October 28, 2025, 5:28 am | Read time: 5 minutes
Small, smaller, mini dog. Whether Chihuahuas, Pomeranians, or Toy Poodles–dogs in XXS have been trending for years and are getting even smaller. This brings significant health problems, but it doesn’t seem to deter breeding. In the Netherlands, the campaign “Don’t Buy Mini Dogs” has started. Will there soon be a ban? And what is the situation in Germany?
On October 20, the national campaign “Don’t Buy Mini Dogs” was launched in the Netherlands, as reported by the Dutch veterinary magazine “Vetlife.” Large posters feature small, cute dogs like Chihuahuas–above them, the words in large, purple letters “Klein maar pijn” (loosely translated: “Small but with Pain”). The campaign specifically targets the sale of dogs under three kilograms.
These so-called mini dogs may look cute at first glance, but their size brings significant health issues such as hernias, neck pain, breathing difficulties, loose kneecaps, serious dental problems, and chronic stress. “Most owners don’t recognize the pain signals. When we see them, it’s often already severe,” “Vetlife” quotes Dutch veterinarian Joyce Hofman, who sees six to ten mini dogs with such complaints daily in her practice.
Health Problems of Mini Dogs
The problem with breeding mini dogs is that the smallest dogs are always selected. It’s all about appearance, and often it’s not checked whether all the organs are healthy. These don’t shrink in the same proportion as the bones. So, the brain often doesn’t fit in the skull, and the tongue and soft palate don’t fit in the mouth.
This leads to a range of health problems that can severely affect the animals’ quality of life, causing pain and suffering. These include neurological disorders like Chiari malformation, which can lead to chronic pain and neurological deficits. Knee problems such as patellar luxation, causing lameness and other joint issues, are almost the norm in small dogs under three kilograms.
There are also jaw problems, dental misalignments, and tartar formation, as well as breathing problems, especially when dwarfism is combined with brachycephaly, or short-headedness.
Mini Dogs Have a Hard Time Socializing
Due to their size, mini dogs are at high risk of injury when interacting with other, larger dogs. These don’t even have to “mean harm.” A careless movement, and a leg is broken. This often leads to small dogs being constantly stressed. Owners rarely stand up for their pets, protect them, or make an effort to socialize them properly with considerate large dogs and playmates of the right size.
This is also a reason why many small dogs become “barkers” or “snappy.” You can learn more about this in this article: Are Chihuahuas Really That Aggressive? Experts Weigh In.
Will Mini Dogs Soon Be Banned in the Netherlands?
Whether the campaign will actually lead to a ban remains to be seen. However, the Netherlands is a pioneer in the EU when it comes to banning harmful breeding practices. As early as 2023, the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature, and Food Quality definitively banned the breeding of brachycephalic dogs with certain defect characteristics.
Since many small dog breeds like Pomeranians–especially those under three kilograms–now exhibit harmful breeding traits, a ban on mini dogs could soon follow.
Mini Dog Ban–These Breeds Would Be Affected
Such a ban would primarily affect breeds known for their small size, especially the Chihuahua. According to the breeding standard of the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI), the world’s largest canine organization, which German breeders also follow, Chihuahuas should not be bred. The standard states for “size and weight”: “Ideal weight between 1.5 and 3 kilograms. However, dogs between 500 grams and 1.5 kilograms are accepted. Specimens over 3 kilograms are excluded.”1
Other breeds known for being mini dogs would not be affected according to the breeding standard. These include Miniature Pinschers, which should weigh 4 to 6 kilograms, and also Pomeranians, for which no minimum weight is specified, but the shoulder height should be around 20 centimeters, typically corresponding to a weight of about 3.5 to 4 kilograms.
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Should Mini Dogs Also Be Banned in Germany?
The problem, however, is less with registered breeding clubs, as the Dutch campaign emphasizes. The massive import of extremely small dogs from countries like Russia, Belarus, and other parts of Eastern Europe is concerning. In these countries, there are often no genetic tests. Many puppies that end up in the Netherlands carry hidden hereditary diseases, it continues.
This problem also exists in Germany. A breeding ban on mini dogs would therefore be insufficient. Ownership and acquisition would also need to be banned. But how do German dog owners feel about this?
Majority of Dog Owners in Germany Welcome the Campaign
In the forum of the app “Dogorama,” now used by more than 850,000 dog owners, users could discuss the topic of a mini dog ban. The overwhelming majority of users welcomed the campaign positively. Many even call for a Europe-wide or German ban on mini dogs and other harmful breeding practices. Some users emphasize that existing bans in Germany are often not enforced and express skepticism about the effectiveness of new rules.