Boston Terrier
The Boston Terrier was created in 1870s Boston by crossing an English Bulldog with a now-extinct White English Terrier, and the resulting "American Gentleman" became the first…
Breeds
Dog breeds for Singapore life
Filter by HDB eligibility (HDB's approved breed list), size, energy, heat tolerance and the bills. Every guide is written for someone walking a dog in this heat, in this housing.
HDB approved ADORE route
Energy
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Lifestyle
Apartment-friendly Beginner friendly Project ADORE eligibleShedding
Low Medium HighBarking
Quiet Normal VocalAnnual cost
Under S$3,000 S$3,000 to S$4,500 S$4,500 to S$6,000 Over S$6,000 
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is the closest the dog world gets to a default-friendly setting. It is gentle with children, soft with strangers, polite with other dogs, and…
Coton de Tuléar
The Coton de Tuléar is the dog people meet at a friend's flat and ask about for the next three weekends. It is small, white, low-shedding, and built around a temperament so…
Pug
The Pug is one of the oldest companion breeds in the world, kept by Tibetan Buddhist monks more than two thousand years ago and brought to Europe by Dutch East India Company…
Shih Tzu
The Shih Tzu spent the better part of a thousand years on the cushions of Chinese imperial palaces, which is a job description that maps remarkably well onto modern HDB life. It…
Border Terrier
A scruffy, otter-headed working terrier from the Scottish-English borders. Calm by terrier standards, sociable, surprisingly biddable, and a sleeper-hit HDB companion.
A breed we don't cover yet?
We add new breed guides every week or two. If you're looking for one we haven't written up, tell us. It bumps the queue and helps us prioritise what Singapore owners are actually asking about.
Suggest a breed →How we rate these breeds
Every breed guide on this site is written for the version of dog ownership that actually happens in Singapore. That means HDB approval is the first question, not a footnote. The approved breed list comes from HDB, the ownership limits from AVS guidance, and Project ADORE eligibility for local mixed-breeds is treated the same way the regulator treats it. Check the official rules and any additional conditions for Specified Dogs before committing.
Cost bands are editorial planning estimates, not a verified market survey or provider quotes. Check current food, grooming and veterinary prices for the individual dog, then adjust the cost calculator. Allow for acquisition, home preparation, routine care and unexpected costs separately. Insurance has exclusions, limits and co-payments, so it does not replace accessible emergency savings.
Trait ratings are editorial comparisons of typical breed tendencies. They are not a validated behavioural assessment, a documented community survey, or a prediction for an individual dog. Read each profile's source and uncertainty notes. Discuss the dog's behaviour, health and care needs with its rescue, breeder and veterinarian.
Directory filters and labels use the information recorded in each breed profile. Missing or unresolved evidence should not be read as approval. A housing label concerns eligibility; it does not promise quiet behaviour, safety around children, or suitability for every first-time owner. Project ADORE partners assess the individual rescue dog.
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We're always adding new breeds. If you know one we should cover, send it our way.
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