Hugh Klein, age 11, of Nashville, Tenn., for his question:

WHICH IS THE SMALLEST BREED OF DOGS?

Smallest breed of dogs in the world is the Chihuahua. It is pronounced che wa wa. The little animal, classed as toy, stands only five inches tall and weighs from one to six pounds.

Chihuahuas are a pure American breed that comes from Mexico. It shares its name with one of Mexico's northern states.

Chihuahuas have very slender bodies and are quick in movement.

They may be almost any color and appear in two varieties: long haired and short haired.

The tiny dogs are often called "pillow dogs." Originally their owners let them sleep inside pillows for warmth.

Chihuahuas originated more that 500 years ago, the experts say.