Pet ownership in Japan for a not so pet-friendly country, Japanese have found ways to incorporate their pets into their everyday lives. One method is to choose small dog breeds as their companions. Some common dog breeds for Japanese families are chihuahuas, miniature dachshunds, and toy poodles. The most common reason for choosing small breed dogs are the lack of space, and easier cleaning. Although small dogs are preferred, one of the most popular dog breeds in Japan is the Shiba Inu, which can grow to be two feet tall and weigh up to 25 pounds. Some Japanese prefer the Shiba Inu because they
Feist (dog) still often called "feists". The terriers brought to the US in the 1890s from England were crossed with feist dogs already here, in addition to some of the toy breeds (Toy Fox Terrier, Manchester Terrier, and Chihuahua) to develop the feist dogs known today. The word "feist" is described in" Webster's Third New International Dictionary" as from the obsolete word "fysting", meaning "breaking wind, in such expressions as fysting dog or fysting hound". Feist is defined as "1. chiefly dial: a small dog of uncertain ancestry..." The word feisty - "energetic, belligerent, esp. if small" is derived from the dog,