Brandy the world's smallest dog stands only as tall as a Coke can. The dog, named Heaven Sent Brandy, a four-year-old female chihuahua measuring 15.2 cm (6 inches) from tail to nose, was awarded the title of "the smallest dog in terms of length" by the Guinness Book Of Records in January 2005. (Click to enlarge images)
And such is Brandy's size that in the three years since he was awarded the title, she hasn't grown - in fact, she is so small that she can't even bark.
Her owner, Paulette Keller from Largo, Florida, USA picked up Brandy when she was just 9 months old.
"She hasn't grown at all and she weighs only 2lb," says the 53-year-old housewife.
"When I got Brandy, I had just lost my previous chihuahua who was 14 years old. "I spoke to a breeder who I had met at a dog show the year before and she told me about Brandy.
"She said that she was so tiny that she wouldn't be bred but when I saw her, I just fell in love with her."
Brandy's fragile frame and tiny lungs have meant that she has never barked.
"With a dog like this, you have to be very careful. She can't jump on to or off anything because her legs are so tiny," says Paulette.
"Walking her is OK but when there are kids around, all they want to do is pick her up and she can get frightened.
"I have even managed to take her on domestic flights without being noticed. I have a small bag that she can slip into and, because she doesn't make a sound, no-one notices her.
Brandy lives with Paulette, her husband Bryan, 62, daughter Jessica, 23 and son John, 25.
As well as being given free run of the house, Brandy also shares the home with one-year-old boxer, Tyson.
"She has a kennel and a bed that she shares with Tyson, and they get on great," says Paulette.
"She is so small, she can fit through the small gaps in a wire fence but she knows to stay where she is.
"She is really lively and she will run around the house. Sometimes I can't find her and I get very scared but she will often just turn up hiding under the couch."
Due to her size, Brandy has a strict die of dry dog food - the smallest Paulette can get - and mashed-up scrambled egg because she can't fit whole pieces in her mouth.
As well as feeding Brandy, washing her can also prove to be a delicate operation.
"I have to wash her in the sink and I have to be very careful not to be too rough with her and her ears," says Paulette.
"Brandy is very healthy - she came from a breeder who breeds show-quality animals.
"But Brandy was a fluke. She came from a litter of five and when she was born, she was just miniature.
"When she was only one, she had a rabies shot and she nearly died because of the reaction she had to it."
Despite the media attention that has seen her and Brandy appear on the Oprah Winfrey show, Paulette insists she had no idea Brandy would become so famous.
"When I first laid eyes on her, I thought 'wow' - I had never seen a dog so small," she says.
"Nine months later, the breeder phoned me and said I should look at the Guinness Book Of Records because she thought Brandy was smaller than the world's smallest dog.
"I got the application form and filled it out and then a few months later I got a call from the Guinness people who confirmed she was the smallest.
"Everything changed after that and Brandy and I went on Good Morning America, Oprah and The Jay Leno show.
"It was amazing but I would have never had picked Brandy to get famous - it was because she was so adorable."
Her owner, Paulette Keller from Largo, Florida, USA picked up Brandy when she was just 9 months old.
"She hasn't grown at all and she weighs only 2lb," says the 53-year-old housewife.
"When I got Brandy, I had just lost my previous chihuahua who was 14 years old. "I spoke to a breeder who I had met at a dog show the year before and she told me about Brandy.
"She said that she was so tiny that she wouldn't be bred but when I saw her, I just fell in love with her."
Brandy's fragile frame and tiny lungs have meant that she has never barked.
"With a dog like this, you have to be very careful. She can't jump on to or off anything because her legs are so tiny," says Paulette.
"Walking her is OK but when there are kids around, all they want to do is pick her up and she can get frightened.
"I have even managed to take her on domestic flights without being noticed. I have a small bag that she can slip into and, because she doesn't make a sound, no-one notices her.
Brandy lives with Paulette, her husband Bryan, 62, daughter Jessica, 23 and son John, 25.
As well as being given free run of the house, Brandy also shares the home with one-year-old boxer, Tyson.
"She has a kennel and a bed that she shares with Tyson, and they get on great," says Paulette.
"She is so small, she can fit through the small gaps in a wire fence but she knows to stay where she is.
"She is really lively and she will run around the house. Sometimes I can't find her and I get very scared but she will often just turn up hiding under the couch."
Due to her size, Brandy has a strict die of dry dog food - the smallest Paulette can get - and mashed-up scrambled egg because she can't fit whole pieces in her mouth.
As well as feeding Brandy, washing her can also prove to be a delicate operation.
"I have to wash her in the sink and I have to be very careful not to be too rough with her and her ears," says Paulette.
"Brandy is very healthy - she came from a breeder who breeds show-quality animals.
"But Brandy was a fluke. She came from a litter of five and when she was born, she was just miniature.
"When she was only one, she had a rabies shot and she nearly died because of the reaction she had to it."
Despite the media attention that has seen her and Brandy appear on the Oprah Winfrey show, Paulette insists she had no idea Brandy would become so famous.
"When I first laid eyes on her, I thought 'wow' - I had never seen a dog so small," she says.
"Nine months later, the breeder phoned me and said I should look at the Guinness Book Of Records because she thought Brandy was smaller than the world's smallest dog.
"I got the application form and filled it out and then a few months later I got a call from the Guinness people who confirmed she was the smallest.
"Everything changed after that and Brandy and I went on Good Morning America, Oprah and The Jay Leno show.
"It was amazing but I would have never had picked Brandy to get famous - it was because she was so adorable."
