Maltese puppy Scooter contender for world’s smallest dog

It wasn’t that long ago that we published an article on Tilly, the 15 inch little dog that may become Britain’s smallest dog.  However, now we might be looking at a new contender for the world’s smallest dog – so meet Scooter, a Maltese puppy whose owner believes may be the world’s smallest dog, if he’s stopped growing that is.

Scooter lives in New Zealand with his owner Cheryl McKnight and currently, at six months old, he is only a mere 8 centimetres (3.2 inches) tall!  In fact, from the tip of his nose to the end of his tail, he measures only 20 centimetres and weighs less than 400 grams.

The current holder of the Guinness Book of World Records title for the world’s smallest dog is Boo Boo, a long hair Chihuahua from the United States.

As you can see from this picture, which has catapulted the Maltese puppy to fame this week, Ms McKnight has cups of tea larger than her dog.

In fact, the little ball of fluff is so small that his owner has made him a jumper from a bright purple sock so people won’t stand on him.  His eats from an egg cup and sleeps in a shoebox; it’s like something from a children’s book.  Yet, Ms McKnight very nearly gave Scooter away.

Ms McKnight said:

“It really is quite something. I can’t take him for a walk or put a leash on him.  For the first 10 weeks or so I didn’t really want him.  I thought nah, someone else can have him. But over time I’ve fallen in love with him.”

Scooter’s first name when Ms McKnight bought him was Pee Wee, but she reportedly renamed him so he wouldn’t develop an inferiority complex.  He was born in a litter of three puppies and was bred by Ms McKnight’s sister, a dog breeder of Maltese puppies.  Technically, Scooter should weigh more than twice his current weight before he should leave his mother.  Bless him, he still can’t make it up the stairs!

Darren Jamieson