Breed library

Dog & cat breed library

25 of the AKC's most popular dog breeds and 12 popular cat breeds: size, lifespan, temperament, care needs, health issues to budget for and sourced costs. Every fact links to its source.

Dog · #1

French Bulldog

Playful / Smart / Adaptable

⏳ 10–12+ years
⚖️ under 28 pounds

See breed →Dog · #2

Labrador Retriever

Active / Friendly / Outgoing

⏳ 11–13+ years
⚖️ 65-80 pounds (male), 55-70 pounds (female)

See breed →Dog · #3

Golden Retriever

Intelligent / Friendly / Devoted

⏳ 10–12+ years
⚖️ 65-75 pounds (male), 55-65 pounds (female)

See breed →Dog · #4

German Shepherd Dog

Courageous / Confident / Smart

⏳ 12–14+ years
⚖️ 65-90 pounds (male), 50-70 pounds (female)

See breed →Dog · #5

Dachshund

Curious / Friendly / Spunky

⏳ 12–16+ years
⚖️ 16-32 pounds (standard), 11 pounds & under (miniature)

See breed →Dog · #6

Poodle

Active / Proud / Very Smart

⏳ 10–18+ years
⚖️ 60-70 pounds (male standard), 40-50 pounds (female standard)

See breed →Dog · #7

Beagle

Curious / Friendly / Merry

⏳ 10–15+ years
⚖️ under 20 pounds (13 inches & under), 20-30 pounds (13-15 inches)

See breed →Dog · #8

Rottweiler

Loyal / Loving / Confident Guardian

⏳ 9–10+ years
⚖️ 95-135 pounds (male), 80-100 pounds (female)

See breed →Dog · #9

German Shorthaired Pointer

Friendly / Smart / Willing To Please

⏳ 10–12+ years
⚖️ 55-70 pounds (male), 45-60 pounds (female)

See breed →Dog · #10

Bulldog

Friendly / Courageous / Calm

⏳ 8–10+ years
⚖️ 50 pounds (male), 40 pounds (female)

See breed →Dog · #11

Cane Corso

Intelligent / Affectionate / Majestic

⏳ 9–12+ years
⚖️ Proportionate to height

See breed →Dog · #12

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Affectionate / Gentle / Graceful

⏳ 12–15+ years
⚖️ 13-18 pounds

See breed →Dog · #13

Yorkshire Terrier

Affectionate / Sprightly / Tomboyish

⏳ 11–15+ years
⚖️ 7 pounds

See breed →Dog · #14

Australian Shepherd

Smart / Work-Oriented / Exuberant

⏳ 12–15+ years
⚖️ 50-65 pounds (male), 40-55 pounds (female)

See breed →Dog · #15

Doberman Pinscher

Alert / Loyal / Fearless

⏳ 10–12+ years
⚖️ 75-100 pounds (male), 60-90 pounds (female)

See breed →Dog · #16

Pembroke Welsh Corgi

Alert / Affectionate / Smart

⏳ 12–13+ years
⚖️ up to 30 pounds (male), up to 28 pounds (female)

See breed →Dog · #17

Miniature Schnauzer

Friendly / Smart / Obedient

⏳ 12–15+ years
⚖️ 11-20 pounds

See breed →Dog · #18

Boxer

Active / Bright / Fun-Loving

⏳ 10–12+ years
⚖️ 65-80 pounds (male), females are about 15 pounds less than male

See breed →Dog · #19

Pomeranian

Inquisitive / Lively / Bold

⏳ 12–16+ years
⚖️ 3-7 pounds

See breed →Dog · #20

Bernese Mountain Dog

Good-Natured / Calm / Strong

⏳ 7–10+ years
⚖️ 80-115 pounds (male), 70-95 pounds (female)

See breed →Dog · #21

Shih Tzu

Playful / Affectionate / Outgoing

⏳ 10–18+ years
⚖️ 9-16 pounds

See breed →Dog · #22

Great Dane

Friendly / Patient / Dependable

⏳ 7–10+ years
⚖️ 140-175 pounds (male), 110-140 pounds (female)

See breed →Dog · #23

Boston Terrier

Friendly / Bright / Amusing

⏳ 11–13+ years
⚖️ 12-25 pounds

See breed →Dog · #24

Chihuahua

Charming / Graceful / Sassy

⏳ 14–16+ years
⚖️ not exceeding 6 pounds

See breed →Dog · #25

Havanese

Intelligent / Outgoing / Funny

⏳ 14–16+ years
⚖️ 7-13 pounds

See breed →Cat · #1

Maine Coon

Gentle, easy going yet active

⏳ Around 13+ years
⚖️ Males 18–25 lb, females 10–14 lb

See breed →Cat · #2

Ragdoll

Docile, placid and affectionate

⏳ Up to 17 years
⚖️ Can grow to about 20 lb

See breed →Cat · #3

Persian

Sweet, affectionate, quiet

⏳ About 10–13+ years on average
⚖️ 7–13 lb

See breed →Cat · #4

Exotic (Exotic Shorthair)

Sweet, affectionate, quiet

⏳ Typically 8–15+ years
⚖️ 10–12 lb

See breed →Cat · #5

Devon Rex

Pixie-like, playful

⏳ About 9–15+ years on average
⚖️ 6–9 lb on average

See breed →Cat · #6

Abyssinian

Busy, active, agenda-driven and affectionate

⏳ About 9–13+ years
⚖️ 8–12 lb

See breed →Cat · #7

British Shorthair

Calm and quiet; enjoy people

⏳ About 12–20+ years
⚖️ Males up to about 17 lb, females up to about 12 lb

See breed →Cat · #8

Siberian

Dog-like, intelligent and devoted

⏳ About 10–18+ years
⚖️ 12–15 lb or more

See breed →Cat · #9

Sphynx

Active, affectionate

⏳
⚖️ 6–14 lb

See breed →Cat · #10

Russian Blue

Graceful, playful and quiet

⏳ About 15–20+ years
⚖️ 7–12 lb

See breed →Cat

Siamese

Vocal, affectionate, active; can be insistent

⏳ About 15+ years on average, and some live into their 20s

See breed →Cat

American Shorthair

Even temperament

⏳ About 15–20+ years
⚖️ 6–15 lb (males heavier)

See breed →

Dog rankings: AKC Most Popular Dog Breeds of 2025. Cat rankings: CFA Most Popular Breeds for 2025 (Siamese and American Shorthair are CFA-recognized breeds outside its published top 10). No breed photos are used.

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