Australian Shepherds are active, friendly, easy-to-train dogs that make great family pets. Name a sport—obedience, agility, herding—and Aussies can excel. They need lots of exercise, but they learn quickly and love to work. They’ll be happy to play ball for as long as you want to. Health concerns include hip dysplasia and several eye diseases, and they can be affected by multiple drug sensitivity (MDS), which causes a risk of fatal reactions to a number of common veterinary drugs. Fortunately, there’s a simple test for this. Their life span is twelve to sixteen years.
The Shetland Sheepdog is another wonderful, versatile breed, weighing just under 30 pounds. They have a lot of coat, but if you don’t mind a dust bunny or two (or more!) of fur, you’re fine. The Sheltie is rather vocal, but that makes him a good watchdog. He’s fairly active, which is good news if you want to try performance events. The Sheltie might not be the best breed for very small children, but it is generally a good family dog. Health concerns include hip dysplasia, Collie eye anomaly, progressive retinal atrophy, von Willebrand’s, and dermatomyositis (DM), also known as Sheltie skin syndrome. The average life span is twelve to fourteen years.
Pembroke Welsh Corgis are smart, active dogs who are always ready to play and are good with children and with other pets. They are not incessant barkers, but they will definitely let you know if someone’s at the door or if another dog just walked by the house. They shed heavily twice a year, so be prepared for the hair! Their short legs disqualify them as jogging partners, but they’re great at obedience, rally, agility, and herding. Health concerns include progressive retinal atrophy, von Willebrand’s, and degenerative myelopathy. Tests are available for the latter two, so ask your breeder to see the health clearances on your prospective puppy’s parents. If your breeder did not perform these tests, find another breeder. The breed’s life span is twelve to fourteen years.
Collies come in rough-coated (think Lassie) and smooth-coated varieties. The smooth coat is short, but both varieties have and undercoat, and both shed. Collies are good family dogs and are happy to participate in any game or sport. Health concerns include bloat and a range of eye diseases, including Collie eye anomaly and progressive retinal atrophy. The Collie’s average life span is ten to twelve years.
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Toy Dogs
Some of the AKC’s Toy breeds are:
Affenpinscher, Maltese, Poodle, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Miniature Pinscher, Pug, Chihuahua, Papillon, Shih Tzu, Chinese Crested, Pekingese, Toy Fox Terrier, Italian Greyhound, Pomeranian, Yorkshire Terrier
You’ve come to the right group if you want a small, portable dog who just wants to cuddle and be your friend. Coat types in this group include almost totally hairless, short, long, and curly. With the exception of the terriers in the group, who still display a terrier temperament, the dogs in this group were bred as companions. Whether you prefer the sleek good looks of an Italian Greyhound or a Manchester Terrier, the stocky body of the Pug, or the abundant locks of the Pekingese, this group has it.
The more delicate of these breeds are not recommended for households with small children, and none of these breeds was made for rough-housing, but if you’re looking for a dog who doesn’t need much exercise and will happily be your couch buddy, choose a toy breed, but just be aware that toy dogs can take longer to housetrain. When many of these breeds were developed, housetraining just wasn’t much of an issue. It was too easy to clean up after such a small dog—or, in castles and palaces—to just ignore it altogether.
Yorkshire Terriers are among the most popular of all AKC breeds. These petite terriers have long, silky steel-blue coats with tan points. The Yorkie’s coat requires daily care, even if clipped short, so consider the grooming requirements before adding a Yorkie to your home. Weighing between 4 and 7 pounds, Yorkies are spunky and playful, as well as lovely. As with many small breeds, Yorkies are susceptible to patellar luxation (a condition in which the kneecap slips out of place), dental issues, hypothyroidism, and Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, which slows the blood supply to the head of the thighbone. Very small dogs and puppies may also suffer from low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia. The breed’s life span is twelve to sixteen years.
Italian Greyhound puppy
The Poodle typically ranks among the AKC’s top ten most popular breeds, and Toy Poodles certainly make delightful companions and are just as lively and intelligent as the larger varieties (Miniature and Standard, members of the Non-Sporting Group). While they may not have the size to retrieve ducks, they can learn tricks and, if obedience or agility appeals to you, your little Poodle will be happy to join you. Health concerns include luxating patellas, Addison’s disease, Cushing’s disease, and hypothyroidism. The overall lifespan is fourteen to eighteen years, with Toy Poodles likely to reach the far end of this range.
The popular Shih Tzu has a long double coat that you can easily keep in a puppy trim. This sturdy little dog weighs between 9 and 16 pounds and makes a good watchdog—but once you let a new person inside your home, the Shih Tzu is all about love. Health concerns include dental problems, luxating patellas, and progressive retinal atrophy. Shih Tzus are also prone to renal dysplasia, a disease in which the kidneys don’t develop normally. This condition can be inherited, so make sure the breeder has had the parents tested. Shih Tzus have large, front-facing eyes that can easily be injured. Life expectancy in the breed is from ten to eighteen years.
It’s a hard-hearted person who can resist the big brown eyes and soft expression of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. This lovely little spaniel weighs between 10 and 18 pounds and wants to be with you no matter what you’re doing. He’s happy to go for a long walk, participate in a doggy activity, or just curl up next to you for a snooze. While Cavaliers can live from ten to fourteen years, they unfortunately are susceptible to a heart disease called mitral valve disease. This condition can be controlled with medication, but there is no cure. Cavaliers may also have syringomyelia, a nervous-system disorder that causes fluid-filled cavities in the spinal cord, resulting in pain and sensitivity in the head and neck. Syringomyelia may be managed with pain medicine or corrected with surgery, but it may also be so severe that the dog must be euthanized.
The Pomeranian has been bred down from about 30 pounds to its current size of 3 to 7 pounds, but it’s still a charming, high-energy spitz-type dog. That thick double coat needs attention in the form of thorough brushings, but that’s about it. Poms make good watchdogs; if you want a silent companion, keep looking. They’re probably not the best with children because of their size. Besides the luxating patellas and dental problems common in toy breeds, Poms may have collapsing tracheas, which makes wearing a collar problematic. They are also susceptible to skin problems. The lifespan is fifteen years or more.
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Sporting Group
The AKC’s Sporting Group includes:
American Water Spaniel, English Springer Spaniel, Labrador Retriever, Brittany, Flat-Coated Retriever, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, German Shorthaired Pointer, Pointer, Clumber Spaniel, German Wirehaired Pointer, Spinone Italiano, Cocker Spaniel, Golden Retriever, Vizsla, Curly-Coated Retriever, Irish Setter, Weimaraner, English Cocker Spaniel, Irish Water Spaniel, Welsh Springer Spaniel, English Setter
The Sporting Group is the oldest AKC group, consisting largely of dogs used for hunting, specifically fowl. Some of these dogs were bred to retrieve waterfowl and thus may have webbed feet along with a high tolerance for diving into cold water. Others were bred to point and/or flush birds on land and then retrieve the fallen game. Many of these dogs, such as the Vizsla and the Weimaraner, are very high-energy dogs, needing lots of exercise. Most sporting dogs were not bred to curl up on the couch with you—not that many of them aren’t happy to do just that, but only after a long day in the field or after some other strenuous exercise. Other sporting dogs, such as the Clumber Spaniel, Sussex Spaniel, and Cocker Spaniel, are a bit more laid back. Almost all of the sporting breeds are friendly and ready to play, and if you live near water, they’ll love