Good Toy Companion Dogs?

Im not really familiar with small breeds.. but the Toy Poodle, Brussels Griffon, Havanese,and Pug are all excellent intelligent companion dogs..
[linkhttp://www.akc.org/breeds/toy_group.cfm]http://www.akc.org/breeds/toy_group.cfm[/link]

The Shih Tzu is a great companion dog. It is not considered toy but they are small many weighing  9 to 11 pounds. Ask the breeder about the size of the parents as some can weigh up to 16 pounds. Still little but those few pounds do make a big difference in size. They require daily grooming and insist on constant attention. Mine does not let me get out of his sight. He is very lovable and smart. He weighs 9 pounds at 7 months but will probably top out at 10 or 11. He is very small.
Syglenda

Depends on your lifestyle.. just because a pug is a toy doesn't mean it fits most folks lives...

yes i agree with always pugged

Well , of course I think Paps make the perfect companion dogs. they are very smart, very silly, stay puppy like. Pretty much wash and wear, but they are very delicate, and fragile. and I don't think they  should  be in a family w/ children or large dogs, one of the strudier breeds mentioned above would do better.

I am very partial to toy poodles, and also love paps as companion dogs.  They are both very smart and housetrain well.  However, before you get one of these dogs you really have to be ready to be living with a dog who will be velcroed to you for life.  I think it was deb who described her two paps as being "up her butt" all day long.  Also, some of these toy dogs are very much "one person" dogs.  They will enjoy everyone they meet, but have that special someone (me!!) who they will do everything for and want to do everything with. 

There are some toy dogs I don't prefer at all, and I'm not trying to offend any owners of those dogs, it's just my personal preference.  Pomeranians and Maltese drive me insane, as many pom and maltese owners don't bother  to spend the time teaching the little darlings that excessive barking is unacceptable.  Chi's are good companions but without strong leadership they can become very possessive of their owners.  Bichons are notoriously difficult to housetrain. 

Dachshunds!  Mini dachshunds max at about 10-12 lbs., some are smaller.  They are a bit stubborn, but smart, so if you train them well, it is no prob.  Zoe can go hiking with me but is just as happy sitting on my lap or laying around.  People constantly want to pet her and think she is adorable!  They can also be guard dogs... letting you know when they hear sounds!

I think that if you have young kids your don't want a small delicate dog. Kids, even if they don't know they are, tend to be a little rough with small dogs. But if you don't have young kids than your options are a whole lot more open. Just remember small dogs tend to have big problems so be carful where you get the dog from and it's history.

Dachshunds are crazy stubborn, and really active, but a whole lot of fun!

Teenie is 13 pounds, and we've decided that she's a slightly oversized mini. She's a total blast.

Most of the toy dogs are fantastic, especially if they're well bred and cared for. It just depends on what your lifestyle is like, and what you need.

ORIGINAL: syglenda

The Shih Tzu is a great companion dog. It is not considered toy but they are small many weighing  9 to 11 pounds.

 
Actually they are toys, they're in the AKC toy group. I agree that they're great companions! Gingerbread is snuggling with my husband on the couch right now. [] He's with me all the time and just an awesome little dog. They do have a slight independent and stubborn streak.
 
As far as a dog that listens well and is smart, is this for an obedience or agility dog? The toy breed that I think is most suited to those activities is the Papillon.

This is of course coming from a pom mom....but I think Poms are great. They tend to be on the super small scale..mine is only 6.5 pounds and a bit bigger then ones I have seen. They love to play..but also are great at cuddling. The biggest thing is teaching them not to be barkers at everything...other then that they are good dogs.
Good luck in your search!

If you are looking for a small dog and aren't sure what you want, try the local shelters.  Sometimes they have some incredible dogs for adoption.  If your heart is set on a purebred, I'd suggest looking at dogbreedinfo.com after you figure out what requirements you have for your dog...(How much maintenance for the coat, whether you want a dog whose main function is an alarm, size, exercise requirements and such.)

Go to local shelters, even if you want a purebred. Right now, at my local Animal Control, there is one toy Poodle (who's been adopted and is coming home with ME next week), one Miniature Pinscher, and quite a few larger purebred dogs.

Last month, they had five or six Chihuahuas.

There are always small dogs looking for homes!