Whether you’re an experienced dog owner or a newbie, the most playful dog breeds add bountiful zest and excitement to the family..
As well as being some of the friendliest dog breeds, many larger-than-life, playful pups are intelligent, too. Clever dogs love to be challenged with games for dogs like fetch or hide and seek, and get a kick out of the best dog puzzle toys, chew toys and all kinds of canine playthings.
It's important to be aware that the most playful dog breeds tend to require plenty of exercise to burn off all that energy. If you have a busy lifestyle or prefer a lazy Saturday morning to an 8am run, it might be worth considering the calmest dog breeds instead.
If you’re the kind of person interested in all the hobbies you can do with your dog, the most playful dog breeds are likely to suit you. Here are some of our favorites...
Most playful dog breeds
1. Labradoodle
Intelligent and loving, the Labradoodle has plenty of energy and loves to play. If you can spare at least an hour or two of exercise per day, this adorable hound will make a wonderful companion.
Their high intelligence benefits from plenty of mental stimulation; it’s a good idea to play games and offer up plenty of the best dog toys in the home and garden to keep them busy.
If you have time on your hands, why not set up an agility course inside or outdoors? With their high energy, Labradoodles will love running over and under objects and leaping through the air to reach their goal.
2. Golden retriever
The golden retriever is a popular all-rounder. Known for their deep loyalty and friendly personality, they can appear laidback at first, but once you let them off the leash, they love nothing more than exhibiting their playful side.
This retrieving breed loves to please their human owners. They have boundless energy that they need to expend to prevent them from becoming bored and destructive.
They need more than a big backyard to play in and should be exercised at least twice a day for a total of two hours.
3. English Springer Spaniel
You don't get much more energetic than the English Springer Spaniel. These playful dogs are bounding with joy and frequently looking for the next activity to get involved in.
You'll want to keep them both mentally and physically stimulated; they need two or more hours’ exercise a day, and being left alone for too long can result in destructive behavior.
Bred as gun dogs, the English Springer Spaniel particularly relishes play that taps into their natural instincts to hunt. They love to show off, so consider fetch or flyball as a way to burn off that excess energy and meet your companion's desire to please.
4. Miniature schnauzer
If you’re looking for a playful pooch that scores highly across the board, the miniature schnauzer is a fabulous breed. They’re a small-breed dog, meaning they’re great for large and compact homes alike, they’re low-shedding, making them ideal for sensitive noses, and they’ve got energy coupled with a great sense of humor, so you’ll have a ball coming up with fun games and activities to do together.
Mini schnauzers do well with at least an hour’s exercise a day, with mental enrichment sessions in between. They can be reactive if not thoroughly socialized and desensitized to noises or disturbances like people coming to the door, so that’s something to implement in training.
According to research by Professor Stanley Coren, mini schnauzers are the 12th smartest dog breed, so they will enjoy picking up new games and skills. They’re not as high energy as an English Springer Spaniel, but still have plenty about them, making them a great in-between dog.
5. Dalmatian
Fun-loving and full of character, a Dalmatian is typically loyal, high-energy breed that loves to play. Dalmatians were originally bred to run alongside carriages, so Ideal ways to entertain your spotty friend include taking them along with you while you jog, or burning off their high energy with a few rounds of fetch.
You could set up an obstacle course in your backyard or create a treasure walk on their next daily walk by incorporating toys, treats, or food along the trail.
Set aside at least two hours a day for exercise purposes. Dalmatians particularly thrive in the countryside, where there's plenty of space to play and roam around.
6. Australian Shepherd
Best matched with owners who lead an active lifestyle, the Australian Shepherd dog is the perfect hiking companion. High-energy activities such as chasing frisbees and playing with interactive dog toys work well for this playful dog breed, but you'll also want to challenge them mentally.
Fetch and tug-of-war are great options here; investing in a few of the best rope dog toys will help keep them occupied.
7. French Bulldog
With their miniature size and cheerful personalities, French Bulldogs make fantastic pets. Affectionate and attention-seeking, they are great with both adults and children.
It's this desire for attention and stimulation that makes them such a wonderfully playful dog breed to have around.
Great games to play with your Frenchie include hide and seek, but they'll also love a round or two of tug-of-war. Don't forget to provide them plenty of chew toys, fetching sticks, and balls. A little playfighting can also go down well with these muscular mutts.
8. Jack Russell Terrier
Curious about the world around them and full of cheeky personality, the Jack Russell Terrier is one of the most playful dog breeds around – you may be introduced to one as he's making off with your football in the local park!
They are great with people and keen to join in any fun activities happening in the moment. Flyball can be a great idea for entertaining your Jack Russell, while common games, such as fetch and hide and seek, are also ideal options.
9. Labrador Retriever
Labrador Retrievers are lively dogs with bags of energy to spare. Look to keep them active every day, especially as they love to eat and are prone to piling on the pounds.
Fortunately, playing with your Labrador as a form of exercise could not be easier. As their name suggests, Labradors love to retrieve, so fetch or throwing a frisbee are fantastic options. Grab a ball and head to the park or simply have them accompany you on runs if you're feeling particularly energetic.
These active canines also love to swim so setting up some water activities in your backyard, such as a swimming pool for dogs and a selection of floating dog toys, can really pique their interest.
10. Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Most famous for being Queen Elizabeth II's choice of pooch, Pembroke Welsh Corgis are also renowned for their cheerful spirit. They have big personalities for such tiny bodies, always looking to play and engage with the people around them.
Look to offer between 30-40 minutes of playtime to your Corgi every day and ensure they get plenty of exercise to burn off calories.
Good options for a Corgi include outdoor pursuits such as swimming, hiking, and jogging, while classics like fetch and hide and seek work well too.
If you fancy getting inventive, set up a sporting event in your backyard or simply teach your Corgi a few tricks to keep their active minds engaged.
11. Boxer
Athletic, muscular, and often goofy, boxers are an incredibly playful breed that will keep you laughing the entire time they're in your home.
Boxers are great family dogs, and love to play especially with kids (but not very small kids, as they can get excited and bump into people a lot) and adult family members. They are energetic and happy and fit in well with an active home.
12. Portugese Water Dog
This hypoallergenic dog breed is a fun-loving and smart dog that makes a great active family pet. Part of the working group, Portuguese Water dogs were bred to be fishermen's helpers, so you know they'll love the water.
They have a low prey drive, so they'll play with your kids and other animals safely, but they can get a little rambunctious around small children, so keep that in mind. You might recognize the breed as the official White House dog of President Barack Obama.
13. Pomeranian
Pomeranians are an incredibly popular breed, regularly polling in the top 20 registered AKC dog breeds list, and for good reason. They are lively, energetic, playful and, most importantly, very friendly, loving to be taken for walks (although, as one of the best dog breeds for cold weather, you should keep an eye on them on hot summer days).
Sometimes they’ll bark a lot, which might not always endear them to your neighbors, and they have been known to challenge larger dogs (most other breeds), but their sheer breadth of personality will likely render all of this moot. As long as they get the requisite amount of love and attention, you’ve got a best friend for life.
14. Papillon
Clever and easy to train, their obedience doesn’t make the Papillon any less fun – quite the opposite, in fact. They’re very inquisitive and active, making another set of eyes in the back of your head vital. The plus point is that they’re one of the most playful dog breeds about, making them ideal if you have a young family – although you should be mindful of their size, so being too rough with them is a big no-no.
Nevertheless, if you have a squeaky toy then you have hours of fun for them, and they love chasing games. With this in mind, it’s probably best not to let them off the lead where local wildlife’s about, otherwise the chase will very much be on.
15. Standard poodle
Poodles are one of the smartest dog breeds around and can pick up new commands very quickly. They are eager to please and love to work with people, so much so that they’re often trained up as service dogs.
A high-energy dog breed, poodles thrive off plenty of exercise and are particularly proficient swimmers, having originally been bred to retrieve game from water. They love to have a job to do, and do best with owners who want to do activities and dog sports like agility, flyball or dock diving to put their minds and bodies to the test.
This large-breed dog is certainly no couch potato and loves to be the life of the party. If you can match this energy, a poodle could be your perfect pooch.
Read next: Best behaved dog breeds
Edited by Georgia Guerin.
This feature was last updated in June 2025 by Bethany Stone.
