Looking for a new dog? It’s important to consider your lifestyle! Breeders can help you determine a dog that ’s right for you and your family. In the meantime, these lists may give you some ideas. Many breeds fall into multiple categories, but due to space, we’ve highlighted one breed per category, except in “Top Dogs for tricks and games”.
Top dogs for condos
While these dogs may enjoy big yards as well, they can do just fine in apartment buildings or condos, provided they have some regular exercise.
• Bolognese
• Boston Terrier
• Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
• Dachshund
• Deerhound
• Eurasier
• French Bulldog
• Havanese
• Miniature Pinscher
• Pekingese
• Polish Lowland Sheepdog
• Pomeranian
• Pug
• Schnauzer (Miniature)
• Shih Tzu
• Whippet
• Sealyham Terrier
Top dogs for small children
Some breeds are more tolerant than others and these ones seem to go the extra mile.
• Beagle
• Bernese Mountain Dog
• Bullmastiff
• English Setter
• Newfoundland
• Retriever (Golden)
• Retriever (Labrador)
• Samoyed
• St. Bernard
• Staffordshire Bull Terrier
TIP: ALWAYS supervise young children with a puppy. Behavioural problems are often created when a young child holds a puppy too long. The puppy struggles and if the child doesn’t let go, the puppy bites to free himself. Now the pup has learned that biting will get him what he wants. – Dominic Valois, Quebec Golden Retriever Club
Top dogs for older children
Many breeds love to be with their families, especially if no one’s pulling their ears!
• Australian Shepherd
• Boxer
• Collie (Rough)
• Coton de Tulear
• Flat Coated Retriever
• Fox Terrier (Wire)
• German Shepherd
• Griffon (Wire Haired Pointing)
• Iceland Sheepdog
• Keeshond
• Kerry Blue Terrier
• Lakeland Terrier
• Leonberger
• Norbottenspets
• Polish Lowland Sheepdog
• Schnauzer (Standard)
• Shetland Sheepdog
• Shiloh Shepherd
• Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier
• Spaniel (American Cocker)
• Spaniel (Brittany)
• Spaniel (Welsh Springer)
• Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Top dogs for empty nesters
If you have more time on your hands, these breeds will happily take up some of it.
• American Eskimo Dog
• Cairn Terrier
• Chihuahua, Long-haired
• Chihuahua, Short-haired
• Finnish Spitz
• Greyhound
• Griffon (Brussels)
• Lhasa Apso
• Manchester Terrier
• Norfolk Terrier
• Norwich Terrier
• Papillon
• Puli
• Shetland Sheepdog
• Shiba Inu
• Spaniel (English Cocker)
• Tibetan Spaniel
• Welsh Corgi (Cardigan or
Pembroke)
• West Highland White Terrier
• Yorkshire Terrier
Top canine couch potatoes
Sure, they need some exercise but afterwards, they’re happy just to lay around.
• Afghan
• Basset Hound
• Bulldog
• Great Dane
• Irish Wolfhound
• Pug
• Scottish Deerhound
• Whippet
Top sneeze-free dogs
Some breeds are better for allergy sufferers than others.
• Barbet
• Bedlington Terrier
• Bichon Frise
• Cairn Terrier
• Chinese Crested
• Löwchen
• Maltese
• Irish Terrier
• Irish Water Spaniel
• Italian Greyhound
• Poodle (all sizes)
• Schnauzer (all sizes)
Top dogs for open spaces and jogging
These energetic breeds thrive on a little extra exercise!
• Alaskan Malamute
• Barbet
• Bearded Collie
• Border Terrier
• Canaan Dog
• Chesapeake Bay Retriever
• Dalmatian
• Deerhound
• German Shorthaired Pointer
• Ibizan Hound
• Iceland Sheepdog
• Norbottenspets
• Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
• Old English Sheepdog
• Petit Basset Griffon Vandeen
• Portuguese Water Dog
• Rhodesian Ridgeback
• Saluki
• Setter (Irish Red and White)
• Setter (Irish)
• Siberian Husky
• Spaniel (Welsh Springer)
• Vizsla
• Weimeraner
Top dogs for tricks and games
Interested in dog sports or a dog with a talent for tricks?
• Airedale Terrier
• American Eskimo Dog
• Australian Shepherd
• Bedlington Terrier
• Border Collie
• Border Terrier
• Cannan Dog
• Collie (Smooth)
• Doberman Pinscher
• German Shepherd Dog
• German Shorthaired Pointer
• Iceland Sheepdog
• Kleiner Münsterländer
• Miniature Australian Shepherd
• Parson Russell Terrier
• Polish Lowland Sheepdog
• Pomeranian
• Poodle
• Portuguese Water Dog
• Retriever (all types)
• Mini Australian Shepherd
• Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
• Schnauzer (all types)
• Shetland Sheepdog
• Spaniel (all types)
• Welsh Terrier
• West Highland White Terrier
Natural guardians
Looking for loyalty? These breeds may make great family dogs or be diligent guard dogs.
• Akbash
• Akita
• American Bulldog
• Black Russian Terrier
• Bouvier des Flandres
• Briard
• Bull Terrier
• Cane Corso
• Chinese Shar-Pei
• Chow Chow
• Collie, Rough
• German Pinscher
• German Shepherd Dog
• Giant Schnauzer
• Great Pyrenees
• Kuvasz
• Mastiff
• Norwegian Elkhound
• Rottweiler
• Shiloh Shepherd
• Swedish Vallhund
AUTHOR PROFILE
Canadian Dogs is the definitive resource for helping people find and care for their new best friend. Featuring all the breed information you expect but with a fresh new approach. Published by one of Canada’s foremost pet publishers and distributed across Canada, this exciting publication is supported by leading breed experts, veterinarians, trainers, nutritionists and groomers.
