Purebred Puppy Breeds in Georgia

A purebred puppy comes with a written breed standard: a document the breed’s parent club maintains, specifying size, coat and temperament before the puppy exists. That is what “predictable” honestly means. We keep sixteen purebred small and toy breeds (we carry the miniature Dachshund and Toy and Miniature Poodles only; the figures below quote the full breed standard) in Lawrenceville, and every figure below is read off those standards.

What a breed standard actually buys you

A standard is written by a breed’s national parent club and published by the registry that recognises it. It fixes height or weight in a clause, describes the coat, and puts temperament into words. Before a litter is born you can read what its adults are meant to be. That is the real argument for a purebred, and the one thing a cross cannot offer — see designer breeds for the other side of it.

Two honest limits. A standard describes a breed, not an individual: dogs vary, and a puppy you meet beats a paragraph you read. It is also not a health document, and says nothing about how a particular dog will breathe or stay sound. Ask a veterinarian.

Grouped by what you are choosing between

The toy companions

The Chihuahua standard caps weight at 6 pounds and describes an alert dog with terrier-like self-importance. The Maltese standard says under 7 pounds, with 4 to 6 preferred, on a gentle-mannered, affectionate dog. The Pomeranian standard gives 3 to 7 pounds and an extrovert with a vivacious spirit. The Miniature Pinscher standard gives 10 to 12½ inches and a dog of fearless animation and complete self-possession. These are the tightest size clauses on the site.

The coated breeds that need a groomer

The Bichon Frise standard gives 9½ to 11½ inches, a soft undercoat under a curling outer coat, and a gentle-mannered, sensitive, playful dog. The Havanese standard gives 8½ to 11½ inches on a long, soft double coat. The Coton de Tulear standard describes a cottony, dry-textured coat on a small dog a little under a foot at the shoulder; we describe rather than quote a size we cannot source. The Poodle standard sets Toy under 10 inches, Miniature over 10 and not over 15, and Standard over 15 — see the Poodle size chart. The Miniature Schnauzer standard gives 12 to 14 inches, alert and spirited yet obedient to command. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel standard gives 12 to 13 inches and 13 to 18 pounds, on a friendly dog with no tendency towards nervousness. The Cocker Spaniel standard sets an ideal height of 15 inches for a male and 14 for a female, under heavy feathering. All of these need a groomer or daily brushing.

The short-coated breeds

The Boston Terrier standard judges weight in classes from under 15 pounds to not exceeding 25, on a smooth coat and a friendly, lively dog. The French Bulldog standard allows up to 28 pounds on heavy bone and a smooth coat, on an adaptable dog that is not unduly boisterous. The smooth Chihuahua, the smooth Dachshund and the Miniature Pinscher belong here too. Grooming is a weekly brush, not an appointment — but short-coated is not shed-free.

The long-backed ones

The Dachshund standard describes a dog low to ground, long in body and short of leg, courageous to the point of rashness, at 16 to 32 pounds for standards and 11 pounds and under for miniatures. The Pekingese standard allows any weight within a 14-pound limit, on a heavy front and a long stand-off coat. VCA notes that breeds with long backs and short bowed legs show faster disc deterioration, with obesity and repeated jarring adding to the risk. Plan for weight control and fewer jumps off furniture.

The short-muzzled ones

The French Bulldog, Pekingese, Shih Tzu and Boston Terrier. The Shih Tzu standard gives 9 to 16 pounds and 8 to 11 inches on a breed it calls outgoing, happy and trusting towards all, under a long double coat — see the Shih Tzu size chart. VCA names these among brachycephalic breeds and says the signs are often worse in hot or humid weather. Dogs cool themselves mainly by panting, and a Georgia summer gives you heat and humidity together. We will not predict how any individual puppy breathes; only a veterinarian examining the dog can assess its airway.

• Bichon FriseMeet them
• Boston TerrierMeet them
• Cavalier King Charles SpanielMeet them
• ChihuahuaMeet them
• Cocker SpanielMeet them
• Coton De TulearMeet them
• DachshundMeet them
• French BulldogMeet them
• HavaneseMeet them
• MalteseMeet them
• Miniature PinscherMeet them
• Miniature SchnauzerMeet them
• PekingeseMeet them
• PomeranianMeet them
• PoodleMeet them
• Shih TzuMeet them

The honest tradeoffs

A standard narrows the range; it does not remove variation, and it guarantees nothing about health. Purebred does not mean easier, either: many of these sixteen are a standing grooming commitment, and housetraining a small dog usually takes longer than people expect. What it gives you is a written description you can check the adult dog against. For what is in the showroom, see available puppies by breed.

Common questions

What is a breed standard?

It is the written description of a breed, maintained by that breed’s national parent club and published by the registry recognising it. It covers size, structure, coat and temperament, and it is what a show judge measures against.

Does a standard guarantee my puppy’s adult size?

No. It tells you the range the breed should fall in, far narrower than a cross, but individual dogs finish outside it. We will not predict an adult weight as a fact.

Are purebreds healthier than crosses?

A breed standard is not a health document, and we do not publish disease figures either way. Ask your veterinarian about the breed you are considering, before you choose rather than after.