Breed library
Dog Breeds A–Z
119 in-depth breed guides covering temperament, exercise, grooming, common health issues and what each breed is best for. Use the search to filter by name.
🐕 Dog Breeds
Airedale Terrier
"King of the Terriers" — largest, used in WWI as messenger dogs.
Akita
Powerful, dignified Japanese guardian. Loyalty legend (Hachiko). Experienced owners only.
Alaskan Malamute
The big freight-hauler of the Arctic. More powerful than a Husky, equally challenging.
Australian Cattle Dog
Tough Australian cattle drover, blue or red speckled. Tireless and intensely loyal.
Australian Shepherd
Striking, intelligent working dog. Needs serious exercise and a job. Ideal sport partner.
Basset Hound
Long-eared, low-slung scent hound. Mellow, stubborn and slightly comical.
Beagle
Compact, sociable, scent-driven hound. Cheerful family dog with a serious nose.
Belgian Malinois
Elite police, military and protection-sport dog. NOT a beginner family pet.
Bernese Mountain Dog
Gentle giant Swiss farm dog. Devoted family companion — sadly short-lived.
Bichon Frise
Cheerful little fluff cloud. Hypoallergenic, family-friendly, long-lived.
Bloodhound
World's best nose. Used in human tracking — court-admissible evidence in many jurisdictions.
Border Collie
Widely considered the most intelligent dog breed. Needs a working life or sport.
Border Terrier
One of the most family-friendly terriers — bred to keep up with horses.
Boston Terrier
Cheerful "American Gentleman" in a tuxedo. Compact, friendly and surprisingly trainable.
Bouvier des Flandres
Belgian cattle drover and WWI messenger dog. Powerful, intelligent guardian.
Boxer
Powerful, playful family dog. Stays puppy-like for years and adores children.
Bull Terrier
Egg-headed, comical, playful clown. Tough exterior, soft heart.
English Bulldog
Calm, affectionate, low-energy companion. Significant brachycephalic health concerns.
Bullmastiff
Calm, powerful guardian — bred to apprehend poachers without injuring them.
Cairn Terrier
Plucky Scottish terrier made famous as Toto in The Wizard of Oz.
Cane Corso
Italian working mastiff. Powerful, devoted protector — only for experienced owners.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Sweet-natured royal lap-spaniel. Affectionate, easy and brilliant with families — but watch for heart disease.
Chesapeake Bay Retriever
America's state dog of Maryland. Tougher and more independent than the Lab.
Chihuahua
Smallest dog breed in the world — bold, devoted, surprisingly long-lived.
Chow Chow
Lion-maned ancient Chinese guardian. Independent, dignified, often aloof.
Cockapoo
Cocker Spaniel × Poodle cross — affectionate, low-shed, family-friendly.
Cocker Spaniel
Cheerful sporting spaniel. Beautiful coat, sweet temperament, real exercise needs.
Dachshund
Bold, comical and full of personality. Long backs need careful protection.
Dalmatian
Spotted carriage dog famous from 101 Dalmatians. Athletic and high-energy.
Doberman Pinscher
Sleek, intelligent, loyal guardian. Needs an experienced active home.
English Springer Spaniel
Cheerful, athletic gun dog. Brilliant family dog with a serious need for exercise.
Finnish Spitz
Finland's national dog. Fox-like Spitz used to bark up game birds.
Flat-Coated Retriever
Glossy black or liver retriever. "Peter Pan" of dogs — eternally puppy-like.
French Bulldog
Small, charming, low-exercise — perfect city companion. Significant breed health risks to be aware of.
German Shepherd
Highly intelligent, loyal, trainable working dog. Needs an experienced owner with time for training.
Giant Schnauzer
Powerful working schnauzer used as police and military dog. Not for novices.
Golden Retriever
The classic golden family dog — sweet-natured, loyal, easy to train and devoted to children.
Great Dane
Gentle giant — one of the largest dog breeds. Famously sweet despite imposing size.
Greyhound
45 mph couch potato. Surprisingly low-energy at home — sprinters, not marathoners.
Havanese
National dog of Cuba. Affectionate, hypoallergenic and brilliant with families.
Irish Setter
Glamorous mahogany gundog. Joyful, energetic and famously slow to mature.
Italian Greyhound
Miniature sighthound. Elegant, fragile, surprisingly fast.
Jack Russell Terrier
Compact, fearless and tireless. A working terrier in a small package — not a toy dog.
Keeshond
Dutch barge dog with a magnificent fluffy coat and "spectacles" face markings.
Labradoodle
Lab × Poodle cross. Friendly, athletic, often (but not always) low-shedding.
Labrador Retriever
America's favourite family dog: friendly, trainable, energetic and great with children.
Leonberger
Lion-like German giant. Gentle, family-oriented, sadly short-lived.
Lhasa Apso
Sacred Tibetan watchdog. Long-coated, alert, affectionate with family.
Maltese
Tiny, elegant lapdog with a flowing white coat. Devoted and brave for their size.
English Mastiff
Massive ancient guardian — calm, dignified, affectionate. Among the heaviest dog breeds.
Miniature Schnauzer
Spirited little terrier with a famous beard. Hypoallergenic and family-friendly.
Newfoundland
"Nanny dog" — sweet, gentle giant bred for water rescue. World-class with kids.
Norfolk Terrier
Smallest working terrier. Drop-eared, friendly, family-oriented.
Norwich Terrier
Erect-eared sister breed to the Norfolk. Sturdy, friendly, alert.
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
Smallest retriever — bred to lure ducks within range by playing.
Old English Sheepdog
Iconic shaggy "Dulux dog" sheepdog. Affectionate, family-friendly, high-grooming.
Papillon
Tiny "butterfly-eared" dog. Surprisingly athletic and one of the smartest toy breeds.
Pekingese
Ancient Chinese imperial lap dog. Dignified, independent, brachycephalic.
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Royal favourite — short legs, big personality. Athletic herder despite their stature.
German Shorthaired Pointer
Versatile hunting dog and tireless athlete. Brilliant family dog for active homes.
Pomeranian
Tiny, fluffy, vivacious. The smallest of the spitz breeds — bold and full of attitude.
Poodle (Standard)
Hypoallergenic, highly intelligent, athletic — and significantly under-rated as a serious working dog.
Portuguese Water Dog
Athletic Portuguese fishing dog with a hypoallergenic curly coat. Obama's dog Bo.
Pug
Charming, comical lap dog. Significant brachycephalic health concerns to budget for.
Pyrenean Mountain Dog (Great Pyrenees)
White Pyrenean livestock guardian. Calm, nocturnal-watchful, deeply protective.
Rhodesian Ridgeback
"African Lion Hound" with a famous ridge of hair on the back. Powerful, independent, devoted.
Rottweiler
Powerful, confident guardian. Devoted to family — needs an experienced, consistent owner.
Rough Collie
The "Lassie" Collie. Gentle, devoted, brilliant family dog.
Saint Bernard
Famous Swiss alpine rescue dog. Gentle, patient, extraordinary with children.
Samoyed
White Arctic spitz with the famous "Sammy smile". Friendly, fluffy and demanding to groom.
Scottish Terrier
Dignified, independent Scottish terrier — the "Scottie". Famously serious for a small dog.
Chinese Shar-Pei
Iconic wrinkled Chinese guardian. Aloof, independent, with serious health concerns.
Shetland Sheepdog
Smaller cousin of the Rough Collie. Bright, sensitive, brilliant at agility.
Shiba Inu
Fox-like Japanese spitz. Bold, independent, famously cat-like and clean.
Shih Tzu
Affectionate Tibetan lapdog. Beautiful coat, charming temperament, manageable exercise needs.
Siberian Husky
Stunning, athletic and notoriously challenging. A working sled dog in a pet body.
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
Irish all-purpose farm dog with a soft, wavy, hypoallergenic coat.
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
"Nanny dog" of the UK — affectionate, brave, brilliant with children. Often misunderstood.
Standard Schnauzer
Original German farm-and-yard guardian. Mid-sized, hypoallergenic, alert.
Tibetan Mastiff
Ancient Himalayan livestock guardian. Independent, nocturnal, fiercely territorial.
Vizsla
Hungarian "velcro dog" — affectionate, athletic, brilliant family hunting companion.
Weimaraner
"Grey Ghost" of dogs — striking silver coat and serious working drive.
West Highland White Terrier
Compact, white, alert Scottish terrier — the iconic "Westie".
Whippet
Smaller cousin of the Greyhound. Athletic, gentle, and famously affectionate.
Wire Fox Terrier
Spirited, intelligent fox-hunting terrier. The original "Asta" of the Thin Man films.
Yorkshire Terrier
Tiny, bold and famously long-lived. Hypoallergenic coat needs daily care.
