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Breed selector

Finding the right breed is the first step to a happy life together. Filter by dogs or cats and compare their traits at a glance — or take the 60-second breed quiz 🏡 to get matched by your home type. Want a breed we're missing? Request a breed guide 📝.

Golden Labrador Retriever sitting on grass — Australia's most popular family dog breed

Labrador Retriever

Australia's favourite family dog — loyal, gentle and always up for a swim.

LargeHigh energyGreat with kids

🍖 Best food: High-protein, weight-conscious kibble — Labs love food a little too much!

🛡️ Insurance: Labrador insurance guide — knees & hips

📖 Full Labrador breed guide →

📋 Quick Labrador Retriever profile & traits →

Cream Cavoodle puppy with curly low-shedding coat — popular Australian apartment dog

Cavoodle

A cuddly, low-shedding Aussie favourite that suits apartments and families alike.

SmallMedium energyLow shedding

🍖 Best food: Small-breed kibble with omega oils for that curly coat

🛡️ Insurance: Cavoodle insurance guide — knees & ears

📖 Full Cavoodle breed guide →

📋 Quick Cavoodle profile & traits →

Black and tan Australian Kelpie working dog with pointed ears

Australian Kelpie

Smart, tireless and born to work — the Kelpie needs a job, a run and your heart.

MediumVery high energySuper smart

🍖 Best food: High-protein working-dog formula to fuel all that energy

🛡️ Insurance: Kelpie insurance guide — one of the cheapest to insure

📖 Full Kelpie breed guide →

📋 Quick Australian Kelpie profile & traits →

Black and white Border Collie sheepdog with white blaze and chest

Border Collie

The brainiac of the dog world. Brilliant, bouncy and best with an active owner.

MediumHigh energyTrainable

🍖 Best food: Active-dog formula with joint support for agility

🛡️ Insurance: Border Collie insurance guide — athlete injuries

📖 Full Border Collie breed guide →

📋 Quick Border Collie profile & traits →

Blue Staffordshire Bull Terrier (Staffy) with white chest patch

Staffy

A big softie in a muscle suit — affectionate, courageous and devoted to its people.

MediumMedium energyPeople-loving

🍖 Best food: Sensitive-skin formula with salmon or kangaroo protein

🛡️ Insurance: Staffy insurance guide — skin allergies

📖 Full Staffy breed guide →

📋 Quick Staffy profile & traits →

Brown Dachshund sausage dog with long body and short legs

Dachshund

Small body, huge personality. A brave little shadow that loves laps and blankets.

SmallMedium energyApartment OK

🍖 Best food: Weight-control small-breed food — slim backs are healthy backs

🛡️ Insurance: Dachshund insurance guide — IVDD is the big one

📖 Full Dachshund breed guide →

📋 Quick Dachshund profile & traits →

Fawn French Bulldog with bat ears and stocky body

French Bulldog

The inner-city comedian — quiet, compact and endlessly entertaining. Handle the heat with care.

SmallLow energyApartment star

🍖 Best food: Sensitive-stomach small-breed formula — Frenchies are famously gassy

🛡️ Insurance: French Bulldog insurance guide — Australia's priciest breed to cover

📖 Full French Bulldog breed guide →

📋 Quick French Bulldog profile & traits →

Golden Retriever with long golden coat and feathered tail

Golden Retriever

Sunshine in dog form — gentle, patient and devoted. The classic family dog.

LargeMedium-high energyGentle

🍖 Best food: Large-breed formula with omega oils for skin, coat and joints

🛡️ Insurance: Golden Retriever insurance guide — cancer cover matters

📖 Full Golden Retriever breed guide →

📋 Quick Golden Retriever profile & traits →

Black and tan German Shepherd with pointed ears

German Shepherd

The loyal guardian — smart, brave and devoted to its family. Needs training and a job.

LargeHigh energyProtective

🍖 Best food: Large-breed joint-support formula with glucosamine

🛡️ Insurance: German Shepherd insurance guide — hips & bloat

📖 Full German Shepherd breed guide →

📋 Quick German Shepherd profile & traits →

Golden Groodle with shaggy curly coat

Groodle

A Golden Retriever–Poodle teddy bear — friendly, smart and low-shedding.

Medium-largeHigh energyLow shedding

🍖 Best food: Medium-breed kibble with omega oils for that curly coat

🛡️ Insurance: Groodle insurance guide — two breeds' risk lists

📖 Full Groodle breed guide →

📋 Quick Groodle profile & traits →

Australian Mist cat with spotted misted coat — home-grown Australian cat breed

Australian Mist

A home-grown breed that's calm, affectionate and happy living indoors.

MediumCalmIndoor friendly

🍖 Best food: Indoor cat formula with hairball control

🛡️ Insurance: Australian Mist insurance guide — from $25–$45/month

📖 Full Australian Mist breed guide →

📋 Quick Australian Mist profile & traits →

Abyssinian cat with tawny ticked coat and ear tufts

Abyssinian

Sleek, curious and playful — an elegant athlete that loves to climb and explore.

MediumHigh energyCurious

🍖 Best food: High-protein active formula for lean muscle

🛡️ Insurance: Abyssinian insurance guide — from $30–$55/month

📖 Full Abyssinian breed guide →

📋 Quick Abyssinian profile & traits →

Ragdoll cat with cream colourpoint coat and blue eyes

Ragdoll

Goes floppy in your arms just like the name says. Gentle, quiet and endlessly sweet.

LargeCalmGreat with kids

🍖 Best food: Hairball-control formula for that long silky coat

🛡️ Insurance: Ragdoll insurance guide — heart & kidneys

📖 Full Ragdoll breed guide →

📋 Quick Ragdoll profile & traits →

Sable brown Burmese cat with golden eyes

Burmese

A chatty, people-focused cat that will follow you from room to room.

MediumPlayfulVery social

🍖 Best food: Portion-controlled salmon recipe — Burmese gain weight easily

🛡️ Insurance: Burmese insurance guide — diabetes risk

📖 Full Burmese breed guide →

📋 Quick Burmese profile & traits →

Large fluffy Maine Coon cat with mane and ear tufts

Maine Coon

The gentle giant — fluffy, friendly and famously dog-like in its loyalty.

Extra largeCalmFluffy

🍖 Best food: Large-breed cat formula with joint support

🛡️ Insurance: Maine Coon insurance guide — heart & hips

📖 Full Maine Coon breed guide →

📋 Quick Maine Coon profile & traits →

Blue-grey British Shorthair cat with round face and amber eyes

British Shorthair

A plush, easy-going companion that's happy to lounge the day away beside you.

MediumLow energyIndependent

🍖 Best food: Weight-care formula for their famously relaxed lifestyle

🛡️ Insurance: British Shorthair insurance guide — heart & kidneys

📖 Full British Shorthair breed guide →

📋 Quick British Shorthair profile & traits →

Not sure where to start?

Read: Choosing your first pet
Breed guide

How to choose the right breed for your life

The honest truth: the best breed isn't the cutest one — it's the one whose energy, size and needs match your actual lifestyle. A Kelpie in a tiny apartment with a busy owner is a recipe for chewed skirting boards; a British Shorthair in the same home will thrive.

Start with three questions: How many hours a day will the pet be alone? How much exercise can you genuinely commit to — every single day, in July rain? And what's your total budget, including food, insurance, grooming and vet bills?

Then match those answers against the traits above. And remember: mixed breeds and rescues combine wonderful traits too — your local shelter can help you meet dogs and cats whose personalities are already known.

Key takeaways ✅

  • ✓Match energy level to your lifestyle, not your aspirations.
  • ✓Budget $1,500–$3,000+ per year for food, vet care and insurance.
  • ✓Research breed health issues before falling in love — some breeds need pet insurance from day one.
  • ✓Consider adopting an adult — what you see is what you get.

How we researched this breed guide 🔬

Every breed profile on this page is built from primary Australian sources: breed standards from kennel and cat-fancier councils, claims data from the PetSure Australian Pet Health Monitor, RSPCA care guidance, and current Australian breeder pricing. Temperament and exercise notes reflect what Australian owners actually report, not just show-ring standards — and the full breed guides linked from each card are reviewed by a registered Australian veterinarian.

Zookie is reader-supported: we may earn a commission from partner links, but partners cannot pay for rankings or kinder write-ups. Read our full editorial policy.

✅ Fact-checked September 2026 · Re-reviewed quarterly · Spot an error? Tell us and we'll fix it fast.

Sources & further reading 📚

Common questions

Breed & feeding FAQs

What is the most recommended food for a Labrador?

A high-protein, calorie-controlled kibble — Labradors are famously food-obsessed and prone to obesity. Look for named meat first, around 25%+ protein, and measure every meal. Our grain-free kangaroo kibble is a great lean-protein option.

What food should I feed a Cavoodle?

A small-breed formula with omega-3 and omega-6 oils to support their curly, low-shedding coat and skin. Small kibble pieces suit their smaller jaws, and portion control matters — Cavoodles gain weight quickly after desexing.

What is the best food for a Maine Coon?

A large-breed cat formula with joint-support nutrients (glucosamine) and plenty of animal protein. Maine Coons mature slowly — feed a kitten formula until 15 months. See our cat food range.

Are Kelpies good family dogs?

Yes — with a big asterisk. Kelpies are loyal and gentle with their family, but they need 1–2 hours of hard exercise and mental work daily. Without a job to do, they'll invent one (like herding your kids). Best for active rural or sporty suburban families.

What's the best cat breed for an apartment?

Australian Mist, Ragdoll and British Shorthair all thrive indoors. The Australian Mist was literally bred in Australia for indoor life — calm, affectionate and happy without outdoor access.

How much exercise does a Border Collie need?

At least 1–2 hours daily, plus mental enrichment — training games, puzzle feeders, agility. A Border Collie that only gets walked will still be bored; their brains need work too.

Do Ragdoll cats shed a lot?

Yes — their semi-long coat sheds year-round and blows coat seasonally. Brush 2–3 times a week and feed a hairball-control formula. The good news: their coat has no undercoat, so it mats less than other long-haired breeds.

Which dog breeds suit first-time owners?

Labradors, Cavoodles and Staffies are forgiving of rookie mistakes — friendly, trainable and adaptable. Avoid high-drive working breeds (Kelpies, Border Collies) until you have experience and time.

Should I get pet insurance for my breed?

Strongly recommended for breeds with known health issues: Dachshunds (backs), Staffies (skin), British Shorthairs (heart), Ragdolls (kidneys). Insure from day one — pre-existing conditions are excluded later. Compare cover in our pet insurance hub with breed-by-breed guides.

Are mixed breeds healthier than purebreds?

Often, yes — mixed breeds benefit from a wider gene pool (hybrid vigour), lowering the risk of inherited disease. But any dog can have health issues, so insurance and regular vet checks matter for every pet.