Breed database
Dog and cat breeds
Breed descriptions are population tendencies, not promises about an individual animal. Use them to understand likely needs — exercise, grooming, health screening — rather than to predict personality.
94 breeds
Labrador Retriever
A sturdy, cheerful retriever bred to work all day in cold water. Labradors are famously trainable and people-focused, which makes them popular family dogs, assistance dogs and detection dogs alike.
Large · 10–12 years · Energy 4/5 · Grooming 2/5
Herding / PastoralGerman Shepherd Dog
A versatile working breed that thrives on structure, training and a job to do. German Shepherds bond intensely with their household and need thoughtful socialisation to be comfortable with strangers.
Large · 9–13 years · Energy 5/5 · Grooming 3/5
Sporting / GundogGolden Retriever
A soft-natured retriever that stays playful well into adulthood and generally enjoys the company of almost everyone it meets.
Large · 10–12 years · Energy 4/5 · Grooming 3/5
Non-sporting / UtilityFrench Bulldog
A compact companion bred purely for company. Frenchies are easy-going indoors but their flat face brings real welfare considerations that every owner should understand before buying.
Small · 10–12 years · Energy 2/5 · Grooming 1/5
Herding / PastoralBorder Collie
Widely regarded as the most trainable of all breeds, and correspondingly demanding. A Border Collie without a job will invent one.
Medium · 12–15 years · Energy 5/5 · Grooming 3/5
Non-sporting / UtilityPoodle (Standard)
An elegant water retriever with an exceptional mind. Low shedding suits some allergy-affected households, but no breed is genuinely hypoallergenic.
Large · 12–15 years · Energy 4/5 · Grooming 5/5
HoundBeagle
A cheerful pack hound built to follow a scent for hours. Delightful company, but recall and food security need real work.
Small · 12–15 years · Energy 4/5 · Grooming 2/5
HoundDachshund
A determined earth dog in a long, low body. Charming and brave, but the build carries a significant spinal risk that shapes daily management.
Small · 12–16 years · Energy 3/5 · Grooming 2/5
Non-sporting / UtilityBulldog
A calm, affectionate housemate with serious conformation-related health needs. Prospective owners should budget for veterinary care.
Medium · 8–10 years · Energy 1/5 · Grooming 2/5
WorkingRottweiler
A powerful, self-assured guardian that is calm and affectionate with its family when raised with clear, kind structure.
Large · 8–11 years · Energy 4/5 · Grooming 2/5
ToyYorkshire Terrier
A tiny terrier with a full-size personality, originally bred to kill rats in Yorkshire mills.
Small · 13–16 years · Energy 3/5 · Grooming 5/5
WorkingSiberian Husky
A tireless sled dog bred to run. Sociable with almost everyone and consequently a poor guard dog, but an expert escape artist.
Medium · 12–14 years · Energy 5/5 · Grooming 3/5
ToyShih Tzu
A companion bred for palace life, content with moderate walks and plenty of lap time.
Small · 12–16 years · Energy 2/5 · Grooming 5/5
WorkingBoxer
A boisterous, long-adolescent guardian that adores its people and rarely stops moving until middle age.
Large · 10–12 years · Energy 5/5 · Grooming 1/5
ToyCavalier King Charles Spaniel
An exceptionally sweet-natured lap spaniel that suits many households, but with two serious inherited conditions that must guide breeder choice.
Small · 9–14 years · Energy 3/5 · Grooming 3/5
Herding / PastoralAustralian Shepherd
A versatile ranch dog with enormous stamina and a strong desire to work alongside its person.
Medium · 12–15 years · Energy 5/5 · Grooming 3/5
Herding / PastoralShetland Sheepdog
A small, highly trainable herding dog that excels in obedience and agility but is quick to bark.
Small · 12–14 years · Energy 4/5 · Grooming 4/5
WorkingGreat Dane
An enormous, mild-mannered companion often described as a gentle giant, with a sadly short lifespan.
Giant · 7–10 years · Energy 3/5 · Grooming 1/5
Herding / PastoralPembroke Welsh Corgi
A big herding dog on short legs — busy, opinionated and far more athletic than the shape suggests.
Small · 12–15 years · Energy 4/5 · Grooming 3/5
WorkingDoberman Pinscher
An elegant, athletic guardian that bonds closely and dislikes being left out of family life.
Large · 10–12 years · Energy 4/5 · Grooming 1/5
TerrierMiniature Schnauzer
A robust little terrier with a distinctive beard, happy in town or country and quick to announce visitors.
Small · 12–15 years · Energy 4/5 · Grooming 4/5
WorkingBernese Mountain Dog
A striking Swiss farm dog: placid, family-focused and happiest in cool climates.
Giant · 7–10 years · Energy 3/5 · Grooming 4/5
Non-sporting / UtilityShiba Inu
A cat-like, self-possessed primitive breed: tidy and quiet at home but rarely biddable off-lead.
Small · 13–16 years · Energy 3/5 · Grooming 3/5
Non-sporting / UtilityBoston Terrier
A tidy, city-friendly companion nicknamed the American Gentleman for its tuxedo markings and polite manners.
Small · 11–13 years · Energy 3/5 · Grooming 1/5
Sporting / GundogCocker Spaniel
A happy, tail-wagging gundog that loves company and needs regular grooming and plenty of sniffing work.
Medium · 12–15 years · Energy 4/5 · Grooming 4/5
TerrierJack Russell Terrier
A small hunting terrier with enormous drive, best suited to active owners who enjoy training.
Small · 13–16 years · Energy 5/5 · Grooming 2/5
ToyMaltese
An ancient white lap dog, sweet-natured and adaptable to small homes.
Small · 12–15 years · Energy 2/5 · Grooming 5/5
WorkingGreat Pyrenees
A livestock guardian bred to make its own decisions on the mountainside — serene, immovable and famously nocturnal in its barking.
Giant · 10–12 years · Energy 2/5 · Grooming 4/5
Sporting / GundogWeimaraner
The 'grey ghost' — a demanding all-round hunting dog that wants to be with its people constantly.
Large · 10–13 years · Energy 5/5 · Grooming 1/5
WorkingSaint Bernard
A famous alpine rescue dog: enormous, slow-moving and deeply tolerant of family life.
Giant · 8–10 years · Energy 2/5 · Grooming 4/5
ToyPug
An affectionate, comedic companion with a long history — and with flat-faced health needs owners must take seriously.
Small · 12–15 years · Energy 2/5 · Grooming 2/5
HoundWhippet
A sprinter that sleeps most of the day: calm and undemanding indoors, explosive for short bursts outside.
Medium · 12–15 years · Energy 3/5 · Grooming 1/5
ToyChihuahua
The smallest recognised breed, fiercely loyal to its chosen person and much braver than its size suggests.
Small · 14–17 years · Energy 3/5 · Grooming 2/5
Herding / PastoralBelgian Malinois
An elite working dog used by police and military worldwide — magnificent in skilled hands and overwhelming in the wrong home.
Large · 12–14 years · Energy 5/5 · Grooming 2/5
ToyHavanese
Cuba's national dog: a sturdy, sunny little companion that gets along with almost everyone.
Small · 14–16 years · Energy 3/5 · Grooming 5/5
Sporting / GundogEnglish Springer Spaniel
A hard-working flushing spaniel with boundless enthusiasm for fieldwork, water and family life.
Medium · 12–14 years · Energy 5/5 · Grooming 3/5
WorkingAkita
A powerful, quiet guardian from northern Japan, deeply devoted to family and aloof with everyone else.
Large · 10–13 years · Energy 3/5 · Grooming 3/5
Sporting / GundogVizsla
A graceful Hungarian pointer nicknamed the velcro dog for its need to stay in physical contact with its people.
Large · 12–15 years · Energy 5/5 · Grooming 1/5
WorkingNewfoundland
A powerful water-rescue dog with a famously gentle disposition and a heroic swimming ability.
Giant · 9–11 years · Energy 2/5 · Grooming 4/5
HoundBasset Hound
A low, heavy scent hound with a wonderful nose and an unhurried attitude to almost everything.
Medium · 10–12 years · Energy 2/5 · Grooming 2/5
WorkingSamoyed
The smiling sled dog of the Samoyedic peoples: sociable, vocal and extremely fluffy.
Large · 12–14 years · Energy 4/5 · Grooming 5/5
TerrierStaffordshire Bull Terrier
A muscular, deeply people-oriented terrier with a long-standing reputation as a family dog in Britain.
Medium · 12–14 years · Energy 4/5 · Grooming 1/5
WorkingAlaskan Malamute
A heavy freighting sled dog built for hauling, not speed; dignified, sociable and very strong.
Large · 10–14 years · Energy 4/5 · Grooming 4/5
Non-sporting / UtilityBichon Frise
A cheerful white companion that suits apartments and families, provided the coat is professionally maintained.
Small · 14–16 years · Energy 3/5 · Grooming 5/5
HoundRhodesian Ridgeback
A strong, self-reliant hound bred to track and hold big game, requiring confident and consistent handling.
Large · 10–12 years · Energy 4/5 · Grooming 1/5
ToyPapillon
One of the most trainable toy breeds, regularly competing at the top level in agility and obedience.
Small · 14–16 years · Energy 4/5 · Grooming 3/5
Sporting / GundogIrish Setter
A flamboyant red gundog that keeps a puppyish outlook for years and needs serious daily exercise.
Large · 12–15 years · Energy 5/5 · Grooming 4/5
Non-sporting / UtilityChow Chow
An ancient northern Chinese breed with a lion-like ruff, a blue-black tongue and a notably reserved character.
Large · 9–12 years · Energy 2/5 · Grooming 5/5
Mixed ancestryMixed-Breed Dog
Most dogs in the world are of mixed ancestry. Assess the individual dog in front of you — its age, energy, handling tolerance and history — rather than trying to predict behaviour from a guessed breed mix.
Medium · 10–16 years · Energy 3/5 · Grooming 3/5
Working / GuardianCane Corso
A large Italian mastiff-type guardian, descended from Roman war dogs and later used to guard farms and drive livestock. Cane Corsos are watchful and devoted to their family but need an experienced, consistent handler.
Large · 9–12 years · Energy 4/5 · Grooming 1/5
Non-Sporting / UtilityShar-Pei
An ancient Chinese breed best known for its deep wrinkles and blue-black tongue. Shar-Pei are quiet, dignified and deeply loyal to their own household while remaining reserved with outsiders.
Medium · 8–12 years · Energy 2/5 · Grooming 2/5
Non-Sporting / UtilityDalmatian
A striking spotted breed historically used as a coaching dog that ran alongside horse-drawn carriages. Dalmatians need a great deal of exercise and mental stimulation to stay settled and content.
Large · 11–13 years · Energy 5/5 · Grooming 2/5
Herding / PastoralAustralian Cattle Dog
A tough, resourceful herding dog bred to drive cattle across long distances in harsh conditions. Cattle dogs are extremely intelligent and need constant purposeful work to avoid becoming frustrated or destructive.
Medium · 12–15 years · Energy 5/5 · Grooming 1/5
Sporting / GundogEnglish Setter
An elegant bird dog that combines a mellow, affectionate house presence with real stamina and drive in the field. English Setters do best with owners who can give them both companionship and exercise.
Large · 11–12 years · Energy 4/5 · Grooming 4/5
Sporting / GundogGerman Shorthaired Pointer
An all-purpose hunting dog bred to point, retrieve and track on land and in water. GSPs are friendly and biddable but have very high exercise needs and a strong desire to be involved in whatever their people are doing.
Large · 10–12 years · Energy 5/5 · Grooming 1/5
Herding / PastoralOld English Sheepdog
A big, shaggy herding dog known for its bear-like gait and clownish, affectionate temperament. The breed's famous coat demands one of the heaviest grooming commitments of any dog.
Large · 10–12 years · Energy 3/5 · Grooming 5/5
Non-Sporting / UtilityLhasa Apso
A small but sturdy Tibetan breed originally kept as an indoor watchdog in monasteries and homes. Lhasa Apsos are more independent-minded and less eager to please than many small breeds.
Small · 12–15 years · Energy 2/5 · Grooming 5/5
ToyPomeranian
A tiny descendant of large Spitz sledding breeds, the Pomeranian carries an outsized personality in a pocket-sized body. They are alert, confident and often unaware of how small they actually are.
Small · 12–16 years · Energy 3/5 · Grooming 4/5
HoundBloodhound
A giant scent hound with the most sensitive nose of any breed, used for centuries to track missing people over enormous distances. At home Bloodhounds are placid and affectionate, but a scent trail can override every other instinct.
Giant · 10–12 years · Energy 3/5 · Grooming 2/5
Toy / SighthoundItalian Greyhound
A miniature sighthound bred purely as a companion for centuries, combining a racy, athletic build with a gentle, clingy nature. They are fast and playful in short bursts, but fragile and cold-sensitive.
Small · 13–15 years · Energy 3/5 · Grooming 1/5
Non-Sporting / SpitzKeeshond
A fluffy Dutch Spitz breed historically kept on barges, prized as an all-round friendly family companion rather than a specialist worker. Keeshonden are sociable with nearly everyone they meet.
Medium · 12–15 years · Energy 3/5 · Grooming 4/5
Herding / PastoralCollie (Rough)
The elegant, long-coated herding breed made famous by Lassie — gentle, devoted and highly attuned to its family's moods, with a strong instinct to watch over children and other animals.
Large · 12–14 years · Energy 4/5 · Grooming 4/5
TerrierAiredale Terrier
The largest of the terriers, nicknamed the 'King of Terriers.' Airedales are versatile, clever and game for almost any activity, but they keep a strong independent streak typical of the terrier group.
Large · 11–14 years · Energy 4/5 · Grooming 4/5
Working / GuardianBullmastiff
A massive but generally calm guardian bred by nineteenth-century English gamekeepers to silently pursue and pin poachers without mauling them. At home Bullmastiffs are famously placid and devoted.
Giant · 7–9 years · Energy 2/5 · Grooming 1/5
Mixed ancestryDomestic Shorthair
The most common cat in the world and the majority of cats in shelters. Personality varies enormously, so meet the individual rather than relying on a type description.
Medium · 13–18 years · Energy 3/5 · Grooming 2/5
Mixed ancestryDomestic Longhair
A non-pedigree cat with a long coat — common in shelters and needing more grooming than a shorthair.
Medium · 13–18 years · Energy 3/5 · Grooming 4/5
Natural / LonghairMaine Coon
One of the largest domestic cats — friendly, chirpy and famously tolerant, often described as a gentle giant.
Large · 12–15 years · Energy 3/5 · Grooming 4/5
OrientalSiamese
An intensely social, endlessly vocal cat that wants to be involved in everything its people do.
Medium · 15–20 years · Energy 5/5 · Grooming 1/5
LonghairPersian
A serene, sedentary lap cat whose flat face and long coat both require committed daily care.
Medium · 12–17 years · Energy 1/5 · Grooming 5/5
LonghairRagdoll
A large, mellow cat named for its habit of going limp when picked up; typically an indoor-only companion.
Large · 12–17 years · Energy 2/5 · Grooming 3/5
ShorthairBritish Shorthair
A sturdy, teddy-bear-faced cat that is affectionate on its own terms and dislikes being carried.
Medium · 13–18 years · Energy 2/5 · Grooming 2/5
Hybrid-derivedBengal
A spectacular, highly active cat derived from crosses with the Asian leopard cat, needing far more enrichment than an average cat.
Large · 12–16 years · Energy 5/5 · Grooming 1/5
HairlessSphynx
A hairless, intensely social cat that seeks body heat and company constantly; not low-maintenance despite having no coat.
Medium · 12–15 years · Energy 4/5 · Grooming 4/5
ShorthairAbyssinian
A tireless, elegantly ticked cat that investigates everything and rarely sits still for long.
Medium · 12–16 years · Energy 5/5 · Grooming 1/5
Shorthair / LonghairScottish Fold
Known for folded ears caused by a cartilage mutation. That same mutation affects cartilage throughout the body, and several veterinary bodies advise against breeding folded cats on welfare grounds.
Medium · 11–15 years · Energy 2/5 · Grooming 3/5
ShorthairRussian Blue
A quiet, elegant cat that is devoted to its own household and shy with visitors.
Medium · 15–20 years · Energy 3/5 · Grooming 2/5
Natural / LonghairNorwegian Forest Cat
A hardy Scandinavian natural breed built for cold forests, strong and enthusiastic about climbing.
Large · 14–16 years · Energy 3/5 · Grooming 4/5
OrientalOriental Shorthair
A Siamese in hundreds of colours: equally talkative, equally social and just as reliant on company.
Medium · 12–18 years · Energy 5/5 · Grooming 1/5
ShorthairBurmese
A dense, muscular cat often described as a brick wrapped in silk, and one of the most people-oriented breeds.
Medium · 15–18 years · Energy 4/5 · Grooming 1/5
RexDevon Rex
A pixie-faced, curly-coated cat that behaves more like a mischievous small monkey than a typical cat.
Small · 12–16 years · Energy 4/5 · Grooming 2/5
LonghairBirman
A colourpointed cat with distinctive white gloves and a famously even, unruffled temperament.
Medium · 13–16 years · Energy 2/5 · Grooming 3/5
ShorthairAmerican Shorthair
A robust, undemanding working cat that adapts well to families, other pets and ordinary household life.
Medium · 15–20 years · Energy 3/5 · Grooming 2/5
ShorthairExotic Shorthair
Essentially a shorthaired Persian: the same sweet, quiet nature with far less coat care, but the same flat-faced health concerns.
Medium · 12–15 years · Energy 2/5 · Grooming 2/5
Natural / LonghairSiberian
A powerful Russian forest cat, athletic and affectionate, often mentioned in discussions of allergy tolerance — though no cat is truly hypoallergenic.
Large · 12–18 years · Energy 4/5 · Grooming 4/5
ShorthairTonkinese
A Siamese–Burmese cross that combines the best of both: lively, warm and deeply involved with its household.
Medium · 14–18 years · Energy 4/5 · Grooming 1/5
Shorthair / LonghairManx
A tailless or short-tailed island cat, sociable and sturdy, but carrying a spinal mutation with real welfare implications.
Medium · 12–16 years · Energy 3/5 · Grooming 3/5
RexCornish Rex
A slender, whippet-like cat with a washboard-wavy coat, famous for sprinting, leaping and staying playful for life.
Small · 12–16 years · Energy 5/5 · Grooming 2/5
LonghairRagaMuffin
A large, extremely tolerant lap cat closely related to the Ragdoll, available in a wider range of colours.
Large · 12–16 years · Energy 2/5 · Grooming 3/5
HybridSavannah
A tall hybrid of domestic cat and serval. Later generations can live successfully as pets, but early generations have specialist needs and are legally restricted in many places.
Large · 12–20 years · Energy 5/5 · Grooming 2/5
Natural / LonghairTurkish Angora
An ancient Turkish natural breed: graceful, athletic and often the self-appointed supervisor of the household.
Medium · 13–18 years · Energy 4/5 · Grooming 3/5
Natural / LonghairSomali
Essentially a long-haired Abyssinian, the Somali combines a fox-like plumed tail with the same restless curiosity and athleticism as its shorthaired relative.
Medium · 12–16 years · Energy 5/5 · Grooming 3/5
Natural / ShorthairChartreux
A sturdy French breed known for its blue-grey coat, quiet nature and an expression often described as a permanent smile. Chartreux are affectionate but undemanding companions.
Medium · 12–15 years · Energy 3/5 · Grooming 2/5
Natural / ShorthairEgyptian Mau
One of the few naturally spotted cat breeds, and reputedly the fastest domestic cat, the Egyptian Mau is athletic, alert and deeply attached to its chosen people.
Medium · 12–15 years · Energy 5/5 · Grooming 1/5
Rex / Curly-coatedSelkirk Rex
Sometimes called the 'cat in sheep's clothing,' the Selkirk Rex has a loosely curled, plush coat and a famously tolerant, patient temperament that suits busy households.
Medium · 12–15 years · Energy 3/5 · Grooming 3/5