What data does the Dog Breed API return?
Each breed record includes everything you need to build a complete user experience: physical attributes (height, weight, lifespan), coat type and length, country of origin, temperament ratings, health conditions, and high-quality images.
Ratings are broken down into five categories — adaptability, friendliness, grooming, trainability, and physical traits — each with granular attributes scored 1–5. This lets you build smart filters, comparison tools, or recommendation engines without building your own dataset.
Dog-specific fields include AKC and FCI registration data, recognized breed groups, and official registry URLs — useful for apps targeting breeders or enthusiasts.
List and filter breeds with query parameters
The list endpoint supports a full set of query parameters so you can fetch exactly the breeds your users are looking for. Filter by breed group, coat type, coat length, country of origin, hypoallergenic status, weight range, height range, lifespan range, or search by name.
Responses are paginated with configurable page size (up to 100 per request). The metadata block includes total count, current page, and total pages — everything you need to build infinite scroll or classic pagination.
Get a single breed by slug
Every breed has a unique URL-safe slug (e.g. `golden-retriever`, `french-bulldog`). Use the detail endpoint to fetch the full record for a specific breed, including health conditions, full image gallery, and all rating attributes.
Slugs are stable — they never change once assigned — so you can safely store them in your own database or use them as URL parameters in your app.
Authentication
All requests require an API key. Pass it as a Bearer token in the Authorization header, or use the X-API-Key header if your HTTP client makes that easier. Keys are generated instantly when your subscription activates — no approval process.
Rate limits apply per hour, per day, and per month depending on your plan. The API returns a 429 status with a clear message when a limit is reached, so your app can handle it gracefully.
Why not scrape breed data yourself?
Scraping breed information from breed registries or Wikipedia means writing and maintaining parsers, handling layout changes, dealing with inconsistent data formats, and risking IP blocks. The time cost adds up fast.
Smart Pet API gives you a single, consistent schema across all breeds and species. When source data changes or new breeds are recognized, we update the API — you don't touch your code.
Start fetching breed data in minutes
Get your API key instantly. First month from $7 — cancel anytime within 10 days for a full refund.
API examples
Illustrative examples — responses are representative, not live data.
List dog breeds with filters
Fetch the first page of hypoallergenic dog breeds. The response is paginated — use the `page` and `limit` parameters to navigate.
Request
GET https://api.smartpetapi.com/dogs/breeds?hypoallergenic=true&limit=3 Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY
Response 200 OK
{
"data": [
{
"id": 12,
"slug": "bichon-frise",
"name": "Bichon Frise",
"species": "dog",
"breed_group": "Non-Sporting Group",
"physical": {
"height_min_cm": 23,
"height_max_cm": 30,
"weight_min_kg": 3,
"weight_max_kg": 5,
"lifespan_min_yr": 12,
"lifespan_max_yr": 15,
"coat_type": "curly",
"coat_length": "medium",
"hypoallergenic": true
},
"origin": {
"country": "France",
"region": null
},
"description": "A cheerful, small dog with a curly white coat. Intelligent, playful, and gentle.",
"colors": [
{
"name": "White",
"pattern": null,
"is_standard": true
}
],
"ratings": {
"adaptability": {
"apartment_living": 5,
"novice_owner": 5,
"tolerates_alone": 3
},
"friendliness": {
"affectionate": 5,
"kid_friendly": 5,
"stranger_friendly": 4
}
}
},
{
"id": 34,
"slug": "maltese",
"name": "Maltese",
"species": "dog",
"breed_group": "Toy Group",
"physical": {
"height_min_cm": 20,
"height_max_cm": 25,
"weight_min_kg": 1.4,
"weight_max_kg": 3.2,
"lifespan_min_yr": 12,
"lifespan_max_yr": 15,
"coat_type": "silky",
"coat_length": "long",
"hypoallergenic": true
},
"origin": {
"country": "Malta",
"region": null
},
"description": "An ancient toy breed with a flowing white coat and lively personality.",
"colors": [
{
"name": "White",
"pattern": null,
"is_standard": true
}
],
"ratings": {
"adaptability": {
"apartment_living": 5,
"novice_owner": 4,
"tolerates_alone": 3
},
"friendliness": {
"affectionate": 5,
"kid_friendly": 3,
"stranger_friendly": 4
}
}
}
],
"meta": {
"total": 48,
"page": 1,
"limit": 3,
"pages": 16
}
}Get a single breed by slug
Retrieve the full record for a specific breed. The detail endpoint includes health conditions, images (on eligible plans), and all rating attributes.
Request
GET https://api.smartpetapi.com/dogs/breeds/golden-retriever Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY
Response 200 OK
{
"id": 87,
"slug": "golden-retriever",
"name": "Golden Retriever",
"species": "dog",
"breed_group": "Sporting Group",
"physical": {
"height_min_cm": 51,
"height_max_cm": 61,
"weight_min_kg": 25,
"weight_max_kg": 34,
"lifespan_min_yr": 10,
"lifespan_max_yr": 12,
"coat_type": "double",
"coat_length": "long",
"hypoallergenic": false
},
"origin": {
"country": "United Kingdom",
"region": "Scotland"
},
"description": "One of the most popular family dogs worldwide. Intelligent, friendly, and devoted.",
"history": "Developed in Scotland in the mid-19th century by Lord Tweedmouth. Originally bred for retrieving waterfowl during hunting.",
"care_notes": "Requires daily exercise and regular brushing to manage shedding. Prone to hip dysplasia — maintain healthy weight.",
"colors": [
{
"name": "Golden",
"pattern": null,
"is_standard": true
},
{
"name": "Light Golden",
"pattern": null,
"is_standard": true
},
{
"name": "Dark Golden",
"pattern": null,
"is_standard": true
}
],
"ratings": {
"adaptability": {
"apartment_living": 3,
"novice_owner": 5,
"tolerates_alone": 3,
"tolerates_cold": 4,
"tolerates_heat": 3
},
"friendliness": {
"affectionate": 5,
"kid_friendly": 5,
"pet_friendly": 5,
"stranger_friendly": 5
},
"grooming": {
"shedding": 4,
"drooling": 2,
"grooming_ease": 3,
"general_health": 4,
"weight_gain": 3
},
"trainability": {
"trainability": 5,
"intelligence": 5,
"prey_drive": 3,
"bark_tendency": 3,
"wanderlust": 3
},
"physical": {
"energy_level": 5,
"intensity": 3,
"exercise_needs": 5,
"playfulness": 5
}
},
"health_conditions": [
{
"name": "Hip Dysplasia",
"description": "Malformation of the hip joint causing arthritis.",
"severity": "high"
},
{
"name": "Cancer",
"description": "Higher than average cancer rates compared to other breeds.",
"severity": "high"
},
{
"name": "Obesity",
"description": "Prone to weight gain if not exercised adequately.",
"severity": "medium"
}
],
"images": [
{
"url": "https://images.smartpetapi.com/breeds/golden-retriever-1.jpg",
"alt": "Golden Retriever standing",
"width": 1200,
"height": 800,
"is_primary": true
},
{
"url": "https://images.smartpetapi.com/breeds/golden-retriever-2.jpg",
"alt": "Golden Retriever puppy",
"width": 1200,
"height": 800,
"is_primary": false
}
]
}