toy dog, classification used by breeders and kennel clubs to designate very small breeds of dogs kept as pets. Some are selectively bred diminutive forms of larger breeds and others are naturally small. The following breeds are designated as toy dogs by the American Kennel Club: affenpinscher, Brussels griffon, Chihuahua, English toy spaniel, Italian greyhound, Japanese spaniel, Maltese, miniature pinscher, papillon, Pekingese, Pomeranian, pug, Shih Tzu, silky terrier, toy poodle, toy Manchester terrier, and Yorkshire terrier. See dog.

toy, article designed to be played with, chiefly for children. Archaeological research has revealed numerous playthings from prehistoric civilizations. Early Egyptian, Greek, and Roman dolls, tops, balls, rattles, hoops, and miniature representations of furniture, houses, and dishes have been preserved. Mechanical toys, often created for the amusement of adults, have been popular since the Middle Ages. Toys made by individual artisans were early distributed in Germany; they were at first sold chiefly by peddlers at fairs. The use of sheet-metal stamping in Nuremberg c.1850 introduced the first large-scale manufacturing methods. The manufacture of toys is an important industry in most countries. Although many new toys are created each year, some, especially dolls, balls, art materials, and blocks, retain their popularity year after year. Educators and psychologists, beginning with Friedrich Wilhelm August Froebel and Maria Montessori, have stressed the role of toys in the mental, emotional, social, and physical development of children.

Toy, Crawford Howell, 1836-1919, American biblical scholar, b. Norfolk, Va., M.A. Univ. of Virginia, 1856. He also studied (1859-60) at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Greenville, S.C., served as a chaplain in the Confederate army, and continued (1866-68) his studies at Berlin. He resigned the professorship he held (1869-79) at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary because of theological controversy. From 1880 until his retirement (1909) he was Hancock professor of Hebrew and other Oriental languages at Harvard, and he was (1880-1903) Dexter lecturer on biblical literature. A member (1901-6) of the editorial board of The Jewish Encyclopedia and a contributor to learned journals, he wrote Judaism and Christianity (1890), A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Proverbs (1899), and Introduction to the History of Religions (1913).

English toy spaniel, breed of toy dog perfected in England over many centuries. It stands about 10 in. (25 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs from 9 to 12 lb (4-5 kg). Its long, silky coat is soft and wavy and forms a fringe of longer hair on the ears, chest, back of legs, and tail. English toy spaniels are divided into four groups corresponding to different color combinations: the King Charles is black with rich mahogany markings; the Prince Charles is white, black, and tan; the ruby is chestnut red; and the Blenheim is red and white. The English toy spaniel originated in Asia thousands of years ago and became very popular as a pet in England during the 17th cent. See dog.

Plaything for a child or infant. Toys survive from the remote past and from a great variety of cultures. They range from the simple to the complex, from a stick or piece of string that becomes a toy in a child's hands to complex mechanical and electronic devices. Perennial favorites include balls, jump ropes, dolls, drums, whistles, dice, jackstones, board games, marbles, play weapons, and costumes. In the modern era the toy industry has grown tremendously, especially with the advent of computer games.

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