Calm Breeds
39 dog and cat breeds with the calm temperament trait. Browse them below and find the right match for your lifestyle.
Why this trait matters
Calm breeds often overlap with family fit, trainability, and day-to-day lifestyle compatibility. Use this page to branch into stronger breed guides first, then compare the closest options side by side.
American Shorthair
American Shorthairs are classic, versatile cats known for their robust health and adaptable nature. Their easygoing temperament and low-maintenance care make them ideal first-time cat companions.
Anatolian Shepherd Dog
Anatolian Shepherd Dogs are ancient livestock guardians built for independence, patience, and serious protective work. They are calm and devoted with their people, but they do best in spacious homes with experienced owners who respect their guardian instincts.
Australian Mist
The Australian Mist is a gentle, home-loving breed developed in Australia specifically to be an ideal indoor companion. With their misty spotted or marbled coat and exceptionally tolerant nature, they're one of the best cats for families with children.
Bernese Mountain Dog
Bernese Mountain Dogs are majestic, tri-colored giants with hearts of gold. Their calm temperament and love for families make them wonderful companions, especially in cooler climates where they truly thrive.
Black Russian Terrier
Black Russian Terriers are imposing working dogs developed for strength, stability, and serious guardian work. They are typically calmer than their size suggests, but they still need experienced handling, consistent training, and enough structure to keep all that brains-and-brawn from freelancing.
Boerboel
Boerboels are powerful South African guardian dogs with a calm, watchful presence and deep loyalty to their family. They can be excellent with their own people, especially when well socialized, but their sheer size and protective instincts demand experienced handling.
Bohemian Rex
Bohemian Rex cats are gentle, curly-coated companions with a calm, affectionate nature. Their soft waves need committed grooming, but their easy pace and patient temperament make them well suited to quieter homes.
Bouvier des Flandres
Bouvier des Flandres are powerful, steady farm dogs with a calm presence and a serious work ethic. They are intelligent and loyal, but their size, grooming demands, and protective nature mean they do best with confident owners who enjoy training and structure.
British Longhair
The British Longhair is the luxuriously-coated cousin of the British Shorthair, combining the same round-faced teddy bear charm with a flowing, plush coat. Laid-back and dignified, they're the quintessential apartment cat — happy to lounge beside you without demanding constant attention.
British Shorthair
British Shorthairs are chunky, plush-coated cats with an easygoing disposition. Their calm confidence and independent nature make them ideal companions for people who appreciate a cat that's affectionate but not clingy.
Bulldog
Bulldogs are gentle, affectionate companions with a calm demeanor that belies their muscular build. They're perfectly content with moderate exercise and love nothing more than lounging with their family.
Bullmastiff
The Bullmastiff is a powerful guardian breed with a calm indoor presence and a famously devoted nature toward its family. Despite their imposing size, well-socialized Bullmastiffs are often steady, affectionate house dogs that prefer watchful closeness over constant commotion.
Chinese Shar-Pei
The Chinese Shar-Pei is a wrinkled, blue-tongued ancient breed originally developed as a guard and fighting dog in southern China. Deeply devoted to their family but suspicious of strangers and often aggressive toward other dogs, the Shar-Pei requires confident handling and early socialisation.
Cymric
The Cymric is the longhaired cousin of the Manx, sharing its distinctive taillessness and round, cobby body. Known for their dog-like loyalty and gentle disposition, Cymrics are devoted companions who love interactive play but also enjoy quiet cuddle time.
Dogue de Bordeaux
Dogue de Bordeaux dogs are massive, loyal guardians with a calm indoor presence and deep devotion to their family. They are usually not hyper dogs, but their size, strength, and protective nature demand thoughtful training and experienced handling.
Domestic Longhair
Domestic Longhairs are mixed-ancestry cats with flowing coats and highly individual personalities. They can be calm lap cats or playful explorers, but most need regular brushing to keep their longer coat comfortable and mat-free.
Exotic Longhair
Exotic Longhairs are plush, round-faced lounge specialists, basically bringing Persian softness with even more coat drama. They are affectionate, quiet, and low-key, happiest in calm homes where the vibe is less action movie and more expensive throw blanket.
Exotic Shorthair
Exotic Shorthairs are essentially short-haired Persians, offering the same sweet personality without the intensive grooming. Their teddy bear appearance and calm demeanor make them perfect lap cats for relaxed homes.
Great Pyrenees
Great Pyrenees are majestic mountain guardians with a serene, zen-like calm — until something threatens their flock. These gentle giants are wonderfully patient with children and protective of all family members, including cats and other pets.
Great Swiss Mountain Dog
Great Swiss Mountain Dogs are sturdy farm dogs with a calm heart and a deeply loyal streak. They combine working-dog substance with a family-friendly temperament, especially when given room to move and people to stay close to.
Greyhound
The Greyhound is the fastest dog in the world yet one of the most laid-back companions you'll ever meet. These gentle, elegant sight hounds are famously content to spend the day napping on the couch after a brief sprint. Quiet, clean, and sweet-natured, retired racing Greyhounds make exceptional apartment pets.
Himalayan
The Himalayan is a Persian-Siamese cross combining the Persian's luxurious long coat with Siamese color points. These gentle, devoted cats are quintessential lap cats who thrive on calm companionship and predictable routines.
Irish Wolfhound
The Irish Wolfhound is the tallest of all dog breeds, a gentle giant with a noble history as a war dog and wolf hunter. Despite their imposing size, they are remarkably calm and affectionate companions with a serene, dignified demeanor.
Komondor
Komondors are imposing Hungarian livestock guardians famous for their dramatic corded coat and calm, watchful confidence. They can be deeply loyal family protectors, but their size, independence, and guarding instincts make them a serious match for experienced homes.
Lambkin
Lambkins are small, curly-coated companion cats known for a gentle, affectionate temperament. Their playful but moderate energy makes them apartment-friendly, while their coat benefits from regular grooming.
Minuet
The Minuet (formerly called Napoleon) is a charming cross between the Munchkin and Persian, combining short legs with a sweet, doll-like face and plush coat. These laid-back cats have the best of both worlds: the Persian's gentle demeanor without the extreme flat face, and the Munchkin's playful spirit without the hyperactivity.
Neapolitan Mastiff
Neapolitan Mastiffs are massive guardian dogs with a quiet, devoted presence and a serious protective instinct. They are usually calm at home, but their size, drool, and guarding nature make early socialization and experienced handling essential.
Ojos Azules
Ojos Azules are exceptionally rare cats best known for their striking deep-blue eyes. Beyond their unusual appearance, they are generally described as balanced, affectionate companions with a calm, adaptable household temperament.
Pixie-Bob
The Pixie-Bob is a large, muscular cat with a wild bobcat-like appearance but a heart of gold. Known as one of the most dog-like cat breeds, they are fiercely loyal, love to follow their humans around, and are famously patient with children.
RagaMuffin
RagaMuffins are large, teddy bear-like cats with plush coats and incredibly sweet dispositions. Their patient, docile nature makes them perfect family cats who enjoy being cuddled and held like babies.
Ragdoll
Ragdolls are large, beautiful cats named for their tendency to go limp when picked up. Their docile, trusting nature and stunning blue eyes make them one of the most beloved companion cat breeds.
Rottweiler
Rottweilers are powerful, loyal guardians with a surprisingly gentle side for their families. With proper training and socialization, they become devoted companions who are both protective and affectionate.
Saint Bernard
Saint Bernards are the quintessential gentle giants — massive dogs with even bigger hearts. Famous for Alpine rescue work, they're patient, loving family dogs who are remarkably gentle with children despite their enormous size.
Scottish Straight
Scottish Straights are the straight-eared cousins of the Scottish Fold, known for their round features, mellow charm, and affectionate but not clingy nature. They enjoy play and companionship, but they are usually happier as calm household comedians than nonstop chaos goblins.
Serrade Petit
Serrade Petits are rare French cats with a petite build, short coat, and a gentle companion temperament. Their moderate energy and easygoing nature make them a good match for calm homes and apartment life.
Siberian
Siberian cats are Russia's national treasure — majestic, triple-coated forest cats with surprisingly hypoallergenic fur. Their dog-like devotion, love of water, and gentle playfulness make them exceptional family companions.
Ural Rex
The Ural Rex is a rare curly-coated cat with a soft, relaxed temperament and an unusually plush wave to the coat. These cats tend to be affectionate without being clingy, making them lovely companions for quieter homes.
Whippet
Whippets are graceful, lightning-fast dogs that are surprisingly calm indoors. These gentle sighthounds are the perfect blend of couch potato and athlete, making them excellent apartment-friendly companions.
Xoloitzcuintli
Xoloitzcuintlis are ancient, low-shedding companions with a calm household presence and a watchful bond to their people. Because the breed ranges from toy to standard size and can be reserved, they fit best with thoughtful owners and respectful older children.
Popular Comparisons
Compare calm breeds side by side.