What breed is my dog?
Upload a clear photo and Petus compares it with 357 breeds in seconds. Below, the clues worth checking yourself, and what to do when the answer is a mix.
Drop a photo here, or tap to choose one
A clear shot of the face and body works best. JPG, PNG or HEIC.
Start with a photo
A breed check reads what a camera can see: head shape, ears, coat, colour pattern and build. A sharp photo of your dog standing side-on, in daylight, gives it the most to work with. Faces alone are harder, because many breeds share a puppy-like face.
If the identifier is confident, it names one breed. If your dog resembles several, it shows the closest candidates and lets you choose. That spread is often the honest answer for a mixed dog.
Five clues you can read yourself
Breed standards describe dogs in the same few features. Look at them one at a time and the list of possible breeds gets short quickly.
- Ears: upright (prick), folded at the tip (semi-prick), rose-shaped, or long and hanging. Ear carriage separates shepherds from retrievers at a glance.
- Coat: smooth, double, wire, curly or long and silky. Curls point to poodle or water-dog ancestry; wire points to terriers.
- Head: long and narrow, broad with a stop, or short-nosed. A flat face narrows it to a small group of breeds.
- Tail: curled over the back (spitz types), otter-like (Labrador), feathered (setters and golden retrievers) or long and whip-thin (sighthounds).
- Build and size: a deep chest and tucked waist suggest a sighthound; a long back on short legs a scenthound or dachshund line.
When the answer is a mix
Most of the world’s dogs belong to no breed at all. A first cross between two breeds can look like either parent or like neither, and a dog with several breeds in its family tree will often resemble a breed it has little of.
For a mix, read the identifier’s candidates as “dogs your dog resembles”, then check the clues above against each one. For percentages, a DNA test is the reference, and Petus can import the report into your dog’s record.
Why breed is worth knowing
Breed shapes size, exercise needs, coat care and the health conditions worth screening for. Knowing your dog is part shepherd or part spaniel tells you which joints, eyes or ears to keep an eye on as they age.
Breed guides to compare
- Labrador RetrieverPedigree breed
- German ShepherdPedigree breed
- White Swiss ShepherdPedigree breed
- Border ColliePedigree breed
- BeaglePedigree breed
- Jack Russell TerrierPedigree breed
- BeagadorMixed breed
- BoradorMixed breed
- AspinVillage dog / regional type
- French BulldogPedigree breed
- Australian ShepherdPedigree breed
- Flat-Coated RetrieverPedigree breed
Questions owners ask
- Can I tell my dog’s breed from a photo?
- Often, yes, for a purebred dog with a clear photo. For a mix, a photo shows which breeds your dog looks like; only a DNA test shows its ancestry.
- Is the breed check free?
- Yes. You can upload a photo without creating an account.
- What if my dog is a rescue with no paperwork?
- Start with the photo check and the five clues above. Many rescues turn out to be village dogs or regional types, such as the Aspin or the Formosan, rather than a mix of famous breeds.