Ranking Dog Breeds from the most Hyper to the Least Hyper

Last Updated: Nov 22, 2022

Quick Links: Table of Contents

Dog Breeds that are very Hyper
Dog Breeds that are very Laid-back

Introduction

It used to be very difficult to reliably measure the temperament of dogs.

However, in 2015, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania developed the Canine Behavioral Assessment & Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ) tool.

Many research studies have shown that the C-BARQ tool can reliably measure the behavior of dogs.

With data from the C-BARQ tool, you can calculate how bad or good the temperament of a dog breed is.

We analyzed data from the C-BARQ database to obtain the temperament score of dog breeds for Excitability. This allowed us to rank dogs based on Excitability.

Note that the fact that a dog breed ranks high for bad behavior does not mean all hope is lost for the dog breed. With proper early training, you can always mold a dog`s temperament into what you want.

Also, smaller dog breeds tend to have high aggression scores. However, aggression in small dog breeds is usually born out of insecurities or fear, and less from the meanness of their hearts.

Note that Excitability is one of the 14 temperament components that the C-BARQ test measures.

The complete 14 temperament components are:

Below is our ranking of dog breeds based on Excitability.

Click on the link for each breed to learn more about the complete temperament of the breed.

Click here to see our ranking of dog breeds from the ones with the overall `best` temperament to the ones with the `worst` temperament.

Dog Breeds that are very Hyper

1. Australian Silky Terrier

Weight of the Silky Terrier : 8 to 10 pounds

Height of the Silky Terrier : 9 to 10 inches tall at the shoulder

Lifespan of the Silky Terrier : 12 to 15 years

Silky Terrier Puppy Price : $1800 to $2738

See list of Reputable Silky Terrier Puppy Breeders here

2. Fox Terrier (Smooth)

Smooth Fox Terrier Puppy Price : $1900 to $2000

See list of Reputable Smooth Fox Terrier Puppy Breeders here

3. American Eskimo Dog

Weight of the American Eskimo Dog : 18 to 35 pounds

Height of the American Eskimo Dog : 15 to 19 inches tall at the shoulder

Lifespan of the American Eskimo Dog : 12 to 15 years

American Eskimo Dog Puppy Price : $800 to $1500

See list of Reputable American Eskimo Dog Puppy Breeders here

4. Parson Russell Terrier

Parson Russell Terrier Puppy Price : $1500 to $2000

See list of Reputable Parson Russell Terrier Puppy Breeders here

5. Miniature Schnauzer

Weight of the Miniature Schnauzer : 11 to 20 pounds

Height of the Miniature Schnauzer : 13 to 14 inches tall at the shoulder

Lifespan of the Miniature Schnauzer : 12 to 14 years

Miniature Schnauzer Puppy Price : $1400 to $2500

See list of Reputable Miniature Schnauzer Puppy Breeders here

Guide on how much food to feed the Miniature Schnauzer

6. Jack Russell Terrier

Weight of the Jack Russell Terrier : 13 to 17 pounds

Height of the Jack Russell Terrier : 10 to 15 inches tall at the shoulder

Lifespan of the Jack Russell Terrier : 10 to 15 years

Jack Russell Terrier Puppy Price : $700 to $1250

Guide on how much food to feed the Jack Russell Terrier

7. Poodle (Miniature)

Weight of the Miniature Poodle : 12 to 20 pounds

Height of the Miniature Poodle : From 10 to over 15 inches tall at the shoulder

Lifespan of the Miniature Poodle : 12 to 15 years

Miniature Poodle Puppy Price : $1562 to $3000

See list of Reputable Miniature Poodle Puppy Breeders here

8. Poodle (Toy)

Weight of the Toy Poodle : 6 to 10 pounds

Height of the Toy Poodle : From 6 to over 10 inches tall at the shoulder

Lifespan of the Toy Poodle : 12 to 15 years

Toy Poodle Puppy Price : $1900 to $3500

See list of Reputable Toy Poodle Puppy Breeders here

9. Old English Sheepdog

Weight of the Old English Sheepdog : 60 pounds to 100 Pounds

Height of the Old English Sheepdog : 20 inches to 24 Inches

Lifespan of the Old English Sheepdog : 10 to 12 years

Old English Sheepdog Puppy Price : $1600 to $2500

See list of Reputable Old English Sheepdog Puppy Breeders here

Guide on how much food to feed the Old English Sheepdog

10. Pekingese

Weight of the Pekingese : 7 to 14 pounds

Height of the Pekingese : 6 to 9 inches tall at the shoulder

Lifespan of the Pekingese : 12 to 15 years

Pekingese Puppy Price : $1288 to $2500

See list of Reputable Pekingese Puppy Breeders here

Guide on how much food to feed the Pekingese

Dog Breeds that are very Laid-back

1. Borzoi

Weight of the Borzoi : 55 to 105 pounds

Height of the Borzoi : 26 to 32 inches tall at the shoulder

Lifespan of the Borzoi : 10 to 12 years

Borzoi Puppy Price : $1500 to $1500

See list of Reputable Borzoi Puppy Breeders here

Guide on how much food to feed the Borzoi

2. Samoyed

Weight of the Samoyed : 50 to 60 pounds

Height of the Samoyed : 1 foot, 7 inches to 2 feet tall at the shoulder

Lifespan of the Samoyed : 12 to 14 years

Samoyed Puppy Price : $1500 to $3000

See list of Reputable Samoyed Puppy Breeders here

Guide on how much food to feed the Samoyed

3. Great Pyrenees

Weight of the Great Pyrenees : 85 to 160 pounds

Height of the Great Pyrenees : 25 to 32 inches tall at the shoulder

Lifespan of the Great Pyrenees : 10 to 12 years

Great Pyrenees Puppy Price : $500 to $1000

See list of Reputable Great Pyrenees Puppy Breeders here

Guide on how much food to feed the Great Pyrenees

4. Italian Greyhound

Weight of the Italian Greyhound : 6 to 15 pounds

Height of the Italian Greyhound : 13 to 15 inches tall at the shoulder

Lifespan of the Italian Greyhound : 14 to 15 years

Italian Greyhound Puppy Price : $1500 to $2250

See list of Reputable Italian Greyhound Puppy Breeders here

Guide on how much food to feed the Italian Greyhound

5. Anatolian Shepherd

Weight of the Anatolian Shepherd Dog : 80 to 150 pounds

Height of the Anatolian Shepherd Dog : 2 feet, 3 inches to 2 feet, 5 inches tall at the s

Lifespan of the Anatolian Shepherd Dog : 11 to 13 years

Anatolian Shepherd Dog Puppy Price : $750 to $1150

See list of Reputable Anatolian Shepherd Dog Puppy Breeders here

Guide on how much food to feed the Anatolian Shepherd Dog

6. Collie

Weight of the Collie : 50 to 70 pounds

Height of the Collie : 22 to 26 inches all at the shoulder

Lifespan of the Collie : 10 to 14 years

Collie Puppy Price : $1000 to $1800

See list of Reputable Collie Puppy Breeders here

Guide on how much food to feed the Collie

7. Eurasier

Weight of the Eurasier : 40 pounds to 71 pounds

Height of the Eurasier : 19 inches to 24 inches

See list of Reputable Eurasier Puppy Breeders here

Guide on how much food to feed the Eurasier

8. Rhodesian Ridgeback

Weight of the Rhodesian Ridgeback : 70 to 85 pounds

Height of the Rhodesian Ridgeback : 24 to 27 inches tall at the shoulder

Lifespan of the Rhodesian Ridgeback : 10 to 12 years

Rhodesian Ridgeback Puppy Price : $1250 to $1900

See list of Reputable Rhodesian Ridgeback Puppy Breeders here

Guide on how much food to feed the Rhodesian Ridgeback

9. Kuvasz

Weight of the Kuvasz : 70 to 115 pounds

Height of the Kuvasz : 26 to 30 inches tall at the shoulder

Lifespan of the Kuvasz : 10 to 12 years

Kuvasz Puppy Price : $2000 to $2000

See list of Reputable Kuvasz Puppy Breeders here

10. English Setter

Weight of the English Setter : 45 to 80 pounds

Height of the English Setter : 1 foot, 11 inches to 2 feet, 3 inches tall at the

Lifespan of the English Setter : 11 to 15 years

English Setter Puppy Price : $850 to $1200

See list of Reputable English Setter Puppy Breeders here

Guide on how much food to feed the English Setter

See below the full ranking of dog breeds based on Excitability.

Excitability Rank	Breed	Excitability Score
1	Australian Silky Terrier	100.0 %
2	Fox Terrier (Smooth)	80.1 %
3	American Eskimo Dog	78.6 %
4	Parson Russell Terrier	75.6 %
5	Miniature Schnauzer	70.5 %
6	Jack Russell Terrier	70.1 %
7	Poodle (Miniature)	69.4 %
8	Poodle (Toy)	67.1 %
9	Old English Sheepdog	65.0 %
10	Pekingese	63.4 %
11	West Highland White Terrier	62.8 %
12	Vizsla	62.7 %
13	Miniature Pinscher	62.3 %
14	Boston Terrier	61.9 %
15	Boxer	61.8 %
16	Maltese	61.1 %
17	Pit Bull mix	60.6 %
18	Belgian Malinois	60.1 %
19	Fox Terrier (Toy)	59.9 %
20	Dachshund	59.1 %
21	Cardigan Welsh Corgi	58.7 %
22	Bichon Frise	58.3 %
23	Staffordshire Bull Terrier	58.0 %
24	Redbone Coonhound	57.9 %
25	Australian Kelpie	57.4 %
26	Australian Cattle Dog	56.5 %
27	Pomeranian	56.2 %
28	Pug	55.2 %
29	Fox Terrier (Wire/Wire-haired)	54.9 %
30	French Bulldog	54.7 %
31	Chesapeake Bay Retriever	54.0 %
32	German Wirehaired Pointer	53.9 %
33	American Staffordshire Terrier	53.7 %
34	German Shorthaired Pointer	53.5 %
35	Chihuahua	53.2 %
36	Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier	53.0 %
37	Gordon Setter	52.8 %
38	Yorkshire Terrier	52.7 %
39	Keeshond	52.4 %
40	Brittany	52.3 %
41	Bearded Collie	51.6 %
42	Rat Terrier	51.1 %
43	Pit Bull	51.0 %
44	American Pit Bull Terrier	51.0 %
45	Beagle	50.7 %
46	Giant Schnauzer	50.6 %
47	Cavalier King Charles Spaniel	50.2 %
48	American Bulldog	49.3 %
49	Weimaraner	49.2 %
50	Pointer	49.0 %
51	Australian Shepherd	47.5 %
52	Saint Bernard	47.3 %
53	Airedale Terrier	47.3 %
54	English Springer Spaniel	47.2 %
55	Dachshund (Miniature)	47.1 %
56	Flat-Coated Retriever	46.7 %
57	Poodle (Standard)	46.1 %
58	Cairn Terrier	45.7 %
59	Chinese Crested	45.6 %
60	Havanese	45.2 %
61	Cocker Spaniel (English)	45.2 %
62	Labrador Retriever	45.0 %
63	Belgian Sheepdog	45.0 %
64	Irish Water Spaniel	44.4 %
65	Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever	44.4 %
66	Papillon	44.4 %
67	Chinese Shar-Pei	44.2 %
68	Basset Hound	43.8 %
69	Doberman Pinscher	43.8 %
70	Cocker Spaniel (American)	43.4 %
71	Schipperke	43.1 %
72	German Shepherd	42.9 %
73	Border Collie	42.9 %
74	Belgian Tervuren	42.9 %
75	Ibizan Hound	42.2 %
76	English Bulldog	41.9 %
77	Shetland Sheepdog	41.7 %
78	Newfoundland	40.6 %
79	Bouvier des Flandres	40.6 %
80	Bernese Mountain Dog	40.1 %
81	Standard Schnauzer	39.3 %
82	Irish Setter	39.1 %
83	Tibetan Terrier	38.7 %
84	Pembroke Welsh Corgi	38.7 %
85	Dalmatian	38.5 %
86	Portuguese Water Dog	38.2 %
87	Scottish Terrier	37.6 %
88	Border Terrier	37.4 %
89	Bulldog	37.2 %
90	Alaskan Malamute	36.8 %
91	Golden Retriever	36.4 %
92	Whippet	36.2 %
93	Greyhound	35.1 %
94	Treeing Walker Coonhound	35.0 %
95	Shih Tzu	34.2 %
96	Great Dane	33.0 %
97	Chinook	32.7 %
98	Rottweiler	32.1 %
99	Alaskan Husky	32.0 %
100	Chow Chow	31.4 %
101	Basenji	31.3 %
102	Shiba Inu	29.5 %
103	Bull Terrier	29.1 %
104	Mastiff (English)	28.9 %
105	Akita	27.8 %
106	Lhasa Apso	27.4 %
107	Siberian Husky	26.3 %
108	Irish Wolfhound	26.0 %
109	Norwegian Elkhound	25.3 %
110	Lagotto Romagnolo	24.5 %
111	Bullmastiff	24.2 %
112	Afghan Hound	22.4 %
113	Black and Tan Coonhound	20.5 %
114	Dingo	20.4 %
115	English Setter	20.3 %
116	Kuvasz	18.1 %
117	Rhodesian Ridgeback	16.9 %
118	Eurasier	15.0 %
119	Collie	14.0 %
120	Anatolian Shepherd	11.7 %
121	Italian Greyhound	9.1 %
122	Great Pyrenees	6.2 %
123	Samoyed	5.9 %
124	Borzoi	0.0 %