Which Dog Breed Is Right for You?

Good fit if: you are an experienced owner who wants a quiet, deeply loyal one-family guardian

Good fit if: your household is genuinely active — running, hiking, dog sports — most days, not most weekends

Good fit if: you want a small, clean, nearly odor-free dog and noise is a concern

Good fit if: you want a mellow, deeply good-natured family dog and your idea of exercise is a daily amble

Good fit if: you want a merry, sturdy, kid-tolerant family dog in a small package

Good fit if: you want a gentle, devoted giant and your family is the center of its world

Good fit if: you want a cheerful, people-loving companion in an apartment-perfect size

Good fit if: you want a mellow-at-home, world-class-nose companion and have secure fencing

Good fit if: dog sports, farm work, or serious daily training is the life you are offering

Good fit if: you want an elegant, quiet, low-drama housemate who sleeps most of the day

Good fit if: you want a small, dapper, people-oriented city dog with easy grooming

Good fit if: you want a playful, patient, clownish guardian for an active family

Good fit if: you hunt, run, hike, or do dog sports — and want a mid-sized athlete who loves all of it

Good fit if: you want the gentlest, most affectionate lap companion in dogdom

Good fit if: you want a devoted, portable, long-lived companion — often 15+ years

Good fit if: you want a velcro lap companion and allergies or shedding rule out coated breeds

Good fit if: you respect a dignified, cat-like, one-family dog that is not needy

Good fit if: you want a merry, soft-tempered family dog in a manageable size

Good fit if: you want the classic gentle family guardian — patient with kids, devoted, sensible

Good fit if: you want a bold, hilarious, devoted small dog with a big-dog soul

Good fit if: you run — genuinely, regularly — and want a tireless, elegant partner

Good fit if: you want a brilliant, athletic guardian that is glued to its family

Good fit if: you want a low-exercise, deeply affectionate couch companion with comic timing

Good fit if: your family hikes, hunts, or plays outside most days and wants the dog in the middle of it

Good fit if: you want a comic, affectionate, low-exercise apartment companion

Good fit if: you want a serious, trainable partner and will invest in training as a lifestyle

Good fit if: you want the archetypal family dog — patient, sociable, eager, forgiving

Good fit if: you want a gentle, leaning, family-fused giant and can house one

Good fit if: you have land, livestock, or at least a large fenced property in a cool climate

Good fit if: you want a quiet, gentle, low-odor 40-mph couch potato — yes, in an apartment

Good fit if: you want a cheerful, trainable, low-shedding companion and someone is usually home

Good fit if: you want the gentlest of giants and can physically and financially house one

Good fit if: you want the world's default family dog for good reasons — stable, kind, capable

Good fit if: you want a devoted lap companion in the smallest, lowest-shed package

Good fit if: you want near-top-of-dogdom intelligence in an apartment-sized, low-shed package

Good fit if: you want a spirited, portable, low-shed family dog with personality to spare

Good fit if: you want the original nanny dog — sweetness at 130 pounds — and can house it

Good fit if: you want big-dog brains and trainability in a five-pound frame

Good fit if: you want maximum personality per pound and enjoy a confident little extrovert

Good fit if: you want a comic, affectionate, genuinely kid-loving apartment companion

Good fit if: you are an experienced, athletic owner wanting a quiet, powerful, low-maintenance partner

Good fit if: you are an experienced owner who will train seriously and continuously

Good fit if: you want an elegant, quiet, clean, independent companion and respect sighthound rules

Good fit if: you want the wolfhound's gentle soul with a shade more athleticism and shag

Good fit if: you want herding-breed brilliance in a gentle, family-sized package

Good fit if: you want an affectionate, low-exercise lap companion bred for exactly that job

Good fit if: you run, bike, ski, or mush — genuinely, in most weathers

Good fit if: you want retriever-class athleticism and family manners without the shedding

Good fit if: you are a runner, hunter, or hiker who wants the dog with you for every mile

Good fit if: you are a serious runner or hunter wanting a powerful, driven daily partner

Good fit if: you want a confident, cheerful, sturdy small dog with true terrier sparkle

Good fit if: you want a quiet, gentle, low-odor apartment dog with an off switch

Good fit if: you want a devoted, portable companion with genuine terrier fire