Catalog · 220 breeds

Dog breeds
in New Zealand.

Every profile shows AKC-style trait ratings, NZ-specific context (climate fit, council registration, typical price), and the conditions reputable NZKC breeders should screen for. Filter to find your match.

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Breed profiles

220

Live now

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NZ-native breeds

Including the Huntaway

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Breed groups

NZKC classification

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Traits scored

AKC 1 to 5 scale

Group Size Sort

Affenpinscher

Toys · Toy

A small, fearless toy breed with a wiry coat and a famously cheeky face. Confident, playful and big-personality in a small package.

Toy Active

Afghan Hound

Hounds · Large

An ancient sighthound from the mountains of Afghanistan with a long silky coat. Independent, dignified, demanding to groom, and far better suited to cooler NZ regions like Wellington and Otago than to humid Northland summers.

Large Active

Airedale Terrier

Terriers · Large

The largest terrier the NZKC registers. A 25 to 30 kg working dog with a tan and black wire coat, a long history of military and farm work, and a steady but small presence on NZ rural lifestyle blocks.

Large Active

Akita

Utility · Large

A large Japanese guarding spitz with a curled tail, a thick double coat and a famously dignified, one-family temperament. Quiet at home, intolerant of other dogs of the same sex, and a bigger commitment than most NZ owners realise.

Large Medium

Alaskan Malamute

Working · Large

Heavy freight sled dog, larger and stronger than the Siberian Husky and built for power rather than speed. Affectionate with family, independent, vocal, and a serious commitment for first-time owners.

Large Active

American Cocker Spaniel

Gundogs · Small

The smaller, longer-coated, show-line cocker recognised by the AKC in 1946 as a separate breed from the English Cocker. Distinct from the NZ "Cocker Spaniel", which is the English type. The Disney Lady is an American Cocker.

Small Medium

American Staffordshire Terrier

Terriers · Medium

A compact, heavily muscled American terrier developed from 19th-century bull-and-terrier stock. Recognised by the NZKC as a separate breed and not on the menacing-breed schedule, despite a long-running confusion with the Staffordshire Bull Terrier and the American Pit Bull Terrier.

Medium Active

Anatolian Shepherd Dog

Utility · Giant

A 40 to 65 kg Turkish livestock guardian, bred for thousands of years on the Anatolian plateau to live with the flock and see off wolves and bears. In NZ a niche but growing pick on lifestyle blocks and farms running a Maremma-style guardian programme against feral predators.

Giant Medium

Australian Cattle Dog

Working · Medium

A compact Australian working breed bred to drove cattle by nipping at heels. Tireless, clever, fiercely bonded to its handler, and a regular sight on NZ lifestyle blocks and beef farms.

Medium High energy

Australian Kelpie

Working · Medium

An Australian sheepdog used widely on NZ farms for sheep and cattle work. Lean, athletic, eye-driven, biddable to a handler and notoriously hard to outwit.

Medium High energy

Australian Shepherd

Working · Medium

Despite the name, the Aussie was developed in the western United States as a ranch herder. In NZ it sits firmly in the active-sport and lifestyle-block category, with a strong presence in agility, disc dog and herding trial scenes.

Medium High energy

Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog

Working · Medium

The natural-bobtail cousin of the Australian Cattle Dog. A tough Australian heeler born with a tail under 10 cm, used on a small number of NZ cattle and sheep stations as a quieter alternative to the Border Collie, Huntaway, Kelpie or full-tailed ACD.

Medium High energy

Australian Terrier

Terriers · Small

One of only two breeds developed wholly in Australia (with the Silky Terrier). A small wire-coated working terrier with a hard topknot, big personality and a real history of snake-killing and rat work on early Australian farms. Modest popularity in NZ.

Small Active

Basenji

Hounds · Small

An ancient African sighthound-scenthound hybrid that does not bark. Quiet, catlike, intensely clean, and one of the few breeds that NZ apartment dwellers can keep without a noise complaint, provided the owner can handle the yodel and the prey drive.

Small Active

Basset Hound

Hounds · Medium

A short-legged French scenthound bred to track rabbit and hare on foot. Affectionate, stubborn, vocal, and a regular source of complaints about baying in dense NZ neighbourhoods.

Medium Low

Bavarian Mountain Hound

Hounds · Medium

A medium German blood-tracking hound used to follow wounded deer and large game. Used in NZ by professional hunters and DOC contractors for tracking work.

Medium Active

Beagle

Hounds · Small

A merry, scent-driven small hound that lives for a sniff and a song. Sociable, food-motivated and surprisingly stubborn for a 12 kg dog.

Small High energy

Bearded Collie

Working · Medium

The shaggy "Highland Collie", an older Scottish drover and the long-haired cousin of the Border Collie and the Old English Sheepdog. Bouncy, vocal, sweet-natured, and a more popular NZ family dog than its registration numbers suggest.

Medium Active

Beauceron

Working · Large

A large French herder and guardian, sometimes mistaken for a Doberman by Kiwis at the dog park. Working drive, sharp protective instinct, and a black-and-tan or harlequin coat are the hallmarks.

Large High energy

Bedlington Terrier

Terriers · Small

The terrier that looks like a lamb but runs like a whippet. Bred in 19th century Northumberland for ratting and poaching, the Bedlington is a curly-coated, low-shedding small terrier with one specific health risk every NZ buyer needs to test for before paying.

Small Active

Black long-haired Belgian Groenendael sitting among autumn leaves, photo by Anastasia Belousova on Pexels

Belgian Shepherd Groenendael

Working · Large

The long-haired all-black variety of the Belgian Shepherd. Same high working drive as the Malinois in a black coat, used heavily by French and Belgian police as well as in NZ working sport.

Large High energy

Adult fawn rough-coated Belgian Laekenois standing alert at a show, photo by Johan Frick-Meijer on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

Belgian Shepherd Laekenois

Working · Large

The rough wire-haired fawn variety of the Belgian Shepherd. Same working drive as the Malinois, in a tousled coat that looks like the dog has had a rough night. The rarest of the four Belgian Shepherds in NZ.

Large High energy

Adult fawn Belgian Malinois standing alert outdoors, photo by Gabriel Amaral on Unsplash

Belgian Shepherd Malinois

Working · Large

A high-drive working shepherd from Belgium, the modern police, military and protection-sport dog of choice worldwide. Often confused with the German Shepherd; lives a very different life.

Large High energy

Mahogany long-haired Belgian Tervueren among autumn leaves, photo by Hans Middendorp on Pexels

Belgian Shepherd Tervueren

Working · Large

The long-haired mahogany variety of the Belgian Shepherd. High working drive in a more elegant, slightly softer package than the Malinois, with a coat that demands real grooming.

Large High energy

Bergamasco

Working · Large

An ancient Italian Alpine herder famous for a felted "flock" coat that takes years to form and provides natural insulation against mountain cold. Very rare in NZ.

Large Medium

Berger Picard

Working · Medium

A rough-coated medium French herder with upright ears and a beard, briefly famous after the film "Because of Winn-Dixie". Vulnerable native breed status, very rare in NZ.

Medium Active

Bernese Mountain Dog

Working · Large

Big, calm, tricolour Swiss working dog with a thick double coat. Affectionate at home, slow to mature, and noticeably short-lived for the cost and commitment.

Large Medium

Bichon Frise

Toys · Small

A 5 kg white powder-puff toy with a soft curly double coat, a friendly playful temperament, and a defining grooming commitment. A common choice in NZ apartments for owners who want a low-shedding small dog and accept the cost of a 6-weekly groomer appointment.

Small Medium

Black and Tan Coonhound

Hounds · Large

An American treeing scenthound bred to track raccoon and bear up trees by scent and to hold them there with a deep, full bay. Larger and heavier than a Bloodhound's first cousin, with a working nose and a working voice, and almost unknown in NZ outside a small group of NZKC enthusiasts.

Large Active

Bloodhound

Hounds · Large

The original tracking scenthound and the gold-standard nose in the dog world. Affectionate, slow-gaited, heavy-bodied, and a meaningful drool and noise commitment in any NZ household.

Large Medium

Boerboel

Utility · Giant

A large, powerful South African farm guardian bred to hold leopard and protect remote homesteads. Legal in NZ but a serious commitment, with strict containment expectations and a temperament that demands an experienced owner.

Giant Medium

Bolognese

Toys · Toy

A 3 to 4 kg Italian white toy from the Bichon family, quieter and more reserved than the Bichon Frise. The single fluffy white coat does not shed but mats fast without daily brushing. Rare in New Zealand, with most pups coming from a small handful of NZKC-registered breeders.

Toy Low

Border Collie

Working · Medium

Widely considered the most intelligent dog breed. Tireless, focused, and demanding to live with unless you give the brain a job.

Medium High energy

Border Terrier

Terriers · Small

A compact working terrier from the hills between England and Scotland, bred to run with foxhounds and bolt foxes. One of the lower-grooming, more biddable terriers in NZ, and a steady favourite with active families on the lifestyle-block fringe of Christchurch, Hamilton and Dunedin.

Small Active

Borzoi

Hounds · Giant

A giant Russian sighthound bred to course wolves across the steppe. Quiet, dignified and almost catlike indoors, but needs a fenced paddock to gallop in and a household that understands sighthound prey drive. Rare in NZ and best suited to lifestyle blocks.

Giant Medium

Boston Terrier

Non Sporting · Small

A small, brachycephalic companion in a tuxedo-marked coat. Friendly, playful and apartment-friendly, with the heat sensitivity and breathing concerns common to flat-faced breeds. Despite the name, Dogs NZ classifies the Boston in Non Sporting, not Terriers.

Small Medium

Bouvier des Ardennes

Working · Medium

A rare medium Belgian cattle drover, almost extinct after WWII and rebuilt by a single dedicated breeder programme in the 1980s. Almost no NZ presence.

Medium Active

Bouvier des Flandres

Working · Large

A heavy, tousled Belgian cattle drover with a big beard, a calm head and a serious working past. Strong, watchful, and an unusually demanding grooming proposition for NZ households.

Large Medium

Boxer

Utility · Large

An athletic, exuberant family dog who never quite grows up. Boxers stay puppy-brained until four or five years old, demand to be near their people, and use their face as a primary communication tool.

Large High energy

Briard

Working · Large

A large French shaggy herder, often described as a "heart wrapped in fur". Affectionate to family, watchful of strangers, and one of the heaviest grooming commitments of any working breed kept in NZ.

Large Active

Brittany

Gundogs · Medium

A medium-sized French versatile gundog. Pointer in the head, spaniel in the build, biddable in the home, and one of the most popular gamebird hunting dogs across rural NZ.

Medium High energy

Bull Terrier

Terriers · Medium

The egg-headed gladiator clown of the dog world. Muscular, stubborn, fiercely affectionate with their people, and prone to a daily zoomie session that knocks over the coffee table.

Medium Active

Bulldog

Non Sporting · Medium

A stocky, low-energy companion breed with a famously calm temperament and a long list of conformation-driven health concerns. Popular in NZ apartments and family homes, with real heat limits and a vet-spend profile that catches first-time owners out.

Medium Low

Bullmastiff

Working · Giant

A large, calm guard dog originally bred to silently apprehend poachers on English estates. Devoted to family, naturally protective, prone to bloat and a serious commitment in size, drool and short lifespan.

Giant Low

Cairn Terrier

Terriers · Small

The hardy little Scottish working terrier behind Toto in The Wizard of Oz, and the original breed from which the West Highland White was developed. Compact, weatherproof, low-shedding, and one of the more sensible small terriers for first-time NZ owners.

Small Active

Canaan Dog

Utility · Medium

The national breed of Israel and one of the few "natural" breeds still found semi-feral in its country of origin. Independent, alert, low-shedding-by-pariah-standards, and very rarely seen in New Zealand.

Medium Medium

Cardigan Welsh Corgi

Working · Small

The older, larger and rarer of the two Welsh corgi breeds. A working herder with a long fox-like tail, distinct from the more famous Pembroke despite the shared name and silhouette.

Small Active

Catalan Sheepdog

Working · Medium

A medium shaggy herding dog from the Pyrenees foothills of Catalonia. Smart, hard-working and rare in NZ, with under 20 registered with Dogs NZ in any recent year and most examples imported by serious working-dog or sport-dog homes.

Medium Active

Caucasian Ovcharka standing in snow, photo on Unsplash

Caucasian Shepherd Dog

Utility · Giant

One of the largest livestock-guardian breeds in the world, with adult males commonly 50 to 80 kg, bred in the Caucasus mountains to deter wolves and bears. A serious-purpose working dog that flags hard for any first-time NZ owner. Niche in NZ, almost always working or specialist homes.

Giant Low

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Toys · Small

Affectionate small spaniel with a strong velcro instinct. Easy temperament, manageable size, and a heavy hereditary health load that asks more of owners than the easy nature suggests.

Small Medium

Cesky Terrier

Terriers · Small

The Czech national terrier, a deliberately mellow Sealyham × Scottie cross created in the 1940s for forest hunting work in Bohemia. Calmer than a typical terrier, low-shed, and rare in NZ.

Small Medium

Chesapeake Bay Retriever

Gundogs · Large

The toughest of the retrievers. A powerful, independent waterfowl dog built for cold-water work, rare in NZ but well suited to South Island duck-hunting households that want a serious gundog over a soft family pet.

Large High energy

Adult white and brown long-haired Chihuahua resting indoors, photo on Unsplash

Chihuahua (Long Coat)

Toys · Toy

The long-haired variety of the world's smallest recognised breed. Same standard, same temperament and same health profile as the Smooth Coat, with a soft single coat plus feathering on the ears, legs and tail that needs regular brushing. Popular in Auckland and Wellington apartments and one of the longest-lived breeds at 14 to 18 years.

Toy Medium

Adult black and tan smooth-coat Chihuahua dog, photo on Unsplash

Chihuahua (Smooth Coat)

Toys · Toy

The world's smallest recognised dog breed in its short-coated variety. A 2 to 3 kg toy from central Mexico, bonded fiercely to one person, popular in Auckland and Wellington apartments, and one of the longest-lived breeds at 14 to 18 years.

Toy Medium

Chinese Crested Dog

Toys · Toy

A 4 to 5 kg Toy that comes in two distinct coats (a near-hairless variety with tufted crest, socks and tail plume, and a fully coated "powderpuff" variety) that can appear in the same litter. Affectionate, playful and unusual in care needs, with the hairless variety needing sunscreen, jumpers and warm beds in NZ winter.

Toy Medium

Chow Chow

Non Sporting · Medium

An ancient Chinese guarding breed with a blue-black tongue, a lion-like ruff and a famously aloof manner. Loyal to one or two people, reserved with everyone else, and one of the most heat-intolerant breeds in NZ.

Medium Low

Cirneco dell'Etna

Hounds · Small

A small Sicilian sighthound built for hunting rabbit on the volcanic slopes of Mount Etna. Looks like a half-scale Pharaoh Hound, weighs less than a Beagle, and is a genuinely rare breed in NZ with only a handful of registered NZKC dogs in any given decade.

Small Active

Clumber Spaniel

Gundogs · Large

The heaviest of the spaniels. A heavy-boned, white-coated working dog with a slow, methodical hunting style and a calm, dignified house manner. Rare in NZ and held mostly by gundog and specialty-show households.

Large Low

Cocker Spaniel

Gundogs · Medium

Mid-sized gundog spaniel with a strong working drive and an active, busy temperament. Known for the silky feathered coat, the merry tail and a deep need for daily structured exercise.

Medium Active

Coton de Tulear

Toys · Toy

A 4 to 6 kg fluffy white toy from the bichon family and the national dog of Madagascar, where the breed was once reserved for the noble households of the port city Tulear. The cotton-soft coat does not shed but mats fast without daily brushing. A growing presence in NZ apartment households for owners drawn to the social, biddable temperament.

Toy Medium

Croatian Sheepdog

Working · Medium

A compact black herding dog from the Slavonia plains of eastern Croatia. Sharp, biddable and built for fast work, the Croatian Sheepdog is an emerging dog-sport breed in NZ with a small but growing footprint in agility, obedience and tricks competitions.

Medium High energy

Curly Coated Retriever

Gundogs · Large

One of the oldest retriever breeds and the original British waterfowl retriever. Distinctive all-over tight curl coat, taller and leaner than a Labrador, very rare in NZ. Suits experienced gundog and active rural homes.

Large Active

Czechoslovakian Wolfdog

Working · Large

A deliberate German Shepherd × Carpathian wolf hybrid created in 1955 by the Czechoslovak military to combine wolf endurance with shepherd trainability. Recognised by NZKC since 2014. Ownership requires significant working-dog experience and is not a beginner choice under any reasonable definition.

Large High energy

Brown and black long-haired Dachshund close portrait, photo on Unsplash

Dachshund (Long-Haired)

Hounds · Small

The Standard Long-Haired Dachshund is the most placid of the three Dachshund coat varieties. The same long-bodied scent hound as the Smooth, in a softer, calmer package, with a feathered coat that handles a Wellington winter better than a smooth.

Small Medium

Long-haired miniature Dachshund portrait, photo on Unsplash

Dachshund (Miniature Long-Haired)

Hounds · Toy

The Miniature Long-Haired Dachshund is the calmest and most cold-tolerant of the three Mini Dachshund coat varieties. A 4 to 5 kg apartment dog with a silky feathered coat, a softer temperament than the Mini Smooth, and the same long-bodied frame and IVDD risk as every Dachshund.

Toy Medium

Black and tan miniature smooth Dachshund portrait, photo on Unsplash

Dachshund (Miniature Smooth-Haired)

Hounds · Toy

The Miniature Smooth Dachshund is the most popular Dachshund variety in New Zealand and a fixture of inner-city Auckland and Wellington apartments. Confident, vocal, devoted to one or two people, and built on a long back that needs careful management.

Toy Medium

Wire-haired Dachshund on a forest path in autumn, photo by Gundula Vogel on Pexels

Dachshund (Miniature Wire-Haired)

Hounds · Toy

The Miniature Wire-Haired Dachshund is the busiest, scruffiest and most terrier-flavoured of the three Mini Dachshund coats. A 4 to 5 kg apartment dog with a bristly bearded coat, a sharper bark than the Mini Smooth or Mini Long-Haired, and the same long back that defines every Dachshund.

Toy Active

Adult black-and-tan smooth Dachshund on grass, photo by James Watson on Unsplash

Dachshund (Smooth Haired)

Hounds · Small

A small, long-bodied scent hound bred to bolt badgers from setts. Brave well past its size, devoted to its person, and a fixture of NZ apartments and lifestyle blocks alike.

Small Medium

Dachshund (Wire-Haired)

Hounds · Small

The Standard Wire-Haired Dachshund is the most terrier-like of the three Dachshund coat varieties. Bristly, bearded, busier and more vocal than the Smooth or the Long-Haired, with the same long-bodied frame and the same back-care rules.

Small Active

Dalmatian

Non Sporting · Large

An athletic spotted coach dog with serious endurance, a strong attachment to its people, and three breed-specific health quirks every NZ owner needs to plan around.

Large High energy

Dandie Dinmont Terrier

Terriers · Small

The unusual long-bodied terrier with a silky topknot, named after a Walter Scott character. Pepper or Mustard colour, 8 to 11 kg, listed as a vulnerable native breed in the UK and very rare in NZ. The most distinctive silhouette in the terrier group.

Small Medium

Doberman

Utility · Large

A sleek, athletic guarding breed with high drive and a deep bond to its owner. Calm and biddable in the right hands, demanding and intense in the wrong ones.

Large High energy

Drever

Hounds · Small

A short-legged Swedish scenthound bred to track roe deer and fox at a steady, foot-pace tempo through deep forest. Long-bodied like a Dachshund but taller and built to work on snow, with a deep voice and a serious nose. Effectively unknown in NZ outside a handful of specialist hound households.

Small Active

Dutch Shepherd

Working · Large

The brindle cousin of the Belgian Malinois and German Shepherd, developed in the Netherlands as a herding shepherd and now used worldwide in police, military and protection sport. Building a real NZ following in protection sport, scent detection and increasingly in NZ Police K9 placements alongside the Mal.

Large High energy

English Foxhound

Hounds · Medium

The original English pack-hunting scenthound, bred to follow fox trails on a full day's ride. Athletic, sociable with other dogs, and almost never kept as a pet in NZ. Suits a working hound household with paddock space and a tolerance for noise and stamina.

Medium High energy

English Pointer

Gundogs · Large

Classic upland-bird pointing dog, lean and athletic, with a high working drive and a famously focused point. Less common in NZ than the Cocker or Springer but well represented in the gundog community.

Large High energy

English Setter

Gundogs · Large

A tall, gentle, speckled gundog. Calmer than the Irish Setter and easier on the household, with the same long coat to manage and a real daily running need. Held mostly by NZ gundog and active rural households.

Large Active

English Springer Spaniel

Gundogs · Medium

Athletic, busy gundog spaniel with a strong working drive. The most-used flushing spaniel in NZ rural and gamebird country, with a wide working-line vs show-line split that shapes daily life.

Medium High energy

English Toy Terrier

Toys · Toy

A 2.7 to 3.6 kg sleek black-and-tan toy, the smaller cousin of the Manchester Terrier and a miniaturised ratting terrier from Victorian England. Listed as a vulnerable native breed in the UK by the Kennel Club. Genuinely uncommon in NZ, with most pups coming from a small handful of NZKC-registered breeders.

Toy Active

Estrela Mountain Dog

Working · Large

A large Portuguese livestock guardian, one of the oldest breeds on the Iberian peninsula. Used in NZ in the same niche as the Maremma, protecting stock from feral dogs and pigs on lifestyle blocks and small farms.

Large Medium

Eurasier

Utility · Medium

A modern German breed deliberately designed as a calm family companion. Built from Chow Chow, Wolfspitz (Keeshond) and Samoyed in the 1960s, the Eurasier has no working drive, a quiet temperament, and a strong bond to its household.

Medium Medium

Field Spaniel

Gundogs · Medium

A rare British working spaniel, longer in body than the Cocker and a touch heavier in build. Calm, affectionate and slow-maturing, with a small but steady NZ following across gundog and family households.

Medium Medium

Finnish Lapphund

Working · Medium

An Arctic spitz-type herder developed by the Sámi to move reindeer in Finnish Lapland. Friendly, calm-headed, weather-resistant, and increasingly popular with NZ families in the cooler southern regions.

Medium Medium

Finnish Spitz

Hounds · Medium

Finland's national dog and the original "barking bird-dog", a fox-red spitz that hunts by voice and can fire off around 160 barks a minute on point. Quiet households need not apply.

Medium Active

Flat-Coated Retriever

Gundogs · Large

The original British retriever. Athletic, exuberant and slow to mature, with a longer working life than show-type retrievers and a smaller but loyal following in NZ gundog and trial circles.

Large High energy

Smooth Fox Terrier standing on grass, photo by Renate Dreyer on Unsplash

Fox Terrier (Smooth)

Terriers · Small

The original NZ farm ratter. A predominantly white short-coated working terrier with black and tan markings, kept on rural lifestyle blocks across the country since colonial settlement, and registered by the NZKC as a separate breed from its Wire-coated relative.

Small High energy

Wire Fox Terrier standing among autumn leaves, photo by Robbe Nees on Unsplash

Fox Terrier (Wire)

Terriers · Small

The wire-coated cousin of the Smooth Fox Terrier, with the same working drive and farm-ratting history but a harsh double coat that needs hand-stripping. Common on NZ rural lifestyle blocks since colonial settlement, registered by the NZKC as a separate breed from the Smooth.

Small High energy

French Bulldog

Non Sporting · Small

A small, brachycephalic companion breed and one of NZ's fastest-growing pet dogs. Affectionate, low-energy and apartment-friendly, with significant breathing, spinal and skin health concerns owners need to plan for.

Small Low

German Hunting Terrier

Terriers · Small

A small, intense, black-and-tan working terrier developed in 1920s Germany for serious hunting work. Used in NZ on pig and possum hunts; not a beginner pet, and not a dog that will settle for suburban couch life without real work.

Small High energy

German Longhaired Pointer

Gundogs · Large

The long-haired sibling of the German Shorthaired and Wirehaired Pointers, a versatile HPR gundog used in NZ rural shooting circles for both upland gamebirds and waterfowl.

Large High energy

German Pinscher

Utility · Medium

A medium-sized, athletic, smooth-coated working dog, historically the foundation breed for both the Doberman and the Miniature Pinscher. Rare in NZ, low maintenance on grooming, and best suited to active homes that can match the drive.

Medium High energy

Black-and-tan German Shepherd portrait, photo by Shayna Douglas on Unsplash

German Shepherd Dog

Working · Large

Athletic, sharp-minded working dog with strong protective instincts. Bonds tightly to its handler and needs a real job to be a good house dog.

Large High energy

German Shorthaired Pointer

Gundogs · Large

Versatile German hunting dog bred to point, retrieve and track on land and water. The most-used pointing breed in NZ deer, gamebird and small-game hunting communities, with high drive, high trainability and a serious daily exercise need.

Large High energy

German Wirehaired Pointer

Gundogs · Large

The wirehaired version of the GSP. A versatile German hunting dog with a weather-resistant beard-and-eyebrow coat, popular in NZ rural and gamebird hunting circles. All-weather all-terrain working dog with serious daily exercise needs.

Large High energy

Giant Schnauzer

Utility · Large

The largest of the three Schnauzer breeds. A serious working and guarding dog used historically for cattle-droving and now in police, military and protection work. Rare in New Zealand and a poor first dog, but exceptional in the right hands.

Large Active

Glen of Imaal Terrier

Terriers · Medium

A low-slung Irish working terrier from the Wicklow Mountains, calmer and more biddable than most working terriers. 14 to 18 kg, harsh blue or wheaten coat, a long history as a farm and badger dog. Very rare in NZ; the breed has a small enthusiast following.

Medium Medium

Golden Retriever

Gundogs · Large

Friendly, food-motivated and biddable. The Golden is the family dog most NZ households picture when they say "family dog", with a coat and exercise need that ask a bit more than the Labrador.

Large Active

Gordon Setter

Gundogs · Large

The black-and-tan Scottish setter. Larger and more substantial than the English or Irish, with a steadier working pace and a more protective edge. Held by a small NZ following across active suburban and gundog households.

Large Active

Great Dane

Utility · Giant

A genuinely giant breed with a famously gentle temperament. Great Danes are loving, lower-energy than their size suggests, and one of the most expensive dogs in NZ to feed, vet and bury.

Giant Medium

Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

Utility · Giant

The largest and oldest of the Swiss Sennenhund breeds. A short-coated, draft-and-drove working dog with the same tricolour pattern as the Bernese but a longer lifespan, more energy, and far less grooming.

Giant Active

Greyhound

Hounds · Large

The world's fastest dog. A 50 km/h sprinter at the dog park, a 20-hour-a-day couch sleeper at home. Most NZ pet Greyhounds are retired racers rehomed through Greyhounds As Pets.

Large Low

Brussels Griffon with bearded face in snow, photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash

Griffon Bruxellois

Toys · Toy

A 4 to 5 kg Belgian Toy with a famously human-like "monkey face", a bold personality and the comic timing of a much larger dog. Confident, devoted, theatrical, and a poor match for households that want a quiet ornamental Toy.

Toy Active

Hamilton Hound

Hounds · Medium

A Swedish tricolour scenthound bred to work fox and hare alone rather than in a pack, with the height and stamina of a Foxhound but a quieter, more handler-attentive temperament. The breed is the most popular scenthound in Sweden and almost unknown in NZ, with single-figure NZKC registrations across most decades.

Medium Active

Hanoverian Scenthound

Hounds · Large

An older heavier German blood-tracking hound, used for following wounded deer and boar. The senior partner to the lighter Bavarian Mountain Hound. Very rare in NZ.

Large Medium

Harrier

Hounds · Medium

A medium pack scenthound built to chase hare on foot, sized between the Beagle and the English Foxhound. Sociable with other dogs, full-throated on a scent and rare in NZ, with the bulk of historic NZ Harriers attached to formal hunt clubs rather than pet households.

Medium High energy

Havanese

Toys · Toy

The only dog breed native to Cuba and the country's national dog. A 5 kg silky-coated companion descended from Mediterranean Bichon-type lapdogs brought by Spanish colonists. Increasingly popular in NZ apartment households for the affectionate temperament and low shedding.

Toy Medium

Hovawart

Utility · Large

A medium-large German estate guardian rebuilt from old farm-dog stock in the early 20th century. Watchful, slow to mature, and deeply bonded to its handler. Not a beginner breed.

Large Active

Hungarian Komondor

Working · Giant

The giant white corded Hungarian livestock guardian. Built to live with sheep flocks on the Hungarian plains and to confront wolves single-handed, the Komondor is rare in NZ but has a small working role on lifestyle blocks and conservation projects alongside the more common Maremma.

Giant Low

Hungarian Kuvasz

Working · Giant

The smooth-coat white Hungarian livestock guardian, larger and more athletic than the corded Komondor. A royal hunting and guard dog of medieval Hungarian kings, now rare in NZ but with a small footprint on lifestyle blocks alongside Maremmas and Pyrs.

Giant Medium

Hungarian Mudi

Working · Medium

A rare athletic medium-sized Hungarian herder, suited to NZ farms and lifestyle blocks. Smarter and faster than most NZ owners expect, the Mudi is one of the world's least common pure breeds and one of Hungary's most genuinely useful working dogs.

Medium High energy

Hungarian Puli

Working · Medium

The corded Hungarian sheep-driving dog, instantly recognisable as the "mop dog" with cords reaching the ground. Surprisingly athletic, vocal, sharp-witted, and a niche but committed presence in NZ.

Medium Active

Hungarian Pumi

Working · Medium

A lively curly-coated Hungarian herder with corkscrew curls and distinctive half-erect ears. Lighter on its feet and friendlier than the corded Puli, the Pumi suits active NZ households and lifestyle blocks willing to commit to a busy, vocal, very smart medium-sized working dog.

Medium High energy

Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla

Gundogs · Medium

The wire-coated cousin of the smooth Hungarian Vizsla. Bred in 1930s Hungary as a tougher, more weather-resistant version of the breed for cold wet hunting work. Rarer than the smooth Vizsla in NZ and better suited to Wellington, Canterbury, Otago and Southland conditions.

Medium High energy

Ibizan Hound

Hounds · Medium

A Spanish sighthound from Ibiza and Formentera bred to hunt rabbit on rocky terrain. Athletic, agile, capable of clearing a 1.8 metre fence from a standstill, and almost unmistakable when one trots past on a Wellington beach.

Medium Active

Icelandic Sheepdog

Working · Medium

Iceland's only native dog breed, a small spitz-type herder with a friendly, vocal temperament. Increasingly visible in NZ as a family dog for cooler regions, with a small but established Dogs NZ population.

Medium Active

Irish Red and White Setter

Gundogs · Large

The older two-colour version of the Irish Setter. Stockier, slightly steadier and rarer than the solid red, with a strong working pedigree and a smaller NZ following held mostly by gundog and lifestyle-block households.

Large High energy

Irish Setter

Gundogs · Large

The famous mahogany red setter. Beautiful, sociable and high-energy, with a long puppy phase and a coat that asks for committed grooming. Held mostly by experienced gundog and active suburban households across NZ.

Large High energy

Irish Terrier

Terriers · Medium

Medium-sized red Irish working terrier with a wire double coat and a reputation for boldness that earned the breed-club nickname Daredevil. A small but loyal NZ following, mostly on lifestyle blocks and rural sections.

Medium Active

Irish Water Spaniel

Gundogs · Large

The tallest of the spaniel breeds and the oldest of the Irish gundogs. Distinctive curly liver-coloured coat with a smooth "rat tail" and a topknot of curls. Very rare in NZ, suiting experienced gundog and active rural homes.

Large Active

Irish Wolfhound

Hounds · Giant

The tallest dog breed in the world. A rough-coated Irish sighthound with the temperament of a calm flatmate and the lifespan of a goldfish on a good run. Iconic, gentle, expensive to feed, and rarely seen in NZ outside lifestyle blocks.

Giant Medium

Italian Greyhound

Hounds · Toy

The smallest of the sighthounds. A 4 kg miniature Greyhound bred for Mediterranean nobility 2,000 years ago, prized in NZ apartment households for the low shedding, minimal bark and Velcro-dog affection. Genuinely fragile bones; one of the few breeds where leg fractures from ordinary jumps are routine.

Toy Medium

Italian Spinone

Gundogs · Large

A large, hairy, droll-faced Italian versatile gundog. Famously calm in the home, surprisingly active in the field, and one of the gentler-tempered continental pointers held by NZ gundog and lifestyle-block households.

Large Medium

Jack Russell Terrier

Terriers · Small

Small, fearless, high-drive working terrier originally bred to bolt foxes. Lives 14-plus years, runs harder than dogs three times its size, and needs a real outlet for the prey drive.

Small High energy

Japanese Chin

Toys · Toy

A 2 to 4 kg toy spaniel with a silky coat, a flat face and an almost cat-like temperament. Quiet, dignified and unusually independent for a Toy, with the trade-off of brachycephalic heat sensitivity that needs respect in NZ summers.

Toy Low

Japanese Spitz

Utility · Small

A small, fluffy white spitz developed in 1930s Japan as an apartment companion. One of the most popular small Spitz-type breeds in NZ family households thanks to its size, adaptability and bold-but-gentle temperament.

Small Medium

Karelian Bear Dog

Utility · Medium

A medium-sized Finnish hunting spitz bred to track and hold large game including bear and elk. In NZ, the breed is associated with conservation work where trained KBDs are used by DOC to detect and deter predators threatening kiwi and seabird colonies.

Medium High energy

Keeshond

Non Sporting · Medium

A friendly grey-and-black spitz with a thick double coat, a permanent "smiling" expression and a bark that earned it a thousand years on Dutch canal barges. Affectionate, sociable and one of the more personable Non Sporting breeds in NZ.

Medium Medium

Kerry Blue Terrier

Terriers · Medium

The national terrier of Ireland. Born black, fading to a slate-blue adult coat between 18 months and three years. A medium-sized single-coat working terrier with a small but loyal NZ following.

Medium Active

King Charles Spaniel

Toys · Toy

The original flat-faced toy spaniel of the English court, distinct from the longer-muzzled Cavalier. Affectionate, quiet, low-energy, and brachycephalic, with the heat and breathing concerns that come with the skull shape.

Toy Low

Labrador Retriever

Gundogs · Large

New Zealand's most popular dog. Friendly, biddable, athletic, and equally happy retrieving on the harbour or sleeping on the couch.

Large High energy

Lagotto Romagnolo

Gundogs · Medium

The Italian truffle-hunting curly dog. Medium-sized, low-shedding, woolly-coated and sharp-nosed. One of the fastest-growing pet breeds in NZ in the past five years thanks to allergy-friendly coat and steady family temperament.

Medium Active

Lakeland Terrier

Terriers · Small

A compact black-and-tan or grizzle wire terrier from the English Lake District, very similar to the Welsh Terrier in look and temperament. 7 to 8 kg, harsh weatherproof coat, real working drive on rabbits and possums. Rare in NZ but a steady option for households wanting a small working terrier.

Small Active

Lancashire Heeler

Working · Small

A small British heeler in a Welsh-Corgi-and-terrier-blend package. The Kennel Club lists the breed as a vulnerable native breed, and the AKC granted full recognition only in 2024. Rare in NZ, with a small but committed following on lifestyle blocks.

Small Active

Large Munsterlander

Gundogs · Large

A versatile German all-purpose gundog with a black-and-white feathered coat. Used in NZ for upland gamebird and waterfowl work, with a noticeably calmer house temperament than the Munsterland's pointer cousins.

Large High energy

Leonberger

Utility · Giant

A genuinely giant tricolour breed with a famously calm temperament and one of the shortest lifespans of any popular dog. Loved on NZ lifestyle blocks where there's room, budget and emotional readiness for 7 to 9 great years.

Giant Medium

Lhasa Apso

Non Sporting · Small

A small Tibetan temple dog with a floor-length double coat, a strong watchdog instinct and an independent streak. Quietly affectionate with family, reserved with strangers, and a serious grooming commitment for any household that wants to keep the show coat rather than clip it down.

Small Medium

Lowchen

Toys · Small

A 4 to 8 kg European companion known as the "Little Lion Dog" for the traditional show clip that leaves the front half coated and the rear half shaved into mane, bracelets and tail-tuft. Once listed as one of the rarest breeds in the world. Genuinely uncommon in NZ, with most pups coming from a small handful of NZKC-registered breeders.

Small Medium

Maltese

Toys · Toy

A 3 kg lapdog with a long white coat, a confident streak and a strong bark. Affectionate, glued to one person, and one of the longest-lived breeds at 12 to 15 years.

Toy Medium

Manchester Terrier

Terriers · Small

The original sleek black-and-tan English ratting terrier. Smaller than most people expect, larger than the English Toy Terrier (its toy-sized sister breed), and one of the lowest-maintenance terriers the NZKC registers.

Small Active

Maremma Sheepdog

Working · Large

The white Italian livestock guardian. A genuine NZ working dog used to protect sheep from feral dogs and pigs on Hawke's Bay, Marlborough and Otago farms, and famously deployed to guard little blue penguin colonies.

Large Medium

Mastiff

Utility · Giant

A genuinely massive, low-energy guardian breed with a calm temperament and a short lifespan. Loved on NZ lifestyle blocks where there's room and budget for a giant.

Giant Low

Miniature Bull Terrier

Terriers · Small

The smaller version of the Bull Terrier with the same egg-shaped head and same character, in a 11 to 15 kg body. Same breed standard as the standard Bull Terrier (size only is different), so the temperament, training reality and household fit are essentially identical. Rarer in NZ than the standard.

Small Active

Miniature Pinscher

Toys · Toy

A compact German ratting toy with a hackney trot, big personality and zero off-switch. Looks like a small Doberman but is a separate, older breed. Rare in NZ but loved by owners who want a high-drive, low-shedding 4 kg dog.

Toy High energy

Miniature Schnauzer

Utility · Small

The smallest and most popular of the three Schnauzers in New Zealand. A bearded, low-shed wire-coated companion that suits small properties, allergy-prone households and owners who want a confident small dog with terrier sparkle.

Small Active

Neapolitan Mastiff

Utility · Giant

A massive, profoundly wrinkled Italian guardian breed with thick loose skin, slow movement and a calm watchful temperament. Rare in NZ and best suited to experienced giant-breed owners on lifestyle blocks with budget for the medical realities.

Giant Low

New Zealand Huntaway

Working · Large

A New Zealand-developed working sheepdog known for its deep, deliberate bark used to drive stock. Athletic, clever, fiercely loyal to its handler.

Large High energy

Newfoundland

Working · Giant

Massive water-rescue dog with a thick oily double coat, webbed feet, and one of the gentlest temperaments of any working breed. Drools, sheds, and lives a relatively short life, but devoted to family.

Giant Low

Norfolk Terrier

Terriers · Small

One of the smallest working terriers in the world, identified by drop ears that fold forward. Split from the Norwich Terrier in 1964 on the basis of ear carriage. Genuinely rare in New Zealand, with a small but devoted enthusiast base and waitlists that often run longer than the puppy's first year.

Small Active

Norwegian Buhund

Working · Medium

A compact Viking-era spitz herder from Norway, used for centuries to herd sheep and guard farmsteads. Rare in NZ but suited to cool-region lifestyle blocks and active families wanting a smaller working spitz.

Medium Active

Norwegian Elkhound

Hounds · Medium

A Nordic hunting spitz built for moose tracking in deep snow. Bold, vocal, heavy-shedding, and thoroughly at home in the cold of Otago, Southland and the Central Plateau.

Medium Active

Norwegian Lundehund

Non Sporting · Small

The most anatomically unusual dog breed in the world, bred to hunt puffins on Norwegian sea cliffs. Six toes on each foot, ears that fold closed, front legs that rotate 90 degrees, and a head that bends backward to touch the spine. Critically endangered worldwide and effectively unobtainable in NZ.

Small Active

Norwich Terrier

Terriers · Small

One of the smallest working terriers in the world, identified by upright prick ears. Sister breed to the Norfolk Terrier (drop ears) and split from it in 1964 on ear carriage alone. Genuinely rare in New Zealand, with single-digit annual NZKC registrations and a tight enthusiast network.

Small Active

Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever

Gundogs · Medium

The smallest retriever, bred in 19th century Nova Scotia to lure (or "toll") ducks within shooting range. A compact, intense, high-drive retriever that has become a steadily growing choice for active NZ households over the past decade.

Medium High energy

Old English Sheepdog

Working · Large

The shaggy grey-and-white drover from English pasture country. Iconic, gentle, and one of the highest-maintenance coats in the working group.

Large Medium

Otterhound

Hounds · Large

A large, shaggy, web-footed scenthound bred to hunt otter on English rivers. Critically endangered worldwide with under 1,000 dogs left, and effectively absent from New Zealand.

Large Active

Papillon

Toys · Toy

A 3 to 5 kg toy spaniel with butterfly-shaped ears and a working brain. One of the most consistent top finishers in NZ agility for a small breed, and a sharp choice for active urban owners who want a Toy that earns its keep.

Toy Active

Parson Russell Terrier

Terriers · Small

The taller, longer-legged kennel-club cousin of the Jack Russell Terrier. A 14 to 17 inch working terrier developed for fox-bolting on horseback, popular on NZ lifestyle blocks and small farms where the extra leg length covers more ground.

Small High energy

Pekingese

Toys · Toy

An ancient Chinese palace breed with a heavily brachycephalic head, a thick double coat and a famous lion-like profile. Dignified, devoted and stubbornly independent, with serious heat sensitivity that rules out many upper-North-Island summer households.

Toy Low

Pembroke Welsh Corgi

Working · Small

The famous Royal corgi. Short legs, big personality, and a working herding brain in a 12 kg body. The most popular small herder in NZ households.

Small Active

Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen

Hounds · Small

A merry, rough-coated French scenthound bred to hunt rabbit on foot through the dense scrub of the Vendee region. Compact, sociable, vocal, and quietly building a NZ following through the show ring and as a quirky family dog.

Small Active

Pharaoh Hound

Hounds · Medium

Malta's national dog and one of two breeds that visibly blush. An ancient-looking sighthound-scenthound hybrid built for hunting rabbit on rocky Mediterranean ground, rare in NZ and almost unmistakable when you do see one.

Medium Active

Polish Lowland Sheepdog

Working · Medium

A medium shaggy Polish herder, often shortened to "PON" in NZ working-dog circles. Built on roughly the same template as the Bearded Collie and Old English Sheepdog, with a shorter back and a sharper protective edge.

Medium Active

White shaggy livestock guardian dog (Tatra Sheepdog type) in front of a mountain in Vysoke Tatry, photo by Filip Kvasnak on Unsplash

Polish Tatra Sheepdog

Working · Large

A large white Polish livestock guardian from the Tatra mountains. Calm, watchful, fiercely independent, and used in NZ in the same role as the Maremma and Pyrenean Mountain Dog (protecting sheep, goats and alpacas from feral dogs and pigs on lifestyle blocks and high country runs).

Large Medium

Pomeranian

Toys · Toy

A 2 to 3 kg spitz with a stand-off double coat, a fox-like face, and a confidence well out of proportion to the body. Vocal, busy, and a default choice for Auckland and Wellington apartment owners who want a small dog with personality.

Toy Medium

Miniature Poodle standing on grass, photo by Tuomas Härkönen on Unsplash

Poodle (Miniature)

Toys · Small

The middle Poodle variety, between Toy and Standard. Same breed standard except for size. A hugely popular NZ family small dog, biddable, low-shedding, and the registered alternative to the unregulated "doodle" cross market.

Small Active

Adult fawn Standard Poodle portrait, photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash

Poodle (Standard)

Non Sporting · Large

A large, athletic, low-shedding water retriever. One of the most trainable breeds in the world and a steady favourite among NZ owners with allergies or a preference for a clean-floored house.

Large Active

Apricot Toy Poodle standing near a wooden bench, photo by Thirteen .J on Unsplash

Poodle (Toy)

Toys · Toy

The smallest of the three Poodle varieties. Same breed standard as the Standard and Miniature, just under 28 cm tall. Bright, low-shedding, hugely popular as a NZ small dog and the registered alternative to the unregulated "teacup" market.

Toy Active

Portuguese Podengo

Hounds · Medium

A primitive Portuguese rabbit-hunting hound that comes in three sizes (small, medium, large) and two coat types (smooth, wire). Lean, alert, prick-eared and visually similar to the Pharaoh Hound and Ibizan, the Podengo is rare in NZ outside a small dedicated owner network.

Medium Active

Portuguese Sheepdog

Working · Medium

A small-medium shaggy Portuguese herder nicknamed "monkey dog" for the expressive face and goatee. Vulnerable native breed status in Portugal, very rare in NZ.

Medium Active

Portuguese Water Dog

Utility · Medium

A medium-sized, athletic, low-shedding water retriever from the Portuguese coast. Increasingly popular in NZ for allergy-conscious families and households that want a Poodle-style coat with a sturdier build.

Medium Active

Adult fawn Pug looking at the camera, photo on Unsplash

Pug

Toys · Small

A small, brachycephalic companion breed bred for laps and lounging. Affectionate, clownish and sociable, with real heat and breathing limits NZ owners need to plan around.

Small Low

Pyrenean Mastiff

Utility · Giant

A giant Spanish livestock guardian from the south side of the Pyrenees, distinct from the larger taller white Pyrenean Mountain Dog despite the regional overlap.

Giant Low

Pyrenean Mountain Dog

Working · Giant

A giant white livestock guardian bred to live with sheep in the Pyrenees. Independent, nocturnal, and seriously territorial, working in NZ high country flocks rather than household life.

Giant Low

Pyrenean Sheepdog

Working · Small

A small wiry French herder from the Pyrenees, completely distinct from the giant white Pyrenean Mountain Dog. Quick, sharp, intensely bonded to one person, and rare in NZ outside agility and herding-trial circles.

Small High energy

Rhodesian Ridgeback

Hounds · Large

A large, athletic, independent hound bred in southern Africa to bay big game and guard the homestead. Strong NZ farm and lifestyle-block presence, particularly in Waikato, Hawke's Bay and rural Canterbury.

Large Active

Rottweiler

Utility · Large

A powerful, confident working dog with a deep bond to its household. Rottweilers are calm and steady when raised right, and a serious responsibility when not.

Large Medium

Rough Collie

Working · Large

The classic Lassie dog. Tall, long-coated, sweet-natured Scottish herder. Sensitive to MDR1 drug reactions, a serious grooming commitment and one of the calmer working breeds in NZ family homes.

Large Medium

Russian Black Terrier

Utility · Giant

A Soviet-bred giant working dog with a black weather-resistant coat and a strong protective drive. Despite the name, the breed is a working guardian, not a true terrier. Very rare in NZ and best suited to experienced owners with serious training commitment.

Giant Active

Russian Toy

Toys · Toy

A 1.5 to 3 kg Russian toy bred from the English Toy Terrier in late-19th-century Moscow and Saint Petersburg, smaller than the typical Chihuahua and one of the smallest breeds in the world. Comes in a smooth-coat and a long-coat variety. Increasingly popular with NZ apartment dwellers for the tiny footprint and biddable temperament.

Toy Medium

Saint Bernard

Working · Giant

Giant Alpine rescue and farm dog, calm, affectionate, and famous for the brandy-barrel myth that turns out not to be true. Drools heavily, sheds heavily, and lives a short life for the cost.

Giant Low

Saluki

Hounds · Large

One of the world's oldest dog breeds, with depictions on Egyptian tombs from 4,000 years ago. A reserved, athletic sighthound built for endurance coursing across desert, with extreme prey drive and almost no presence in NZ outside a small dedicated breeding circle.

Large Active

Samoyed

Utility · Medium

The white "smiling" Siberian sled and reindeer-herding dog. Friendly, vocal, fluffy beyond reason and built for cold. Suits Otago and Southland far better than Northland.

Medium Active

Schipperke

Non Sporting · Small

A small, fox-faced black spitz from Belgium, originally a barge dog and ratter on Flemish canals. Confident, alert and boat-friendly, with a striking ruff and a working terrier's drive in a 7 kg frame. Uncommon in NZ but loved by the small group of owners who know the breed.

Small Active

Scottish Deerhound

Hounds · Giant

A rough-coated Scottish coursing sighthound bred to bring down red deer in the Highlands. Slightly smaller and lighter than the Irish Wolfhound it helped reconstruct, with a similar gentle temperament and a similarly compressed lifespan. Rare in NZ, well-suited to lifestyle blocks in Otago and Canterbury.

Giant Active

Scottish Terrier

Terriers · Small

The black silhouette terrier of Monopoly board fame. Short-legged, dignified, fiercely loyal to one person, and one of the most independent small dogs the NZKC registers.

Small Medium

Shar-Pei

Utility · Medium

A compact, wrinkled, ancient Chinese guardian breed with strong opinions and high health-care costs. The wrinkles drive the daily care routine and most of the vet bills.

Medium Low

Shetland Sheepdog

Working · Small

A small herding breed from the Shetland Islands, often mistaken for a miniature Rough Collie but a distinct breed with its own standard. Smart, biddable, vocal and a popular NZ family dog where the brain gets a job.

Small Active

Shiba Inu

Utility · Small

A small Japanese hunting spitz that became a global internet icon. Cat-clean, fox-faced, headstrong, and a poor match for many first-time NZ owners despite its viral popularity.

Small Medium

Shih Tzu

Non Sporting · Toy

A small, long-coated companion breed bred for centuries for the Chinese imperial court. Affectionate, low-energy, low-shedding and high-grooming.

Toy Low

Siberian Husky

Working · Medium

Athletic Arctic sled dog with a thick double coat and a working brain. Friendly, vocal, escape-prone, and built for endurance rather than household lounging.

Medium High energy

Silky Terrier

Toys · Toy

An Australian toy bred down from Yorkshire and Australian Terrier crosses in early 20th-century Sydney. Looks Yorkie-like but is taller, longer in the body and more terrier in temperament. Rare in NZ but a long-lived, low-shedding option for owners who want terrier character at toy size.

Toy Active

Skye Terrier

Terriers · Small

The long-bodied, long-coated Scottish terrier, twice as long as it is tall, with a temperament best described as one-person devotion. Listed as a vulnerable native breed by the UK Kennel Club and very rare in New Zealand.

Small Medium

Sloughi

Hounds · Large

A Berber and Arab desert sighthound bred to course gazelle, hare and jackal across North African terrain. Elegant, reserved, deeply bonded to one or two people, with an extreme prey drive and almost no presence in NZ outside a tiny dedicated owner network.

Large Active

Slovakian Hound

Hounds · Medium

A medium black-and-tan Slovakian boar hunter, hardy and tireless, used by serious NZ pig hunters who want a dedicated big-game scenthound.

Medium High energy

Slovakian Rough Haired Pointer

Gundogs · Large

A versatile wire-coated HPR gundog developed in Slovakia after WWII from Weimaraner, German Wirehaired Pointer and Cesky Fousek crosses. Very rare in NZ.

Large High energy

Small Munsterlander

Gundogs · Medium

A medium versatile German HPR gundog, brown-and-white feathered coat, smaller and lighter than the Large Munsterlander despite the similar name.

Medium High energy

Smooth Collie

Working · Large

The same breed as the Rough Collie minus the long mane. Sweet-natured, sensitive Scottish herder with the same MDR1 risk and a fraction of the grooming load. Rare in NZ, hard to find through registered breeders, and a strong family-dog choice for owners put off by the Lassie coat.

Large Medium

Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier

Terriers · Medium

Medium-sized Irish farm terrier with a single, silky, low-shedding coat. A sociable family terrier popular with NZ households that want terrier character without the wire-coat shedding of an Airedale or Welsh.

Medium Active

Spanish Mastiff

Utility · Giant

A giant Iberian livestock guardian, used historically to protect Spanish flocks from wolves on the Mesta migration routes. Rare in NZ; small numbers as livestock guardians on lifestyle blocks.

Giant Low

Spanish Water Dog

Gundogs · Medium

A medium curly-corded working dog from southern Spain, used historically as a fishing assistant, livestock herder and waterfowl retriever. Low-shedding coat appeals to NZ households looking for an active alternative to a Poodle or Labradoodle.

Medium High energy

Staffordshire Bull Terrier

Terriers · Medium

A medium-sized, muscular British terrier with an oversized affection for people and a long-standing reputation as a steady family dog. Strong, confident and very kid-tolerant; not always reliable with other dogs.

Medium Active

Salt-and-pepper Schnauzer portrait, photo on Unsplash

Standard Schnauzer

Utility · Medium

The original of the three Schnauzer sizes. A medium working dog with a sharp mind, low-shed wire coat, and a sense of humour that tips into mischief if undertrained.

Medium Active

Sussex Spaniel

Gundogs · Medium

The slow heavy golden-liver spaniel of southern England. The "heavy spaniel" of British gundogs, bred for thick scrub work at a deliberate pace. Critically endangered as a native British breed and very rare in NZ.

Medium Low

Swedish Lapphund

Working · Medium

An ancient black spitz herder of the Sami people of northern Scandinavia, used historically to manage reindeer herds. Friendly, vocal, and rare in NZ.

Medium Active

Swedish Vallhund

Working · Small

A short-legged Scandinavian herding spitz that looks like a wolf in a corgi's body. Rare in NZ, robust, vocal, and a strong fit for active owners who want the herding brain in a small frame.

Small Active

Tibetan Mastiff

Working · Giant

An ancient Himalayan livestock guardian, massive, nocturnal, and famously expensive. Suits remote NZ rural lifestyle blocks and high-country stations only. The wrong dog for a quarter-acre suburban section.

Giant Medium

Tibetan Spaniel

Non Sporting · Small

A small Tibetan monastery breed despite the "Spaniel" name, with a silky medium coat, a plumed tail and a watchdog's eye for anything unfamiliar. Confident, family-bonded and quietly observant, well suited to apartments and family households alike. Less coated than the Lhasa Apso and more biddable.

Small Medium

Tibetan Terrier

Non Sporting · Medium

A medium-sized Tibetan companion dog with a long double coat and large flat snowshoe feet. Despite the name, not a terrier at all; bred for nearly 2,000 years as a monastery companion and luck charm in the Himalayas.

Medium Medium

Tosa Inu

Utility · Giant

A Japanese Mastiff-type breed, listed under New Zealand's Schedule 4 of the Dog Control Act 1996. Importation is prohibited and any existing NZ Tosa must be sterilised, microchipped, muzzled and leashed in public.

Giant Medium

Trail Hound

Hounds · Medium

A working pack hound from the English Lake District, bred over the past two centuries to chase aniseed-laid trails across fell country at racing speed in the sport of trail hunting. Lighter and faster than a Foxhound, single-purpose, almost never kept as a pet, and effectively absent from NZ.

Medium High energy

Vizsla

Gundogs · Medium

Athletic, affectionate Hungarian pointer with a short rust-gold coat, a strong working drive and very high attachment to its household. Suits active families that can build the day around a dog and dislike being away from home long.

Medium High energy

Weimaraner

Gundogs · Large

Tall, athletic German pointing breed with a distinctive silver-grey coat and very high drive. Suits experienced active households and gundog homes; does not suit quiet apartment life or long workdays.

Large High energy

Welsh Springer Spaniel

Gundogs · Medium

The original red-and-white springing spaniel from Wales. A medium gundog with a softer pace than the English Springer, slightly more reserved with strangers, and the only spaniel breed with a single colour standard.

Medium Active

Welsh Terrier

Terriers · Small

A compact black-and-tan wire terrier that looks like a small Airedale. Lively, friendly for a working terrier, and a steady NZ family option for households wanting a 9-to-10 kg version of the King of Terriers.

Small Active

West Highland White Terrier

Terriers · Small

The small, sturdy white Scottish terrier behind the Cesar dog food can. Bold, vocal, surprisingly opinionated, and one of the most common small breeds in Auckland and Wellington apartments.

Small Medium

Whippet

Hounds · Medium

A small to medium sighthound that runs at 55 km/h and sleeps 18 hours a day. Quiet, clean, low-shedding, and unusually well-suited to NZ apartment and townhouse living.

Medium Medium

Adult white shepherd dog standing in long grass, photo on Unsplash

White Swiss Shepherd Dog

Working · Large

A pure-white shepherd developed from the same German Shepherd lineage but selected away from the GSD's aloof, work-driven temperament. A rising NZ family-dog choice for owners who like the GSD shape without the harder edges.

Large Active

Wirehaired Pointing Griffon

Gundogs · Medium

The versatile Dutch-French wire pointer developed by Eduard Korthals in the late 19th century. Steady, biddable, all-weather all-terrain hunting dog with a steel-grey and brown wire coat. Increasingly visible in NZ rural hunting circles.

Medium Active

Xoloitzcuintli

Non Sporting · Medium

One of the oldest dog breeds in the Americas, the Xoloitzcuintli (pronounced "show-low-eats-QUEEN-tlee" or just "show-low") is the Mexican hairless temple dog, with archaeological records going back over 3,000 years. Three sizes, two coat varieties (hairless and coated), and a small but rising NZ following driven by low-allergen households.

Medium Medium

Yorkshire Terrier

Toys · Toy

A 3 kg toy with a long steel-blue and tan silk coat and the temperament of a working terrier compressed into a lapdog frame. Despite the "Terrier" in the name, Dogs NZ classifies the Yorkshire Terrier within the Toys group. Popular in Auckland and Wellington apartments, with a long lifespan and a defining grooming commitment.

Toy Medium

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