How We Rate Breeds

Every breed on DoggoMatch gets the same ten scores, each from 1 to 5. The scores mean the same thing on every page, so a 4 for a terrier is a 4 for a retriever. Here is what they mean, where the facts come from, and how the matcher turns them into a match percentage.

The ten scores

Energy. 1 is a couch dog. 3 is about 45 to 60 minutes of walking and play a day. 5 needs hard daily work, two hours or more, or a real job.
Shedding. 1 is minimal hair on the floor. 5 is very heavy shedding, often with big seasonal coat blows.
Grooming. 1 is a brush once a week. 5 means daily brushing or a professional groomer every 4 to 6 weeks.
Trainability. 1 is independent and stubborn. 5 is eager to work with you and quick to learn.
With kids. 1 means the breed is better with older, calm kids who know dog manners. 5 means it is usually sturdy and patient with kids, with an adult watching.
With other pets. 1 means it is often reactive or has a strong chase drive toward small animals. 5 means it usually gets along with other pets.
Barking. 1 is quiet. 5 is very vocal.
Apartment fit. 1 needs a yard and room to move. 5 adapts well to a small flat, as long as it gets its exercise outside.
Copes alone. 1 means separation distress is common in the breed. 5 means it copes with a normal workday better than most. No dog should be left alone all day.
Cost to keep. 1 is cheap to keep. 5 is expensive because of size, grooming or health costs.

Where the facts come from

Size ranges follow the AKC or UKC breed standard. Lifespans come from breed clubs and vet schools. Health conditions come from veterinary sources such as university vet schools, the OFA and UFAW. Each profile lists two or three sources at the bottom. When sources disagree, we give the mainstream range and say “about”. We do not invent numbers.

Costs are rough US ranges. Puppy prices come from reputable breeder listings. Monthly costs add up food, routine vet care, grooming and insurance. Both vary a lot by region.

How the matcher works

The matcher starts every breed at 100 and takes points off for each gap between what you told it and the breed’s scores. It never adds points, so a high score means “few gaps”, not “perfect dog”.

Home size. A small flat asks for an apartment score of 5, an apartment asks for 4, a small house 3, a house with a yard 2, and a big yard 1. Each missing step costs 9 points.
Daily exercise. Each step the breed’s energy is above the exercise you will give costs 13 points. This is the biggest penalty, because an under-exercised dog is the most common problem we saw at the shelter. Each step the breed is calmer than your routine costs 7 points, because an active owner usually wants a dog that keeps up.
Shedding. Each step the breed sheds above what you can live with costs 9 points.
Kids. With young kids, the breed should score 4 or more for kids, and each missing step costs 12 points. With older kids, it should score 3 or more, and each missing step costs 8.
Alone time. Up to 2 hours asks for an alone score of 1, 3 to 4 hours asks for 2, 5 to 6 hours asks for 3, and 7 to 8 hours asks for 4. Each missing step costs 10 points. If your dog would be alone 7 or 8 hours, plan for a dog walker or daycare whatever the breed.
Experience. For a first dog, the breed should score 4 or more for trainability, and each missing step costs 8 points. Very high energy breeds lose another 6. With some experience, trainability should be 3 or more, at 6 points per step. First-time owners also lose 4 points for each step of grooming above 3, because a high-maintenance coat is a lot to learn at once.
Noise. In a small flat or an apartment, each step of barking above 3 costs 5 points. Thin walls make a vocal dog everyone’s problem.

The total is kept between 3 and 99. No breed gets 100, because no breed is perfect for anyone. Each card also names the biggest gap, such as “Needs more exercise than you planned”.

Mixed breeds

We do not score mixed breeds as if they were one breed, because a mix can take after either parent. For a popular cross, we give a wider range and say so. For a rescue of unknown mix, read the profiles of the breeds it looks like, then ask the shelter how the dog behaves. The shelter’s notes about the real dog beat any breed score.

What scores cannot tell you

Scores are breed averages. Two dogs of the same breed can be very different, and training, health and early life matter as much as breed. Use the matcher to make a shortlist, then meet the dogs. There is no perfect breed, only a better fit for your home.

No sponsored breeds

No breeder, club or company pays to be listed or to rank higher. If that ever changes for any page, the page will say so clearly.