Which dog breed is right for me?
Answer 10 quick questions about your home, your time and your family. We compare them with American Kennel Club ratings for 55 breeds and show your 3 best matches.
Your 3 best matches
You have a cat or small pet. AKC does not rate breeds with cats, so ask the shelter or breeder how the dog you meet behaves around them.
Adopt first if you can: shelters and breed rescues have dogs of all of these breeds, and mixes that share their traits.
Already have a dog? Find out its breed from a photo or work out its age in human years.
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- Answers stay in your browser
- About two minutes
What dog breed should I get?
Get the breed that fits the life you have now, not the one you like the look of. Space, daily exercise, children, other pets, hair and noise decide whether a dog is happy with you. The quiz above asks about each of these and ranks 55 popular breeds against your answers.
Looks matter less than most people think. A Border Collie and a Golden Retriever are close in size, but one needs a job every day and the other is happy with a long walk and a game of fetch. That difference is what this quiz is built to catch.
How the dog breed quiz works
Every answer sets a limit. "An apartment" means a small or medium dog that does not bark much and copes with change. "Under 30 minutes" means a dog with moderate energy at most. Each breed loses points for every step it sits past one of your limits.
- The ratings. Each breed has the American Kennel Club's 1 to 5 scores for 13 traits, plus its weight.
- The weights. Some limits count more than others. Young children, size, shedding and barking count three times as much as small preferences.
- The ranking. The breeds with the fewest lost points come first. On a tie, the breed that clears your limits by the widest margin wins.
The match score is the share of your wishes a breed meets in full. The "watch out" line is where it misses one of your limits, or, if it misses none, the most demanding thing about the breed.
Questions to ask yourself before you get a dog
- Time: who walks the dog in the morning, in the rain, when you are sick?
- Money: food, vet visits, insurance and grooming add up every month, more for big dogs.
- Alone time: no dog should be alone all day. If you work long hours, plan a walker or daycare.
- Lifespan: a dog lives 10 to 15 years or more. Think about moves, children and changes in that time.
- Allergies: spend time with the breed before you commit. Low shedding helps but is not a promise.
Should you adopt or buy a dog?
Adopt first if you can. Shelters and breed rescues have purebred and mixed breed dogs of every size and age, and adult dogs often come house trained, with a personality you can see before you commit. Most breed clubs run a rescue for their own breed, so you can adopt a Labrador or a Beagle too.
If you buy a puppy, choose a breeder who health tests both parents, lets you meet the mother and asks you as many questions as you ask them. Walk away from anyone who sells puppies online with no visit, or always has several breeds for sale.
The 55 breeds and their ratings
These are the scores the quiz uses, from 1 (low) to 5 (high), taken from each breed's page at the American Kennel Club. The breed name links to its AKC page. Swipe the table sideways on a phone to see all columns.
| Breed | Weight | Energy | Shedding | Grooming | Young kids | Other dogs | Barking | Training | Mental needs | Adapts | Playful | Family | Strangers | Watchdog | Drooling |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labrador Retriever | 55 to 80 lb | 5 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Golden Retriever | 55 to 75 lb | 3 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| German Shepherd | 50 to 90 lb | 5 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
| French Bulldog | under 28 lb | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| Beagle | up to 30 lb | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Rottweiler | 80 to 135 lb | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
| German Shorthaired Pointer | 45 to 70 lb | 5 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| Standard Poodle | 40 to 70 lb | 4 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1 |
| Miniature Poodle | 10 to 15 lb | 4 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| Yorkshire Terrier | about 7 lb | 4 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1 |
| Boxer | 50 to 80 lb | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| Doberman Pinscher | 60 to 100 lb | 5 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 2 |
| Pembroke Welsh Corgi | up to 30 lb | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
| Cardigan Welsh Corgi | 25 to 38 lb | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| Siberian Husky | 35 to 60 lb | 5 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| Shih Tzu | 9 to 16 lb | 3 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Great Dane | 110 to 175 lb | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Miniature Schnauzer | 11 to 20 lb | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| Bernese Mountain Dog | 70 to 115 lb | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Pomeranian | 3 to 7 lb | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| Boston Terrier | 12 to 25 lb | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| Cocker Spaniel | 20 to 30 lb | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Shetland Sheepdog | 15 to 25 lb | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| Border Collie | 30 to 55 lb | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| Chihuahua | up to 6 lb | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| Pug | 14 to 18 lb | 3 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| English Springer Spaniel | 40 to 50 lb | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Brittany | 30 to 40 lb | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Vizsla | 44 to 60 lb | 5 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Weimaraner | 55 to 90 lb | 5 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
| Collie | 50 to 75 lb | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Basset Hound | 40 to 65 lb | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Newfoundland | 100 to 150 lb | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Rhodesian Ridgeback | 70 to 85 lb | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
| Papillon | 5 to 10 lb | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| Saint Bernard | 120 to 180 lb | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Samoyed | 35 to 65 lb | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| Whippet | 25 to 40 lb | 4 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Italian Greyhound | 7 to 14 lb | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| Bullmastiff | 100 to 130 lb | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
| Alaskan Malamute | 75 to 85 lb | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | 13 to 18 lb | 3 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Lhasa Apso | 12 to 18 lb | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| American Staffordshire Terrier | 40 to 70 lb | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
| Staffordshire Bull Terrier | 24 to 38 lb | 5 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier | 30 to 40 lb | 4 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Miniature Pinscher | 8 to 10 lb | 5 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| Irish Setter | 60 to 70 lb | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Basenji | 22 to 24 lb | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Chow Chow | 45 to 70 lb | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 3 |
| Keeshond | 35 to 45 lb | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 |
| Belgian Malinois | 40 to 80 lb | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| Pekingese | up to 14 lb | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| Greater Swiss Mountain Dog | 85 to 140 lb | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| Irish Wolfhound | 105 to 120 lb | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
Not sure what kind of person you are?
This quiz picks a dog for your life. If you want the fun version, take our what dog breed am I quiz, which matches your personality with a breed. And if you already have a dog and wonder what it is, our dog breed identifier compares a photo with 120 breeds.
Method and sources
All trait scores and weights come from the American Kennel Club breed pages at akc.org, read on 14 November 2026, one page per breed (linked in the table above). Size groups are ours: small up to 30 lb, medium up to 65 lb, large up to 100 lb, giant above. AKC does not rate how a breed copes alone or with cats, so the quiz uses energy and mental stimulation needs for time alone and the "other dogs" score for other pets, and says so in your result. We picked 55 breeds that are common in homes and shelters and that the quiz can actually recommend: breeds that could never come first for any set of answers are left out. Breed ratings describe the typical dog. Individual dogs vary, so meet the dog before you decide. Your answers never leave your browser.