12 Calmest Dog Breeds — our top picks
French Bulldog
French Bulldog: low energy, low barking and very high adaptability — settled indoors rather than permanently switched on. Muscular flat-faced breed with bat ears and adaptable personality. Excellent apartment companion.
English Bulldog
English Bulldog: low energy, low barking and high adaptability — settled indoors rather than permanently switched on. Iconic British breed with distinctive wrinkled face and muscular build. Gentle, courageous companion despite breathing challenges. Worth knowing before you commit: the English Bulldog is stubborn enough that first-time owners often struggle.
Basset Hound
Basset Hound: low energy, medium barking and high adaptability — settled indoors rather than permanently switched on. Low-slung French scenthound with excellent nose and gentle nature. Calm, patient family companion. Worth knowing before you commit: the Basset Hound is stubborn enough that first-time owners often struggle.
Newfoundland
Newfoundland: low energy, low barking and medium adaptability. Canadian water rescue dog with sweet temperament. Gentle, patient, and excellent swimmer. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Newfoundland needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Whippet
Whippet: medium energy, very low barking and very high adaptability. Medium-sized sighthound, gentle and quiet indoors. Perfect balance of athleticism and calm companionship. Worth knowing before you commit: the Whippet does badly left alone all day.
Irish Wolfhound
Irish Wolfhound: low energy and very low barking. Tallest dog breed, gentle giant with calm temperament. Ancient breed once used to hunt wolves. Worth knowing before you commit: the Irish Wolfhound does badly left alone all day.
Bullmastiff
Bullmastiff: low energy, low barking and medium adaptability. British guardian bred from Bulldog and Mastiff. Fearless, docile, and excellent family protector. Worth knowing before you commit: the Bullmastiff drools enough to notice.
Shar Pei
Shar Pei: low energy, low barking and medium adaptability. Chinese breed with distinctive wrinkles and blue-black tongue. Independent and loyal but can be aloof.
Shihpoo
Shihpoo: low energy, medium barking and high adaptability. Shih Tzu and Poodle cross combining friendly nature with reduced shedding. Adaptable companion. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Shihpoo needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Saint Berdoodle
Saint Berdoodle: low energy, low barking and medium adaptability. Saint Bernard and Poodle cross creating gentle giant with reduced shedding. Calm and patient family dog. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Saint Berdoodle needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Newfypoo
Newfypoo: low energy, low barking and medium adaptability. Newfoundland and Poodle cross creating gentle giant with reduced shedding. Calm and patient family dog. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Newfypoo needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Mastidoodle
Mastidoodle: low energy, low barking and medium adaptability. Mastiff and Poodle cross creating gentle giant with intelligence. Large family guardian with reduced shedding. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Mastidoodle needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
How this ranking works: each of DoggyQ's 321 breeds is scored on the traits that decide this particular question — the same trait ratings shown on each breed's own guide page, so you can check the reasoning rather than take a ranking on faith. Read more about our methodology, or take the free quiz for a ranking based on your own answers.
Popular breeds that are a poor fit for calm households
Belgian Malinois
The Belgian Malinois is a popular choice, but very high energy put it at odds with calm households. On top of that, the Belgian Malinois needs serious daily exercise, and gets destructive without it.
Australian Cattle Dog
The Australian Cattle Dog is a popular choice, but very high energy put it at odds with calm households. On top of that, the Australian Cattle Dog needs serious daily exercise, and gets destructive without it.
Border Collie
The Border Collie is a popular choice, but very high energy put it at odds with calm households. On top of that, the coat is real work — the Border Collie needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
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Find your perfect matchFrequently asked questions
- What is the calmest dog breed?
- Based on temperament and care needs, the French Bulldog ranks as the top choice for calm households, followed by the English Bulldog and Basset Hound.
- How was this list of dogs for calm households chosen?
- Each breed is scored on the traits that matter most for calm households — such as energy, size, grooming and temperament — using DoggyQ's breed database. For a recommendation tailored to your exact situation, take the free quiz.
- Which popular breeds are a poor fit for calm households?
- The Belgian Malinois, The Australian Cattle Dog, The Border Collie all rank near the bottom for calm households despite being widely chosen — usually because the traits that make them appealing elsewhere work against them here.