Why were small companion dogs popular among royalty?

The story behind the answer

Small companion dogs were prized by royalty as intimate companions and living symbols of status. Bred for gentle temperaments and elegant looks, they appeared in court portraits, accompanied rulers in private chambers, and were exchanged as diplomatic gifts—clear signals of leisure, wealth, and exclusivity.

While some lapdogs warmed laps (“comforter spaniels”) and fashions came and went, those roles served the larger aim of displaying rank. Vermin control was the job of terriers, not palace lapdogs. Think Pekingese guarded in China’s Imperial Palace, Cavaliers favored by King Charles II, and B