Small ‘designer’ dog breeds have become a hit in Denmark, reports DR.

Dog breeds such as Chihuahua, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, French bulldog, Shih Tzu and Pug are among the most popular in Danish households.

Popular Chinese breed
According to the Danish Dog Register (DHR), the proportion of tiny-sized dogs among all newly-registered dogs increased from 24.6 percent in 2007 to 34.1 percent in 2014.

Of the 65,217 newly-registered dogs in 2014, some 22,235 were small breeds.

And while in 2007 DHR registered 461 Shih Tzus, seven years later Danes owned 1,843 dogs of this Chinese breed.

Paris Hilton effect
Lise Lotte Christensen, a behavioural consultant at the Danish Kennel Club, explained tiny dog breeds gained in popularity when the US celebrity, Paris Hilton, started to appear in the media with her pet dog Tinkerbell.

“Suddenly, a whole new segment of dog owners emerged – namely young women who wanted a pet dog, whom they could carry under arm and accessorise,” Christensen told DR.

Since then, small dogs have become generally popular but continue being preferred mostly by first-time dog owners.

Fit modern lifestyle
“Tiny dogs fit very well with the modern lifestyle,” Christensen said.

“They are not nearly as demanding as larger dogs and in a world where people want to have time to fit in the work and see friends, it’s easier with a little dog.”

According to the DHR, there are approximately 585,000 registered dogs in Denmark.