Affectionate dog breeds
Spoiler: almost every house dog is glued to its people. That's why this list is long: 22 of the 30 breeds score 4 or 5 in affection with family.
How this list was built
The rule, out in the open
- Affection with family ≥ 5/5
22 of 30 directory breeds qualify · 8 don't · 0 have no data for a field in the rule (left out, named below)
The numbers come from the Lord Chucho deck: the scale published by the AKC and the books in our library, with a citation on every bar. Where there's no data, there's no breed: we'd rather leave the gap than make it up.
Affectionate with its family isn't always affectionate with the neighbor: look at the “with strangers” bar on each card.
With their bars and their citations
The 22 breeds that qualify
Labrador Retriever
- Affection with family5/5reservedglued to youSource: The New Complete Dog Book, 23rd edition (American Kennel Club) · confidence high
- With strangers5/5waryparty with everyoneSource: The New Complete Dog Book, 23rd edition (American Kennel Club) · confidence high
- Playfulness5/5seriousplayful for lifeSource: Dogs Unleashed (Tamsin Pickeral) · confidence high
Poodle Caniche (French Poodle)
- Affection with family5/5reservedglued to youSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
- With strangers5/5waryparty with everyoneSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
- Playfulness5/5seriousplayful for lifeSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
French Bulldog Bulldog Francés
- Affection with family5/5reservedglued to youSource: The New Complete Dog Book, 23rd edition (American Kennel Club) · confidence high
- With strangers5/5waryparty with everyoneSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
- Playfulness5/5seriousplayful for lifeSource: The New Complete Dog Book, 23rd edition (American Kennel Club) · confidence high
Pug
- Affection with family5/5reservedglued to youSource: The New Complete Dog Book, 23rd edition (American Kennel Club) · confidence high
- With strangers5/5waryparty with everyoneSource: The New Complete Dog Book, 23rd edition (American Kennel Club) · confidence high
- Playfulness5/5seriousplayful for lifeSource: The New Complete Dog Book, 23rd edition (American Kennel Club) · confidence high
Siberian Husky Husky Siberiano
- Affection with family5/5reservedglued to youSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
- With strangers5/5waryparty with everyoneSource: The New Complete Dog Book, 23rd edition (American Kennel Club) · confidence high
- Playfulness5/5seriousplayful for lifeSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
Golden Retriever
- Affection with family5/5reservedglued to youSource: Dogs Unleashed (Tamsin Pickeral) · confidence high
- With strangers5/5waryparty with everyoneSource: The New Complete Dog Book, 23rd edition (American Kennel Club) · confidence high
- Playfulness4/5seriousplayful for lifeSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
Yorkshire Terrier
- Affection with family5/5reservedglued to youSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
- With strangers5/5waryparty with everyoneSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
- Playfulness4/5seriousplayful for lifeSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
Border Collie
- Affection with family5/5reservedglued to youSource: The New Complete Dog Book, 23rd edition (American Kennel Club) · confidence high
- With strangers4/5waryparty with everyoneSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
- Playfulness5/5seriousplayful for lifeSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
Dachshund
- Affection with family5/5reservedglued to youSource: The New Complete Dog Book, 23rd edition (American Kennel Club) · confidence high
- With strangers4/5waryparty with everyoneSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
- Playfulness4/5seriousplayful for lifeSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
Doberman Pinscher Dóberman
- Affection with family5/5reservedglued to youSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
- With strangers4/5waryparty with everyoneSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
- Playfulness4/5seriousplayful for lifeSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
Dalmatian Dálmata
- Affection with family5/5reservedglued to youSource: Dogs Unleashed (Tamsin Pickeral) · confidence high
- With strangers4/5waryparty with everyoneSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
- Playfulness4/5seriousplayful for lifeSource: Dogs Unleashed (Tamsin Pickeral) · confidence high
American Staffordshire Terrier
- Affection with family5/5reservedglued to youSource: The New Complete Dog Book, 23rd edition (American Kennel Club) · confidence high
- With strangers4/5waryparty with everyoneSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
- Playfulness3/5seriousplayful for lifeSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
Weimaraner
- Affection with family5/5reservedglued to youSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
- With strangers3/5waryparty with everyoneSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
- Playfulness5/5seriousplayful for lifeSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
German Shepherd Dog Pastor Alemán
- Affection with family5/5reservedglued to youSource: The New Complete Dog Book, 23rd edition (American Kennel Club) · confidence high
- With strangers3/5waryparty with everyoneSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
- Playfulness4/5seriousplayful for lifeSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
Miniature Schnauzer Schnauzer Miniatura
- Affection with family5/5reservedglued to youSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
- With strangers3/5waryparty with everyoneSource: Dogs Unleashed (Tamsin Pickeral) · confidence high
- Playfulness4/5seriousplayful for lifeSource: Dogs Unleashed (Tamsin Pickeral) · confidence high
Rottweiler
- Affection with family5/5reservedglued to youSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
- With strangers3/5waryparty with everyoneSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
- Playfulness4/5seriousplayful for lifeSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
Xoloitzcuintli Xoloitzcuintle
- Affection with family5/5reservedglued to youSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
- With strangers3/5waryparty with everyoneSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
- Playfulness4/5seriousplayful for lifeSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
Great Dane Gran Danés
- Affection with family5/5reservedglued to youSource: The New Complete Dog Book, 23rd edition (American Kennel Club) · confidence high
- With strangers3/5waryparty with everyoneSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
- Playfulness4/5seriousplayful for lifeSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
Shih Tzu
- Affection with family5/5reservedglued to youSource: The New Complete Dog Book, 23rd edition (American Kennel Club) · confidence high
- With strangers3/5waryparty with everyoneSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
- Playfulness3/5seriousplayful for lifeSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
Maltese Maltés
- Affection with family5/5reservedglued to youSource: The New Complete Dog Book, 23rd edition (American Kennel Club) · confidence high
- With strangers3/5waryparty with everyoneSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
- Playfulness3/5seriousplayful for lifeSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
Pomeranian Pomerania
- Affection with family5/5reservedglued to youSource: The New Complete Dog Book, 23rd edition (American Kennel Club) · confidence high
- With strangers3/5waryparty with everyoneSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
- Playfulness3/5seriousplayful for lifeSource: The New Complete Dog Book, 23rd edition (American Kennel Club) · confidence high
Saint Bernard San Bernardo
- Affection with family5/5reservedglued to youSource: The New Complete Dog Book, 23rd edition (American Kennel Club) · confidence high
- With strangers3/5waryparty with everyoneSource: Dogs Unleashed (Tamsin Pickeral) · confidence high
- Playfulness3/5seriousplayful for lifeSource: akc.org, official breed trait scores · confidence high
And for your life, which one?
A list narrows things down; the recommender crosses your home, your energy, your kids and your neighbors with these same data, in seven questions.
Other collections
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- Medium 8
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- The most common in Mexico 11
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