Which dog breed suits a first-time owner in India?
Updated By PetymFacts checked against official sources on
Quick answer
There is no single right breed. A first-time owner in India does best with a dog whose exercise needs, size, coat and heat tolerance fit their home and hours. An adult Indie, a Beagle, a Lhasa Apso, a Shih Tzu or a toy or miniature Poodle often fits. Working breeds, huskies and flat-faced dogs need more experience or care.
Look at the individual dog as well as the breed: an adult whose temperament is known is often easier than a puppy. Whatever you choose, reward-based training from day one and no more than about four hours alone at a time make the biggest difference.
What should a first-time owner look for in a dog?
Answer these honestly before you look at photos.
- Exercise you can give every day, in the cool hours. The Royal Kennel Club rates breeds from up to 30 minutes a day to more than 2 hours. The Royal Kennel Club (UK)
- Time alone. PDSA advises that no dog should be left alone for more than about four hours at a time; long office days mean a walker, a sitter or day care. PDSA
- Heat. In a large UK study, flat-faced dogs had about twice the odds of heat-related illness, and dogs over 50 kg had about 3.4 times the odds of dogs under 10 kg. Scientific Reports (2020)study
- Grooming. Long coats such as the Lhasa's and Shih Tzu's need grooming every day, by The Royal Kennel Club's account. The Royal Kennel Club
- Size and strength. A dog you cannot hold on a lead in a society lane or a lift is hard work for anyone, and more so for a beginner. The Royal Kennel Club (UK)
- Training style. AVSAB says reward-based methods are effective for all dog training; plan to use them from the first day. American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior
- Your society and landlord. Read the bylaws and rental agreement before you bring a dog home. Animal Welfare Board of India
How do common breeds compare for a first dog?
Exercise and size from The Royal Kennel Club; heat from the 2020 VetCompass study.
| Daily exercise | Coat care | Heat | For a first-time owner | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indie (Indian pariah dog) INDog Project (independent; not a kennel club) | Two proper walks and time to sniff | Low; a weekly brush | Good, by the INDog Project's account | Often a good fit, especially an adult |
| Beagle The Royal Kennel Club | Up to 1 hour | Weekly | No raised odds vs the Labrador | Friendly, but food-driven and vocal |
| Lhasa Apso The Royal Kennel Club | Up to 1 hour | Every day | Among the lowest odds in the study | Suits a flat; needs grooming time |
| Shih Tzu The Royal Kennel Club | Up to 1 hour | Every day | Flat-faced: watch the heat | Suits a flat; keep cool in summer |
| Poodle (toy or miniature) The Royal Kennel Club (UK) | Up to 1 hour | Regular clipping and brushing | Not flat-faced | Small sizes suit a flat |
| Labrador Retriever The Royal Kennel Club | More than 2 hours | Weekly | The study's baseline breed | Friendly, but big and very energetic |
| Golden Retriever Scientific Reports (2020)study | More than 2 hours | More than once a week | 2.65 times the Labrador's odds | Gentle, but hard in Indian summers |
| Pug Scientific Reports (2020)study | Up to 1 hour | Weekly, plus face folds | 3.24 times the Labrador's odds | Affectionate; needs strict heat care |
Heat figures are odds of heat-related illness compared with Labradors in UK veterinary records (Hall, Carter and O'Neill, 2020). Indian summers are hotter, so treat them as a minimum warning.
Why is an Indie often a good first dog?
It is built for the climate and widely available for adoption.
The INDog Project describes the Indian pariah dog as thriving with minimal maintenance, especially in tropical weather, with a coarse outer coat and a soft undercoat that needs little grooming. It also describes the dog as extremely alert and very social, but not comfortable around strangers and able to get defensive. That makes a calm, well-socialised adult a good match for many first homes, and a shy one a project.
Adopting an adult Indie from a recognised shelter lets you meet the dog's real temperament before you commit. Petym's answer on adopting an Indie walks through the steps.
What do first-time owners get wrong about breeds?
You may have read
A Labrador is an easy beginner's dog.
Myth
What the sources say
The Royal Kennel Club says Labradors need more than 2 hours of exercise a day. Friendly, yes; low effort, no. The Royal Kennel Club
You may have read
A small dog needs almost no exercise.
Myth
What the sources say
Many small breeds still need up to an hour a day, and a Jack Russell or Beagle left bored will find its own work. The Royal Kennel Club
You may have read
A husky will adjust to Indian heat.
Myth
What the sources say
Merck notes that sled dogs survive extreme cold but struggle to cool off in hot weather, and The Royal Kennel Club lists the Husky for the country, with more than 2 hours of exercise a day. Merck Veterinary Manual
You may have read
A guard breed will be protective without training.
Myth
What the sources say
German Shepherds and Malinois were bred to work with a handler and need more than 2 hours a day of exercise. Without it, and without skilled training, they are hard to live with. The Royal Kennel Club (UK)
You may have read
Firm punishment shows a dog who is boss.
Myth
What the sources say
AVSAB found no evidence that aversive training is necessary and says reward-based methods are more effective. American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior
Which kind of dog fits my household?
If You work long office hours
Choose a calmer adult dog, and plan a walker, a sitter or day care. No breed copes with being alone all day. How long can a dog be left alone? PDSA
If You live in a flat on a high floor
A small or medium dog with moderate exercise needs, such as a Lhasa, Shih Tzu, small Poodle or calm Indie. Dog Breeds for Apartments in India: Energy Beats Size The Royal Kennel Club
If You live in a hot city with frequent power cuts
Avoid flat-faced, giant and thick-coated breeds, or be ready to keep them cool whatever happens. Dog Breeds for the Indian Climate: Heat Risk by Breed Scientific Reports (2020)study
If You are active and want a running partner
A Labrador or an athletic Indie can suit, with walks and runs only in the cool hours: exercise caused about three in four heatstroke cases in UK vet records. Animals (2020)study
If You have young children
Pick an adult dog known to be gentle, and supervise every meeting. Petym's guide on dogs and babies covers the first weeks. Is My Dog Safe With a Newborn Baby? Prepare and Supervise
Going away soon? Tell us your dates.
A checked local sitter feeds, walks and keeps your pet company at home, follows your care sheet to the letter and sends a photo every day. Petym is opening city by city: send your dates and we will tell you when a sitter can take them.
- Meet your sitter first, free
- PAN-checked, first-aid trained
- A photo every day
- Pay through Petym, never cash
Questions owners ask
Which is the easiest dog breed to keep in India?
- No breed is easy for every home. Dogs that often suit first-time owners in India are calm adult Indies, and smaller breeds with moderate exercise needs such as the Lhasa Apso, Shih Tzu, Beagle and toy or miniature Poodle. Each still needs daily walks, training, grooming and company.
Is a Labrador good for a first-time owner in India?
- It can be, for an active household with time. The Royal Kennel Club says Labradors need more than 2 hours of exercise a day, and they are large and strong. In Indian heat that exercise must happen in the cool hours. If you cannot give that time, choose a less demanding dog.
Should a first-time owner get a puppy or an adult dog?
- An adult is often easier: its size, energy and temperament are already known, and many are house-trained. A puppy needs house training, socialisation, several meals a day and supervision for months. Either can work if you plan for it honestly.
Are German Shepherds good for beginners?
- They are intelligent but demanding. The Royal Kennel Club says the breed needs more than 2 hours of exercise a day, and AKC calls it very active and athletic. Without daily exercise and skilled, reward-based training, a German Shepherd can be a hard first dog, especially in a flat.
Which dog breeds should first-time owners avoid in India?
- Think twice about Siberian Huskies, Samoyeds and Saint Bernards in hot cities, flat-faced breeds if you cannot keep them cool, and high-drive working breeds such as the Belgian Malinois and Border Collie unless you can give more than 2 hours of exercise and training a day.
Keep reading
Free tools for this
- Dog walk plannerDaily exercise for your dog's breed, and when it is too hot to walk.
- Puppy weight estimatorA range for your puppy's adult weight from its age and weight, from published growth curves.
- Dog food calculatorDaily calories from weight and life stage, turned into grams from your pack's kcal per kg.
Words on this page, explained
Sources
Each source was opened and read on the date shown. How Petym checks its sources
- The Royal Kennel Club (UK): Chihuahua (Smooth Coat) | Breeds A to Z | The Kennel Club (opens in a new tab)
- PDSA: Separation anxiety in dogs (opens in a new tab)
- The Royal Kennel Club: Lhasa Apso: breed information (opens in a new tab)
- The Royal Kennel Club (UK): Boxer | Breeds A to Z | The Kennel Club (opens in a new tab)
- American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior: Position statement on humane dog training (2021) (opens in a new tab)
- Animal Welfare Board of India: Guidelines on pet and street dogs, their care-givers, and residents' welfare and apartment owners' associations (26 February 2015) (opens in a new tab)
Show all 15 sourcesShow fewer
- INDog Project (independent; not a kennel club): Breed standard of the Indian native dog (opens in a new tab)
- The Royal Kennel Club: Beagle: breed information (opens in a new tab)
- The Royal Kennel Club: Shih Tzu: breed information (opens in a new tab)
- The Royal Kennel Club (UK): Poodle (Toy) | Breeds A to Z | The Kennel Club (opens in a new tab)
- The Royal Kennel Club: Retriever (Labrador): breed information (opens in a new tab)
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Description of dogs (opens in a new tab)
- The Royal Kennel Club (UK): Belgian Shepherd Dog (Malinois) | Breeds A-Z | Kennel Club (opens in a new tab)
- Scientific Reports (2020): Incidence and risk factors for heat-related illness in UK dogs (opens in a new tab)
- Animals (2020): Dogs don't die just in hot cars: exertional heat-related illness (opens in a new tab)