys. Although there