About

Hi, I’m Sam Okafor. I write every breed profile on DoggoMatch.com and I run the site.

I spent years volunteering at an animal shelter, mostly walking dogs and cleaning kennels, and later helping families meet dogs before they adopted. The same story came through the door again and again. Someone picked a breed for its looks or a movie, and six months later the dog was bored, loud or alone too long, and everyone was miserable. Nobody had told them the boring parts.

At home I have lived with a beagle mix who announced every delivery truck on the street, an anxious rescue who taught me patience, and a very polite lab who never once stole food from the table. I still have no idea how.

What this site does

DoggoMatch has a profile for each breed with the same ten scores, so you can compare them fairly. Every profile says plainly what the breed is bad at, near the top of the page. The matcher takes your home size, exercise time, shedding tolerance, kids, alone time and experience, and ranks every breed for you. There are also short guides and a quiz.

How I research

Sizes, lifespans and groups come from breed standards and breed clubs. Health notes come from vet schools, the OFA and other veterinary sources. Each profile lists the sources I used at the bottom. When sources disagree, I give the common range and say “about”. You can read the details on how we rate breeds.

What I am not

I am not a vet, a dog trainer or a breeder, and I do not claim any credentials. I am a dog person who reads a lot and has cleaned up after many dogs. For anything about your own dog’s health, ask your vet. For serious behaviour problems, a certified trainer or a veterinary behaviourist can help in ways a website cannot. See the disclaimer.

Mixed breeds and rescues

Many of the best dogs I have known had no clear breed at all. Breed profiles are still useful for them, because a shepherd mix often carries some shepherd habits. Use them as a rough guide, then meet the actual dog.

Get in touch

Spot a mistake, or want a breed covered? Write to contact@doggomatch.com. I read every message.