Why this exists
Most people don't get a dog intending to give it up. The problem is usually the fit.
The dog needs more space, exercise, training, money or time than the household can realistically provide. That mismatch builds quickly as the dog grows. The wrong fit stops being fun and starts becoming a problem.
One Australian shelter study found 86% of relinquishments were driven by human factors. Housing was the leading issue, followed by lifestyle changes, financial pressure and health.
In Australia, RSPCA facilities took in 15,852 dogs in 2024–25, with 2,768 euthanised. Older national estimates put total admissions across pounds, shelters and rescues at more than 200,000 dogs in a single year.
Globally, the pattern is the same. In the United States alone, millions of dogs enter shelters each year. The numbers vary by country, but the drivers are consistent: housing, cost, behaviour and people underestimating what the dog requires.
People aren't bad. Most are trying to do the right thing.
But dogs are not interchangeable. Different breeds come with very different needs, and getting that wrong has real consequences.
That's why this site exists. To help people make a better choice, before it becomes a hard one.
Ten to fifteen years. Make sure it's the right fit.
What we're building
This is a living project. Here's where it's headed.
207 Breeds & Growing
Purebred and crossbred, common and rare. Every profile carries honest trait ratings — not the sanitised version designed to make every breed sound appealing.
Sharper Matching
The algorithm is continuously refined. We're not chasing pretty results — we're chasing accurate ones. The goal is a recommendation you'd still stand behind five years later.
Save & Compare
Accounts are coming — so you can save your top matches, sit on them, and share them with whoever else is part of the decision. Dog choices are rarely made alone.
Rescue Connections
The long game: match you to a breed, then connect you to a real dog in a real shelter near you. Find the right fit and give a dog a second chance. That's the dream.
Help Keep Right Dog Free
Built to help people choose better. Kept free so more dogs end up in the right homes.
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Know someone thinking about getting a dog? Send them here before they visit a breeder, browse listings, or fall in love with the wrong dog online. Five minutes now can save years of regret.
Support Right Dog
Right Dog is free to use and built to stay independent. Contributions help improve the quiz, review breed ratings, add new profiles and keep better dog-matching available to everyone.
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Are you a vet, trainer, rescue group, council or pet organisation? Supporters help us build a better resource for people choosing a dog responsibly.
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Spotted a rating that feels wrong? A breed missing from the catalogue? A result that made no sense? Tell us. Honest corrections make the site sharper.
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Right Dog is an independent, mission-led resource. The quiz and breed guides are free to use. The project is supported through voluntary contributions, selected partnerships and clearly disclosed commercial links.
Supporters do not influence breed ratings, quiz results or editorial recommendations.
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