Which breed fits your life?

Which breed fits you usually comes down to four things: how much exercise you can give, how much grooming you will do, how much hair you can live with, and size. Answer up to 11 questions and see the dog and cat breeds that match, with the reasons.

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How we match

Size comes from a breed's weight: small up to 20 lb, medium to 50, large to 100, giant above that. A breed with varieties spans them.
Grooming and shedding come from the coat. A short smooth coat needs a quick brush now and then; a double coat sheds the most; long hair, curls and wiry coats shed less but need regular brushing or trims.
A dog's exercise comes from what it was bred for: gundogs, herding and sled dogs need lots, hounds, terriers and working breeds a moderate amount, companion breeds lighter. Where its article says more, that wins.
A cat's activity, and any breed's voice, appear only where its article describes them.
Each answer is compared with each breed, weighed by how much you say it matters. A must-have a breed misses moves it to "Probably not a fit". Your home and a first pet nudge toward smaller dogs and lighter day-to-day care, never the other way.
What we never say: that a breed is allergy-free, how it will behave, how it does with children, or anything about its health. Every animal is an individual.

Breed facts: Wikidata and each breed's Wikipedia article, read 2026-10-04. Names: pet license records published by New York City, Seattle, Cambridge in Massachusetts, and Allegheny County in Pennsylvania.

Dog breeds at a glance

Breed	Size	Coat	Grooming	Shedding	Exercise	Voice
American Staffordshire Terrier	Medium to large	Short and smooth	Light	Moderate	-	-
Australian Shepherd	Medium to large	A long double coat	Regular	Heavy	Lots	-
Beagle	Small to medium	Short and smooth	Light	Moderate	Moderate	Its descriptions mention barking
Bernese Mountain Dog	Large to giant	A long double coat	Regular	Heavy	Moderate	-
Bichon Frise	Small	Curly	Regular	Lower	Lighter	-
Border Collie	Medium to large	By variety: a double coat, short to medium or a long double coat	Weekly to regular	Heavy	Lots	-
Boston Terrier	Small to medium	Short and smooth	Light	Moderate	Lighter	Its descriptions mention less barking than most
Boxer	Large	Short and smooth	Light	Moderate	Lots	-
Bulldog	Large	Short and smooth	Light	Moderate	Lighter	-
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel	Small	Silky and feathered	Weekly	Moderate	Moderate	-
Chihuahua	Small	By variety: short and smooth or silky and feathered	Light to weekly	Moderate	Lighter	-
Cockapoo	Small to medium	Depends on the parents: silky and feathered or curly	Weekly to regular	Lower to moderate	Moderate to lots	-
Cocker Spaniel	Medium	Silky and feathered	Weekly	Moderate	Lots	-
Dachshund	Small to medium	By variety: short and smooth, silky and feathered, or wiry	Light to regular	Lower to moderate	Moderate	Its descriptions mention barking
Doberman Pinscher	Large	Short and smooth	Light	Moderate	Moderate	-
French Bulldog	Small to medium	Short and smooth	Light	Moderate	Lighter	-
German Shepherd	Medium to large	A double coat, short to medium	Weekly	Heavy	Moderate	Its descriptions mention barking
Golden Retriever	Large	A long double coat	Regular	Heavy	Lots	-
Goldendoodle	Small to large	Depends on the parents: a long double coat or curly	Regular	Lower to heavy	Lots	-
Great Dane	Giant	Short and smooth	Light	Moderate	Moderate	-
Havanese	Small	Long hair	Regular	Lower	Lighter	-
Jack Russell Terrier	Small	By variety: short and smooth or wiry	Light to regular	Lower to moderate	Lots	Its descriptions mention barking
Labradoodle	Small to large	Depends on the parents: a double coat, short to medium, curly, or wiry	Weekly to regular	Lower to heavy	Lots	-
Labrador Retriever	Large	A double coat, short to medium	Weekly	Heavy	Lots	-
Lhasa Apso	-	Long hair	Regular	Lower	Lighter	-
Maltese	Small	Long hair	Regular	Lower	Lighter	-
Miniature Schnauzer	Small	Wiry	Regular	Lower	Moderate	Its descriptions mention barking
Pembroke Welsh Corgi	Small to medium	A double coat, short to medium	Weekly	Heavy	Lots	Its descriptions mention barking
Pomeranian	Small	A long double coat	Regular	Heavy	Lighter	Its descriptions mention barking
Poodle	Small to large	Curly	Regular	Lower	Lots	-
Pug	Small	Short and smooth	Light	Moderate	Lighter	-
Rottweiler	Large to giant	A double coat, short to medium	Light	Heavy	Moderate	-
Shetland Sheepdog	Small	A long double coat	Regular	Heavy	Lots	Its descriptions mention barking
Shiba Inu	Small to medium	A double coat, short to medium	Weekly	Heavy	Lots	Its descriptions mention less barking than most
Shih Tzu	Small	Long hair	Regular	Lower	Lighter	-
Siberian Husky	Medium to large	A double coat, short to medium	Weekly	Heavy	Lots	Its descriptions mention howling
West Highland White Terrier	Small	Wiry	Regular	Lower	Moderate	Its descriptions mention barking
Yorkshire Terrier	Small	Long hair	Regular	Lower	Moderate	-

Cat breeds at a glance

Breed	Size	Coat	Grooming	Shedding	Activity	Voice
Abyssinian	Average size	Short	Light	Moderate	Higher	-
Birman	-	Semi-long	Weekly	Moderate	-	-
British Shorthair	Average size	Short and dense	Weekly	Moderate	Lower	-
Domestic Longhair	-	Depends on the cat: semi-long or long	Weekly to regular	Moderate to heavy	-	-
Domestic Shorthair	-	Short	Light	Moderate	-	-
Exotic Shorthair	-	Short and dense	Weekly	Moderate	-	-
Himalayan	-	Long	Regular	Heavy	-	-
Maine Coon	Large	Long	Weekly	Heavy	-	-
Norwegian Forest Cat	Large	Long	Regular	Heavy	Higher	-
Persian	Average size	Long	Regular	Heavy	Lower	Its descriptions call it a quiet cat
Ragdoll	Large	Semi-long	Regular	Moderate	Moderate	-
Russian Blue	-	Short and dense	Weekly	Moderate	Higher	Its descriptions call it a quiet cat
Scottish Fold	-	By variety: short and dense or long	Weekly to regular	Moderate to heavy	-	-
Siamese	Average size	Short	Light	Moderate	-	-
Sphynx	-	Hairless	Weekly	Lower	Higher	-

Before you decide

Questions

Which dog breed is right for me?

The one whose exercise, grooming, shedding and size fit your days. Start with what you can give every day, not with looks: a breed bred for work outdoors usually wants long walks or runs, and a long or curly coat needs regular brushing or trims. The quiz on this page ranks the breeds we rate by your answers.

Are any dog or cat breeds allergy-free?

No. Some breeds shed less than others, and the quiz can put them first, but no breed is allergy-free. If allergies are a concern, spend time with the animal before you decide.

What about mixed breeds and shelter pets?

They vary too much to rate by breed, so the quiz shows them as a card of their own. Meet the animal, and ask the shelter or rescue what they know.

How do you rate each breed?

From the facts in Wikidata and each breed's Wikipedia article: weight gives size, the coat gives grooming and shedding, and what a dog was bred for gives its exercise unless its article says more. Every rating on a breed's page says where it comes from.

Are my answers saved?

Only in this browser, so you can come back to them. Nothing is sent to us, and "Clear my saved answers" removes them.

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