Shih Tzu

Bred for centuries purely as an indoor companion, a Shih Tzu is calm, sociable and undemanding about exercise, and many settle happily into a home with quiet hours in the day. The flat face is the honest caveat: breathing, eye and dental problems are common, and the breed is now part of the Royal Kennel Club's breathing-test scheme, so ask to see the parents' grades and choose a puppy with open nostrils. The coat needs daily brushing or a short clip every couple of months.