How we research and rate

Pawsplained exists to give dog owners straight answers they can trust. This page explains exactly how our pages are made, so you can judge them for yourself.

Where our facts come from

Every health, food-safety, toxicity and nutrition statement on the site comes from an authoritative source that we link at the bottom of the page. We rely on veterinary and scientific organizations first:

• Poison and toxicity: ASPCA Animal Poison Control (including its plant database), Pet Poison Helpline and the Merck Veterinary Manual.
• Health and care: the Merck Veterinary Manual, VCA Animal Hospitals, veterinary schools, the AVMA, AAHA and WSAVA guidelines, and peer-reviewed research.
• Breeds: breed standards and breed pages from the American Kennel Club and parent breed clubs, health-testing requirements from the OFA and CHIC, and reputable references for history.

We write every page in our own words. We don’t copy text from other sites, and we never invent studies, statistics, quotes, experiences or people.

How we fact-check

After a page is written, a separate fact-checking pass opens every cited source and compares each claim with it. Claims that a source doesn’t support are corrected or removed, and sources that don’t say what we cite them for are replaced. Food and plant verdicts must agree with the poison-control and veterinary sources listed on the page.

Our pages are written from veterinary sources by the Pawsplained editorial team. They have not yet been reviewed by a veterinarian, and each health-related page says so. They are general information, not a diagnosis or treatment plan for your dog.

Our safety rules

• We never give medication doses. Dosing depends on your dog, their health and other drugs, so that is always your vet’s call.
• Toxicity calculators use published thresholds and always tell you to call a vet or poison line, whatever the number says.
• Emergency pages lead with the warning signs that mean “go to a vet now.”

How we rate breed traits

Each breed profile rates 20 traits on a 1–5 scale — energy, trainability, shedding, how well the breed copes with apartments, heat, cold, time alone and more. Ratings are based on the breed standard, breed-club descriptions and AKC trait information, and describe the typical dog of that breed. Individual dogs vary, and mixed breeds and hybrids vary most.

How we rank “best breeds” lists

Our best-of lists are calculated from those same trait ratings, so you can check the working. Each list page explains its rule — for example, the apartment list favors breeds rated highly for apartment living that are quieter and calmer. Lists are a starting point for research, not a promise about any one dog.

Photos

We use photos that are free to reuse under Creative Commons or public-domain licenses, mostly from Wikimedia Commons and Flickr. Every photo is credited with the author, license and source page.

Affiliate links

Some pages show product suggestions to visitors in the United States, with links to Amazon. We may earn a commission when you buy through them. Products never influence our health or safety content. See our affiliate disclosure.

Corrections

If you spot a mistake, please tell us. We review every correction and update the page, along with its “updated” date.