Two of these breeds have a weight written into the standard: the Shih Tzu at 9 to 16 pounds and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel at 13 to 18. The Bichon and Havanese standards give height only, so their pound figures are VCA’s, and the crosses have no standard at all.
Why this band is worth asking for
Ten to twenty pounds is the most practical size a small dog comes in: sturdier underfoot than a four-pound dog in a busy kitchen, still light enough to lift. Some figures below are written clauses, some come from a veterinary source because the standard is silent, and one breed has none at all.
Cavachon, Shichon and Cockerchon are marketplace names. No registry recognises them and none has a written standard, so each is a bracket between two parent documents, never a specification.
Breeds with a weight in the standard
Shih Tzu
The standard gives 9 to 16 pounds, 9 to 10½ inches ideal, never under 8 nor over 11. The coat is “luxurious, double-coated, dense, long, and flowing”, the muzzle “square, short”, and the temperament clause asks for a dog “outgoing, happy, affectionate, friendly and trusting towards all”. Dogs vary. See our Shih Tzu size chart.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
12 to 13 inches and 13 to 18 pounds, with a coat “free from curl”. The standard describes a friendly, non-aggressive dog with no tendency toward nervousness, and it is the largest breed here.
Breeds whose standard gives no weight
Bichon Frise
The standard prefers 9½ to 11½ inches, never over 12 nor under 9, and contains no weight. The 10 to 16 pound figure quoted everywhere is VCA’s. The coat is a soft undercoat under a coarser curling outer coat that springs back when patted, scissored to the natural outline.
Havanese
Nine to 10½ inches is ideal, 8½ to 11½ acceptable, with no weight. VCA puts adults at 7 to 13 pounds, so part of that range sits below this page’s edge. A corded coat is permitted, and the dog is slightly longer than tall. More on our Havanese mixes page.
Coton de Tulear
We publish no size figure for the Coton, because we cannot source one we trust. The cotton-textured coat is the breed’s defining feature, and the grooming it needs is real. On weight we would rather leave a blank.
The crosses
Cavachon (Cavalier crossed with Bichon Frise)
One parent standard gives 13 to 18 pounds, the other none, so the bracket rests on one written clause and one veterinary estimate. Coat can lean either way. See our Cavalier mixes page.
Shichon (Shih Tzu crossed with Bichon Frise)
Shih Tzu 9 to 16 pounds on one side, no weight clause on the other. The Shih Tzu parent may also pass on the short, square muzzle, which matters in a Georgia summer. See Shih Tzu mixes.
Cockerchon (Cocker Spaniel crossed with Bichon Frise)
Neither parent document contains a pound figure. The Cocker standard gives an ideal height of 15 inches for a male and 14 for a female, half an inch either way, and no weight; the Bichon standard is equally silent. That is why published Cockerchon weights disagree, and why this cross can finish above the band.
| Breed or cross | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Shih Tzu | 9 to 16 lb | The breed standard |
| Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | 13 to 18 lb | The breed standard |
| Bichon Frise | 10 to 16 lb | VCA; standard gives height |
| Havanese | 7 to 13 lb | VCA; standard gives height |
| Coton de Tulear | No figure published | We cannot source one |
| Cavachon | Bracket of two parents | No standard for the cross |
| Shichon | Bracket of two parents | No standard for the cross |
| Cockerchon | Bracket, no parent weight | Neither standard gives a weight |
Shih TzuMeet them- Bichon FriseMeet them
- HavaneseMeet them
Cavalier King Charles SpanielMeet them- CavachonMeet them
- ShichonMeet them
- CockerchonMeet them
- Coton De TulearMeet them
The honest trade-offs
Every breed here carries a coat and needs a groomer for life. The Shih Tzu, and any cross carrying its muzzle, belongs in the heat conversation. VCA names it among brachycephalic breeds where narrowed nostrils and an elongated soft palate can restrict airflow, and says the signs “are often worse in hot or humid weather”. Dogs cool themselves mainly by panting, which a Lawrenceville August makes harder. VCA also lists Shih Tzus among breeds prone to tracheal collapse, so use a harness. Only a vet examining a dog can assess its airway.
Veterinary guidance from Dr. Jerry Klein is that small breeds finish growing around six to eight months and reach full adult size by about twelve. We will not predict where in a bracket a puppy lands. Judge condition as VCA suggests: feel the ribs, look for a waist. For today’s showroom, see available puppies by breed.
Common questions
Which of these figures can I actually rely on?
The Shih Tzu and Cavalier clauses are written into their standards, which describe the adults a breed aims at, not one dog. The Bichon and Havanese numbers are VCA’s, because those standards give height only. The crosses have no document behind them.
Is a fifteen-pound dog better with children than a five-pound one?
It is harder to injure by accident, which is practical rather than a claim about temperament. How a dog does with children depends on the dog, the training and the supervision.
Why will you not give a Coton weight?
Because we cannot source a figure we would stand behind, and inventing one would be worse than a blank. Ask your veterinarian to weigh any Coton you consider.
Come and meet them in Lawrenceville
Every puppy here is health-checked by our on-staff veterinarian, raised in our family home nursery, and waiting to say hello.
1848 Old Norcross Rd, Lawrenceville, GA 30044
Mon–Sat 12:00–7:00 PM • Sun 2:00–6:00 PM
