Italian Greyhound

Picture a Greyhound shrunk to around five kilos, with the same love of sleep and soft furnishings and a short coat that barely sheds or smells. It is quiet and light enough for a top-floor flat, but it is not the toughest dog here: young dogs can break a leg jumping off a sofa, the teeth need daily brushing, and many refuse to go out in the rain, which makes house training slow. Of the sighthounds on this list it is the most likely to want company, so it suits a household where someone is home at lunch.