Dog breeds by trait: tails, eyes, coats and more

Pick any mix of traits, from a white-tipped or curled tail to blue eyes, a curly coat, low shedding or a quiet nature. The list of matching breeds updates as you tap.

Tim de JongUpdated 6 min read

Popular searches

Optional, narrows the list

Tail

Eyes

Size

Coat length

Colors and patterns

Breeds in our database

162breeds

Pick a trait on the left, or tap a popular search, to filter the list.

  • AffenpinscherToy
  • Afghan HoundLarge
  • Airedale TerrierLarge
  • AkitaGiant
  • Alaskan Klee KaiSmall
  • Alaskan MalamuteLarge
  • American BulldogLarge
  • American Eskimo DogMedium
  • and 154 more below

162 breeds

  • Affenpinscher

    Toy · 7–10 lb (3–5 kg) · 9–11.5 in (23–29 cm)

    Coat
    Short, wiry
    Tail
    carried high; often docked
    Eyes
    dark brown
    Colors
    black, gray, silver, red, belge, black and tan
    Energy 3/5Shedding 3/5Barking 3/5AKC allergy list

  • Afghan Hound

    Large · 50–60 lb (23–27 kg) · 25–27 in (64–69 cm)

    Coat
    Long, silky
    Tail
    long and tapering, ring at the tip
    Eyes
    dark brown
    Colors
    cream, red, black, black and tan, silver, blue, white
    Energy 4/5Shedding 1/5Barking 3/5AKC allergy list

  • Airedale Terrier

    Large · 50–70 lb (23–32 kg) · 21–24 in (53–61 cm)

    Coat
    Short, wiry
    Tail
    carried high; often docked
    Eyes
    dark brown
    Colors
    black and tan, grizzle and tan
    Energy 3/5Shedding 1/5Barking 3/5

  • Akita

    Giant · 70–130 lb (32–59 kg) · 24–28 in (61–71 cm)

    Coat
    Medium, double
    Tail
    curled over the back
    Eyes
    dark brown
    Colors
    white, red, fawn, black, brindle, silver, pinto
    Energy 4/5Shedding 3/5Barking 2/5

  • Alaskan Klee Kai

    Small · 6–25 lb (3–11 kg) · 12–17 in (30–43 cm)

    Coat
    Medium, double
    Tail
    curled over the back
    Eyes
    brown, blue, hazel, bi-eyed
    Colors
    black and white, gray and white, red and white
    Energy 3/5Shedding 3/5Barking 3/5

  • Alaskan Malamute

    Large · 65–95 lb (29–43 kg) · 22–26 in (56–66 cm)

    Coat
    Medium, double
    Tail
    plumed, carried over the back
    Eyes
    brown, dark brown
    Colors
    gray and white, black and white, red and white, sable and white, seal and white, white
    Energy 4/5Shedding 3/5Barking 3/5

  • American Bulldog

    Large · 60–100 lb (27–45 kg) · 20–25 in (51–64 cm)

    Coat
    Short, smooth
    Tail
    long and tapering
    Eyes
    brown, dark brown
    Colors
    white, white and brindle, white and red, white and fawn
    Energy 3/5Shedding 2/5Barking 1/5

  • American Eskimo Dog

    Medium · 6–35 lb (3–16 kg) · 9–19 in (23–48 cm)

    Coat
    Medium, double
    Tail
    plumed, carried over the back
    Eyes
    dark brown, brown
    Colors
    white, white and biscuit
    Energy 4/5Shedding 3/5Barking 3/5

  • American Hairless Terrier

    Small · 12–28 lb (5–13 kg) · 12–16 in (30–41 cm)

    Coat
    Hairless
    Tail
    long and tapering
    Eyes
    dark brown, amber, hazel, gray
    Colors
    black, red, blue, chocolate, apricot, lemon, sable, white and black
    Energy 3/5Shedding 1/5Barking 3/5AKC allergy list

  • American Pit Bull Terrier

    Medium · 30–60 lb (14–27 kg) · 17–21 in (43–53 cm)

    Coat
    Short, smooth
    Tail
    long and tapering
    Eyes
    brown, amber, hazel
    Colors
    black, blue, fawn, red, brindle, white, chocolate, buckskin
    Energy 4/5Shedding 2/5Barking 3/5

  • American Staffordshire Terrier

    Large · 40–70 lb (18–32 kg) · 17–19 in (43–48 cm)

    Coat
    Short, smooth
    Tail
    short and tapering
    Eyes
    dark brown
    Colors
    black, blue, fawn, red, brindle, white, liver, seal
    Energy 3/5Shedding 2/5Barking 3/5

  • Anatolian Shepherd Dog

    Giant · 80–150 lb (36–68 kg) · 27–32 in (69–81 cm)

    Coat
    Short, smooth
    Tail
    curled over the back
    Eyes
    brown, amber
    Colors
    fawn, biscuit and white, brindle, white, red fawn, blue fawn
    Energy 3/5Shedding 3/5Barking 3/5

  • Australian Cattle Dog

    Medium · 35–50 lb (16–23 kg) · 17–20 in (43–51 cm)

    Coat
    Short, double
    Tail
    plumed
    Eyes
    dark brown
    Colors
    blue, blue mottled, blue speckled, red speckled, red mottled
    Energy 5/5Shedding 3/5Barking 1/5

  • Australian Shepherd

    Large · 40–65 lb (18–29 kg) · 18–23 in (46–58 cm)

    Coat
    Medium, double
    Tail
    naturally bobbed or docked
    Eyes
    brown, blue, amber, bi-eyed
    Colors
    black, blue merle, red, red merle
    Energy 5/5Shedding 3/5Barking 3/5

  • Barbet

    Medium · 35–65 lb (16–29 kg) · 19–24.5 in (48–62 cm)

    Coat
    Medium, curly
    Tail
    long and tapering
    Eyes
    hazel, dark brown
    Colors
    black, brown, fawn, gray, white
    Energy 3/5Shedding 1/5Barking 3/5AKC allergy list

  • Basenji

    Medium · 20–26 lb (9–12 kg) · 15–18 in (38–46 cm)

    Coat
    Short, smooth
    Tail
    curled over the back, white tip common
    Eyes
    hazel, dark brown
    Colors
    red and white, black and white, tricolor, brindle and white
    Energy 4/5Shedding 2/5Barking 1/5

  • Basset Hound

    Large · 40–65 lb (18–29 kg) · 12–15 in (30–38 cm)

    Coat
    Short, smooth
    Tail
    carried high, white tip common
    Eyes
    brown, dark brown
    Colors
    tricolor, red and white, lemon and white, black and white, mahogany and white
    Energy 2/5Shedding 2/5Barking 4/5

  • Beagle

    Medium · 15–30 lb (7–14 kg) · 12–15 in (30–38 cm)

    Coat
    Short, smooth
    Tail
    carried high, white tip common
    Eyes
    brown, hazel
    Colors
    tricolor, red and white, lemon and white, tan and white, black and tan
    Energy 4/5Shedding 3/5Barking 4/5

  • Bearded Collie

    Medium · 45–55 lb (20–25 kg) · 20–22 in (51–56 cm)

    Coat
    Long, silky
    Tail
    plumed, white tip common
    Eyes
    brown, dark brown, hazel
    Colors
    black, blue, brown, fawn
    Energy 4/5Shedding 3/5Barking 5/5

  • Beauceron

    Large · 70–110 lb (32–50 kg) · 24–27.5 in (61–70 cm)

    Coat
    Short, double
    Tail
    long and tapering
    Eyes
    dark brown, hazel, bi-eyed
    Colors
    black and tan, black and rust, harlequin
    Energy 5/5Shedding 4/5Barking 3/5

  • Bedlington Terrier

    Small · 17–23 lb (8–10 kg) · 15–17.5 in (38–44 cm)

    Coat
    Medium, curly
    Tail
    long and tapering
    Eyes
    dark brown, hazel, amber
    Colors
    blue, liver, sandy, blue and tan, liver and tan, sandy and tan
    Energy 4/5Shedding 1/5Barking 3/5AKC allergy list

  • Belgian Malinois

    Large · 40–80 lb (18–36 kg) · 22–26 in (56–66 cm)

    Coat
    Short, smooth
    Tail
    long and tapering
    Eyes
    brown, dark brown
    Colors
    fawn, mahogany
    Energy 4/5Shedding 3/5Barking 3/5

  • Belgian Sheepdog

    Large · 45–75 lb (20–34 kg) · 22–26 in (56–66 cm)

    Coat
    Medium, double
    Tail
    plumed
    Eyes
    brown, dark brown
    Colors
    black
    Energy 4/5Shedding 3/5Barking 3/5

  • Belgian Tervuren

    Large · 45–75 lb (20–34 kg) · 22–26 in (56–66 cm)

    Coat
    Medium, double
    Tail
    plumed
    Eyes
    dark brown
    Colors
    fawn and black, mahogany and black
    Energy 4/5Shedding 3/5Barking 3/5

Traits come from AKC breed standards and AKC trait ratings. Individual dogs, and especially mixes, can differ from their breed.

How to use the dog breed trait finder

Start with a popular search such as a white-tipped tail or blue eyes, or build your own from the groups below it. Options inside the same group widen the search, so picking "Short" and "Medium" coat shows both. Options in different groups narrow it, so a curled tail plus a double coat shows only breeds with both.

The small number on each option tells you how many breeds you'd get if you added it, and options that would leave you with nothing are grayed out. The finder searches all 162 breeds in our database; the filters you pick are saved in the page address, so you can bookmark or share a search.

Which dog breeds have white-tipped tails?

A white tail tip is one of the most searched dog traits, and our guide to dog breeds with white-tipped tails covers 20 breeds where you often see it, with photos. A white tip is a white marking, the same as white socks or a chest blaze, so it appears in breeds whose coats allow white and varies from dog to dog even within one litter.

Breeds in our data whose standard tail description mentions a white tip:

  • Basenji
  • Basset Hound
  • Beagle
  • Bearded Collie
  • Bernese Mountain Dog
  • Border Collie
  • Collie
  • Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
  • Saint Bernard
  • Shetland Sheepdog
  • Treeing Walker Coonhound

A white tip on a mixed-breed dog is a clue, not proof: plenty of mixes inherit white markings. If you're trying to work out where your dog's tail came from, try what breed is my dog?

Which dog breeds have curled or bobbed tails?

The AKC glossary describes a sickle tail as one carried in a semicircle, and a screw tail as a naturally short tail twisted into a spiral. Tails that curl up over the back belong mostly to spitz-type breeds. Breeds in our data with a curled tail:

  • Akita
  • Alaskan Klee Kai
  • Alaskan Malamute
  • American Eskimo Dog
  • Anatolian Shepherd Dog
  • Basenji
  • Bichon Frise
  • Biewer Terrier
  • Caucasian Shepherd Dog
  • Chihuahua
  • Chinese Shar-Pei
  • Chow Chow
  • Coton de Tulear
  • Finnish Lapphund
  • Havanese
  • Japanese Chin
  • Kangal Shepherd Dog
  • Keeshond
  • Lhasa Apso
  • Maltese
  • Maltipoo
  • Norwegian Elkhound
  • Papillon
  • Pekingese
  • Pomeranian
  • Pomsky
  • Pug
  • Puggle
  • Samoyed
  • Shiba Inu
  • Shih Tzu
  • Shih-poo
  • Siberian Husky
  • Tibetan Mastiff
  • Tibetan Spaniel
  • Tibetan Terrier

And with a short, bobbed or screw tail (born that way or traditionally docked):

  • Australian Shepherd
  • Boston Terrier
  • Brittany
  • Bulldog
  • French Bulldog
  • Miniature American Shepherd
  • Old English Sheepdog
  • Pembroke Welsh Corgi
  • Rat Terrier
  • Schipperke

Which dog breeds can have blue eyes?

Blue eyes in dogs come from more than one gene. Merle and white-spotting (piebald) coat genes can both cause them, often alongside those coat patterns. A 2018 study of about 6,000 DNA-tested dogs found a separate duplication near a gene called ALX4 that is strongly linked to blue eyes and odd eyes in Siberian Huskies. Breeds in our data where blue or odd eyes occur:

  • Alaskan Klee Kai
  • Australian Shepherd
  • Beauceron
  • Border Collie
  • Cardigan Welsh Corgi
  • Catahoula Leopard Dog
  • Collie
  • Dachshund
  • Dalmatian
  • Great Dane
  • Miniature American Shepherd
  • Miniature Dachshund
  • Mudi
  • Old English Sheepdog
  • Pomsky
  • Shetland Sheepdog
  • Siberian Husky
  • Weimaraner

Some breed standards accept blue eyes only with certain coat colors, so check the standard before you buy from a breeder who advertises them.

How common is each trait among breeds?

Counted across the 162 breeds in our database, with a few examples of each.

TraitBreedsExamples
Tail: white-tipped tail11Basenji, Basset Hound, Beagle and 8 more
Tail: curled over the back36Akita, Alaskan Klee Kai, Alaskan Malamute and 33 more
Tail: short or bobbed10Australian Shepherd, Boston Terrier, Brittany and 7 more
Tail: long115Affenpinscher, Afghan Hound, Airedale Terrier and 112 more
Tail: often docked48Affenpinscher, Airedale Terrier, Australian Shepherd and 45 more
Eyes: blue eyes17Alaskan Klee Kai, Australian Shepherd, Border Collie and 14 more
Eyes: odd eyes (two colors)17Alaskan Klee Kai, Australian Shepherd, Beauceron and 14 more
Eyes: light eyes (amber, hazel, gray, green)51Alaskan Klee Kai, American Hairless Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier and 48 more
Eyes: brown or dark eyes159Affenpinscher, Afghan Hound, Airedale Terrier and 156 more
Coat length: hairless3American Hairless Terrier, Chinese Crested and Xoloitzcuintli
Coat length: short71Affenpinscher, Airedale Terrier, American Bulldog and 68 more
Coat length: medium62Akita, Alaskan Klee Kai, Alaskan Malamute and 59 more
Coat length: long26Afghan Hound, Bearded Collie, Bernedoodle and 23 more
Coat type: smooth54American Bulldog, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier and 51 more
Coat type: double46Akita, Alaskan Klee Kai, Alaskan Malamute and 43 more
Coat type: wiry18Affenpinscher, Airedale Terrier, Border Terrier and 15 more
Coat type: curly10Barbet, Bedlington Terrier, Bichon Frise and 7 more
Coat type: wavy12Bernedoodle, Boykin Spaniel, Brittany and 9 more
Coat type: silky16Afghan Hound, Bearded Collie, Biewer Terrier and 13 more
Coat type: corded0–
Coat type: rough3Bouvier des Flandres, Chow Chow and Collie

What do the AKC trait ratings mean?

Shedding, energy, barking and the other behavior filters use the AKC's 1 to 5 ratings for each breed. In the finder, 1 and 2 count as low, 3 as moderate and 4 and 5 as high. They describe the typical dog of a breed, and individual dogs can sit anywhere on the scale.

Rating1 means5 means
EnergyCalmVery energetic
SheddingBarely shedsSheds a lot
Grooming needsOccasional brushDaily care
BarkingQuietVery vocal
TrainabilityIndependentEager to please
Good with young childrenNot recommendedVery good
Good with other dogsNot recommendedVery good
Openness to strangersReservedEveryone's friend
PlayfulnessOnly when you want toNon-stop
Watchdog natureNot a guardVery alert
AdaptabilityNeeds routineTakes change in stride
DroolingRarely droolsKeep a towel handy
Mental stimulation needsHappy to loungeNeeds a job

Want a shortlist that weighs all of these against your lifestyle instead? Take the dog breed selector quiz, or put two or three breeds side by side in the breed comparison.

Frequently asked questions

Why do some dogs have a white tip on their tail?

A white tail tip is a white marking, just like white paws or a white blaze on the chest. It shows up in breeds whose coats allow white markings, and it varies from dog to dog, so two littermates can have different tails. On its own it doesn't point to one particular breed.

What dog breeds have curly tails?

In our breed data, the breeds with a tail that curls over the back are Akita, Alaskan Klee Kai, Alaskan Malamute, American Eskimo Dog, Anatolian Shepherd Dog, Basenji, Bichon Frise, Biewer Terrier, Caucasian Shepherd Dog, Chihuahua, Chinese Shar-Pei, Chow Chow and 24 more. Many are spitz-type dogs from cold northern climates.

What dog breeds have no tail?

The AKC defines a bobtail as a dog born without a tail or with a tail docked very short. Some breeds are often born with a natural bob, and in others the tail is docked as puppies in some countries. Breeds in our data with a short, bobbed or screw tail include Australian Shepherd, Boston Terrier, Brittany, Bulldog, French Bulldog, Miniature American Shepherd, Old English Sheepdog, Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Rat Terrier and Schipperke.

Which dog breeds can have two different colored eyes?

Odd eyes (heterochromia) are recorded in our data for Alaskan Klee Kai, Australian Shepherd, Beauceron, Border Collie, Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Catahoula Leopard Dog, Collie, Dachshund, Dalmatian, Great Dane and 7 more. They can be linked to merle or white-spotting coat genes, and in Siberian Huskies to a separate DNA duplication.

Can I search for breeds with more than one trait?

Yes. Options inside one group widen the search (a curled tail or a short tail), while options in different groups narrow it (a curled tail and blue eyes). The number next to each option shows how many breeds you would get if you added it.

Sources

  1. American Kennel Club: Dog breeds directory and breed trait ratings
  2. American Kennel Club: Glossary of breed standard terms
  3. Deane-Coe PE, et al. Direct-to-consumer DNA testing of 6,000 dogs reveals 98.6-kb duplication associated with blue eyes and heterochromia in Siberian Huskies. PLOS Genetics, 2018

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