Small rescue dogs for adoption and rehoming in and around East Lothian

As of 8 November 2026, no small dogs are listed for adoption in and around East Lothian on LocalPetFinder. Rescues add animals all the time, so this page fills as they list them.

None of the small dogs listed in East Lothian today has a breed we group into a breed page. Breed labels on rescue listings are often a best guess, so read each profile.

Not right now: no small dogs are listed in and around East Lothian today. See every older dog in East Lothian.

Often, though energy and noise can matter as much as size in a flat. No small dogs are listed in and around East Lothian today. Our flat-friendly dogs page lists the dogs whose rescue says they suit a flat.

It depends on the breed and the dog. The Royal Kennel Club gives up to 30 minutes per day for the Maltese and up to 1 hour per day for the Boston Terrier. Ask the rescue how much exercise a particular dog is used to.

Among small breeds, The Royal Kennel Club lists the Maltese, Italian Greyhound, Miniature Schnauzer, Toy Poodle, Havanese and Lhasa Apso as breeds that do not shed. A coat that does not shed keeps growing, so expect more grooming, not less: it suggests grooming every day for the Maltese, once a week for the Italian Greyhound and more than once a week for the Miniature Schnauzer. Rescue dogs whose breed is known for shedding very little are on our hypoallergenic dogs page.

Each rescue sets its own adoption fee, and Dogs Trust charges £300 for a puppy or adult dog in England, Wales and Scotland. The fee usually covers neutering, microchipping and first vaccinations, and each rescue confirms its own fee.

No. We don't list animals for sale. Every small dog on this page is with a rescue or rehoming centre. Rescues rehome animals rather than selling them, usually for an adoption fee: for example, Dogs Trust £300. The fee usually goes towards vet work already done, such as neutering, microchipping and first vaccinations. In Scotland, Lucy's Law has banned the third-party sale of puppies under six months since 1 September 2021.

Not here: we only list dogs with rescues, so every small dog listed here is adopted for the rescue's fee, which usually covers vet work already done. Whether to buy is your choice. Adopting means the rescue can tell you what it knows about the dog's history and health before you apply. If you decide to buy, The Royal Kennel Club runs a Find a Puppy service, and Dogs Trust's breed guides suggest talking to your vet first: they say some practices offer pre-purchase consultations on likely health conditions and rough costs.

Usually not. UK rescues normally ask for an adoption fee, which pays towards neutering, microchipping and vaccinations. Many rescue fees are under £500: Dogs Trust charges £300 for a puppy or adult dog. An animal offered "free to a good home" is usually a private advert rather than a rescue. All dogs in the UK must be microchipped by 8 weeks old, and in England, Wales and Scotland a dog can't pass to a new keeper until it is chipped, so ask to see the microchip details.

As of 8 November 2026, no small dogs are listed in and around East Lothian, so there are no puppies among them either. Most animals in rescue are adults, and puppies that do come in are usually rehomed quickly, so an email alert beats checking back.

This page lists every small dog with the rescues we list in East Lothian and within about 25 miles of it, East Lothian first and then nearest first, each with its town and distance. You can also see small dogs across Scotland. To see what is closest to you, search by postcode with the pet finder on our home page. To hear when one is listed, set up an email alert on this page.