A lap dog gets its name from its size; it is small enough to be
held in the arms or lie comfortably on a person's lap. Most lap
dogs fall into the
toy dog category.
Lap dogs have been used as pets, fashion accessories, and
status symbols.
Popular culture presents
the image of the spoiled or pampered ‘pooch’ who is the obnoxious companion of a
spoiled or pampered lady, but it is widely believed that the lap dog originally
served a purpose; to provide warmth for wealthy or fashionable
European women. There
are also lap dogs, among the
terrier group, for example, which were first developed for active work.
A few lap dogs were apparently bred solely as
pets; the
Japanese
Terrier is among these.
Lap dog is also used jokingly to refer to a dog of any size who likes
to climb onto people's laps for affection.
The term is also sometimes used to describe a person who is very easily
controlled, such as a "yes" man.
Lapdogs are referred to in a similé in
The Frames' song
Fitzcarraldo.