A happy dog starts with the right match, and choosing a breed is about much more than cute looks and wagging tails. The best canine companion is one that fits your lifestyle, living space, and energy level just as well as it fits your heart.
For many dog lovers, breeds under 45 pounds hit that sweet spot. They’re compact enough for apartments and cozy homes, yet sturdy, confident, and full of personality. These small pups and popular medium dog breeds often bring together the best of both worlds: manageable size and big-dog charm.
Dogs in this weight range are generally easier to handle, train, and travel with, making them ideal for first-time owners and experienced pet parents alike. Many are intelligent, eager to please, and deeply affectionate, whether they’re curling up beside you on the couch or keeping a watchful eye on the home.
With so many wonderful breeds under 45 pounds, finding the right one can feel overwhelming. Let’s explore some of the best options and discover the unique traits that make them perfect companions for everyday life.
Top 9 Dog Breeds Under 45 Pounds: Find Your Perfect Match
1. Pembroke Welsh CorgiÂ
Pembroke Welsh Corgi is a strong, athletic little herder. It was originally bred for herding livestock. Although it has a small size with a weight between 24 and 30 pounds, it has a big personality and high energy.
Corgi is one of the medium-sized dog breeds that is well known for its alert nature, confidence, and strong demeanour. Interestingly, Queen Elizabeth had Corgis all her life.
Pembroke Welsh Corgi is affectionate in nature and forms a strong bond with its owners. It gets along well with the family due to its friendly nature. Due to its herding nature, it can also herd children and other pets. It responds well to training and enjoys the activities, which are good for its mental stimulation.
However, it has regular grooming needs due to its thick double coat. Corgis can become bossy and stubborn at times, which needs to be managed with training. It is necessary to provide exercise and mental stimulation for overall health.
2. Beagle
Beagles are a cheerful small dog breed that typically weigh between 20 and 30 pounds. It was originally used to herd and hunt, but its nose sometimes leads it to trouble. It is not only a loyal companion but also a happy-go-lucky and people pleaser. It is liked by the pet owners owing to its friendly nature.
Beagles are well known for their boldness, intelligence, and confidence. It likes to interact and enjoys being in the family, where it is not left alone for longer periods. Being a high-energy breed, it demands playtime and scent-based games to keep itself mentally stimulated. Interestingly, it demands minimal grooming.
Besides, if it is not engaged in an active lifestyle, then it develops the problem of unnecessary barking and howling. It is also prone to separation anxiety if not given due attention and time. Adequate exercise is also needed to remain active.
3. Biewer Terrier
Biewer Terrier is a small, elegant, and playful dog breed that weighs between 4 and 8 pounds. Interestingly, it is a variant of the Yorkie and admired for its tri-coloured coat. Biewer is a loyal, social, and affectionate dog.
Its sole purpose is to stay happy and keep others happy. It stays close with the families and enjoys being the centre of attention. It can adapt well to apartment life due to its compact size. This breed forms strong bonds with its owners due to its intelligence and lovable nature.
But Biewer demands regular brushing due to its hair coat. And it is also fragile due to its small size so rough handling should always be avoided.
4. Cocker Spaniel
Cocker Spaniel is also known as American Cocker Spaniel. Its weight ranges between 20-30 pounds. One of the most loveable medium sized breeds due to its playful personality, long ears and soulful eyes. Interestingly, it is stated by Britannica that Cocker Spaniel is smallest among hunting spaniels. It was originally bred for hunting but affectionate enough to be a lap dog.
Cocker Spaniel is gentle in nature and loyal towards its owners. It is quite sensitive in nature so forms emotional bond with the family who keeps it. Being an intelligent dog breed, it is easy to be trained with little positive reinforcement. First time dog owners can keep it easily.
Its long hair coat is prone to matting if it not given regular grooming. Moreover, moderate exercise is also needed to keep it healthy and stimulated. It can become anxious if left alone for longer period of time.
5. French Bulldog
French Bulldog is a small, muscular and compact breed that generally weighs between 16-28 pounds. It is stated by American Kennel Club that “Bat ears” is a trademark feature of this breed. Being affectionate, playful and full of personality, it is considered as one of the great family pets.
It is loving, loyal and a perfect canine buddy to be kept at home. It stays happy to be a part of family activities and makes itself a wonderful family companion. It is naturally intelligent and responds best to gentle, consistent training. Being a high-spirited dog, it enjoys brisk walks.
However, being a brachycephalic dog, it should not be given tough exercise to avoid overheating. Furthermore, its facial wrinkles need to be cleaned regularly to avoid skin allergies. It requires care and management as it is prone to intervertebral disc disease.
6. Italian Greyhound
According to Purina, Italian Greyhound is truly a greyhound in miniature with elegance and grace. It typically weighs between 7-14 pounds. It is well known for its long legs, lean build and delicate appearance. It is one of the great family dogs due to its gentle temperament.
It is affectionate and sensitive in nature and keeps itself close to its owner. It enjoys cuddling and close contact with family members. Moreover, it is an intelligent breed with alert demeanour which make it a loyal dog. It is responsive to gentle training and quite easy to train. It enjoys outdoor adventures too.
Nonetheless, due to thin and short coat, it is prone to cold. Fragile bones can be fractured if mishandled while training.
7. Bolognese
It is also known as Bichon Bolognese. It is just like a snowball and a fluffy breed. It generally weighs between 6-12 pounds. Bolognese is loyal and affectionate with its owner.
It is a calm and well-mannered dog that is a good companion for people of any age group. It is intelligent and eager to please its owners. It learns the tricks easily which are good for its mental and physical stimulation. it adapts well to the apartment life.
It requires regular grooming for its medium length coat. It can also develop separation anxiety if left alone for longer periods. It is reserved with strangers so early socialization and proper training is necessary.
8. Bichon Frise
Bichon Frise is a small, cheerful and fluffy cotton ball which typically weighs between 12-18 pounds. It has happy-go-lucky temperament and a playful personality. Its friendly nature makes it ideal companion for a variety of lifestyles. It likes to thrive in active households.
It is a social dog that thrives on human interaction and enjoys being involved in family activities. It is gentle and playful with children and other pets. It is highly intelligent and energetic dog which like dog sports. It is easy to be trained with little positive reinforcement.
This dog regularly requires hair coat maintenance and grooming. It can also develop stubbornness if training is not adequate and inconsistent.
9. Shih Tzu
Shih Tzu is a small, sturdy and affectionate breed that generally weighs between 9-16 pounds. It is originated from China as a companion for royalty. It has luxurious long coat, sweet expressions and friendly personality.
It survives well in a family environment and likes to be pampered by its owner. It is loyal with the family and love playing games. Moreover, it is also very intelligent and responds well to training. It is not an athletic dog but enjoys short walks.
But it needs regular grooming due to its double coat. It is also prone to respiratory issues due to short snout. It can become stubborn at times which makes training a bit challenging.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, finding a dog breed under 45 pounds which is well suited with your lifestyle is not as challenging as it sounds. The dog breeds which fall under such weight range are easy to manage at home. They are energetic, playful and enjoy social interaction.
Moreover, they are also intelligent and have a strong personality. Such breeds do not only get along with the owners but also with the other dogs and pets at home as well. They easily adapt to the family life.
However, each breed demands different kind of attention such as some require regular grooming, other demand mentally stimulating activities. So, if you are looking for a dog under such weight range, you can choose any of the above-described breeds by looking at their traits.
