Top 20 Dog Breeds That Have the CUTEST Puppies

Want a tiny dog but can't handle the whole “Yorkie-Lifestyle”? Get yourself a Norwich! Initially bred to be a rat hunter, the Norwich's spirit proved to be strong enough that the breed began to take on larger foes, such as the fox. But enough about their CV: look at that widdle face! Striking as an adult, Norwich pups look like one of the sweetest little teddy bears Disney could ever dream of coming up with. Plus, there are options! The 10 inch tall, 12 pound package of prick-eared handsome have “cousins”, the Norfolk Terrier, which is essentially the same stubbornly clever little go-getter but with folded ears. Choices, choices!

You've seen a beagle before, right? Well, picture it smaller. Need we say more? We do? Very well. Alright, well, picture that same beagle, shrunk down to baby size but with the same size head with its big floopy ears paired with slightly softer features and a big dopey grin. Sold yet? Cheerful and fun loving, the beagle also has cute habits, like not drooling or smelling funky. That said, outdoor time should involve a leash, otherwise their old work instincts may come out and they may take to herding the neighbor's chimkens or hunting wabbits. And sure, they'll bark a lot when you're not around... but you're also not around to hear it. Make your neighbors jelly: today!

#18: West Highland White Terrier

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Take a scrap of sheepskin, give it coal black eyes, nose, lips, a little pink tongue, and pointy little triangular ears. Then, give it way too much love and drive and you almost have a West Highland White Terrier. Considered to be the friendliest of the Scottish canine crew, the Westie was bred as much for its color as it was its size and attitude. King James – of the KJV bible fame – may have been involved in the Westie's development, but most timelines are centered around a Col. Malcolm and a hunting accident involving a hunting doggo that looked a bit too fox-like. But luckily, these days there's no mistaking a Westie for anything other than charmingly cute, especially when they do their little head tilt.

You've seen the meme, now live the dream! Sure, Shiba Inu adults are ridiculously cute, but their pups look like an Anime mashup of a lion and a fox, with a little bit of baby seal tossed in. Japan's contribution to the spitz family of dogs – and blessed with the same appealing looks as the Akita Inu or the Hokkaido – the Shiba will always be a bit on the smol side, and can come in colors ranging from orange, yellow, red black with tan, or “sesame,” which is red with black tips. Plus, the Shiba is obsessed with cleanliness and can take to cleaning themselves at cat-like levels. How cute is that? A doge with standards!

#16: Bull Terrier

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Alright. So the Bull Terrier is a divisive breed. Some people appreciate its unique looks, triangular eyes, clownish attitude, and aw-shucks vibe, and others are wrong. Bred to be a professional fighter, the Bully was just too heckin’ friendly and instead became a classy fashion statement. In puppy form, they distill all their love it or hate it features into a softer, rounder, tiny little package that looks like the most precious hamster ever bred. Plus, bull terrier pups are noted to be quite “bouncy”. Plus, plus, many breeders will recommend doggy sweaters or raincoats if you live in a chillier, damper location. Plus, plus, plus Bull Terriers also offer an offshoot breed – the Miniature Bull Terrier, which is everything the Bull Terrier offers but in a smaller, thus cuter package!

Strikingly handsome, confident and composed as an adult, the German Shepherd Dog- as it's officially known - is downright adorable as a pup. While it’s tough to imagine these little furballs growing up to be canine law enforcement agents, the image of one in a police hat is pretty heckin’ cute. Roughly 15,000 registered purebred German Shepherds are born each year in Germany alone. Around the world, they can be found in a range of colors, including mixes of black, tan, white, red, blue, grey, or even a “panda” pattern. As a bonus, GSDs are hyper intelligent, and have the potential to learn most tricks within the first five tries. They even have their own sport: Schutzhund.

Much like the friendly, good-natured people of their namesake province, these doggos are known to be hard working, people-loving, and a bit messy when drinking. The pups are bigger eaters than their Labrador cousins, but adult Newfoundland dogs actually eat less than full grown Labs. In addition to the Labrador, this dog is also thought to share ancestry with the ancient Viking Bear Dog or even the Tibetan Mastiff. But based on their cuteness as babies… we equally suspect a relationship to Teddy Ruxpin or Winnie the Pooh. Allegedly tough to train and even a bit rowdy, it seems likely that however much trouble they give you… you’ll be too smitten with that sweet little face to care.

Picture a corgi-sized wolf. Give it a wise, worldly attitude, an appreciation for simple understated design and the works of ABBA and you have a Swedish Vallhund. Puppies can be born with or without a tail, however tails are uber common. In general, the breed is known to be a cheery people lover, great at agility training, and offers “unique” doggy vocals. We likely owe the Vallhund's existence to the Vikings – who, if there's anything we can agree on, got around – who are assumed to have crossbred Welsh corgis with their own Scandi spitz dogs. Like the Vikings, Vallhunds can create their own fun and games, but owners and breeders also report they seem to have a sense of humor and a way of getting you laughing.

#12: French Bulldog

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Cuter, smaller, and less grumpy looking than their English cousins, the French Bulldog is not a pup to be ignored. Actually a dog of English heritage, the Bouledogue Francais began as a toy-sized variant of the English Bulldog and gained its name when it found an easily earned popularity across the channel. Known for its stocky build, bat-like ears, and droopy upper lip, the Frenchie is a playful, laid-back and loving little creature. They come in an array of colors - including brindle, white, fawn and black. Given their size, they are great dogs for apartment dwellers. Even as adults they are cuter than most puppies, but when they’re young… their cute factor is off the charts.

The only thing these good boys and girls were bred to hunt was love. With a name coming from the Chinese word for “lion”, Shih Tzus have been family dogs, lap dogs, and beloved pets to emperors and empresses since 8000 BC. A mere 10 inches tall and typically under 16 pounds fully grown, the Shih Tzu is hard to beat when it comes to being an affectionate little companion. There will be a lot of brushing involved, sure, and some challenges when it comes to housebreaking this little lion dog, but golly, golly, golly look at that face! It's like a cotton ball and a dust bunny came to life and got it on, which – granted – isn't the cutest of images, but you can't deny the pawsome results!

#10: Jack Russell Terrier

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The Jack Russell Terrier is already one of the cutest living creatures on the planet. Shrink it down to the size of a hapless potato and you have maximum cuteness. Sure, they can be hyperactive, destructive when bored, cry when they're lonely, and vertical launch from the floor to your eyeballs, but they also have a face that can melt the frostiest of hearts and get away with almost anything. They're just so poised and dapper, and it only becomes more upsetting when you see them romping around in a pack. It's a rough 'n' tumble gang of adorable!

Initially bred to herd reindeer, hunt, and haul, the Samoyed is a true family dog. They love children, they love people in general, and often they'll even pick a favorite. If you're lucky, maybe that's you! Rarely cracking two feet in height as adults, these white Wookie-like floofers trade in the graceful majesty of its parents for big puffy fur that somehow seems way too big for it. On that note, however, Samoyeds do come with a loooooot of grooming. But, you and your new little buddy can always start a side hustle weaving doggy yarn, which is legitimately a thing that some owners actually do.

Ever wanted a baby lion only to have your landlord say no? A Chow Chow puppy might just be the answer. Strikingly beautiful, and found in various colors, the Chow hails from China and may be one of the oldest breeds around - potentially originating as far back as 3000 years ago. Nicknamed the “Songshi Quan”, which translates to “puffy-lion dog”, a newborn chow is an infinitely huggable furball… but also has its share of quirks. For one, it’s a tad introverted, often disliking dogs of the same gender, and tends to be territorial - although smooth-coated chows are usually more friendly with strangers. Regardless, with a little living teddy bear in your arms, you’ll likely overlook all bad behavior.

Oftentimes, strange can be cute, and with their absurdly long bodies and stubby legs… these little hounds are adorably odd, particularly as puppies. Also known as a Doxie - or more casually - the Wiener Dog, Dachshunds can be found in all sorts of colors, with black and tan being the most common. These borkers also come in smooth or short, wire, and longhair coats - meaning there’s a variety out there to suit most tastes. Although a little difficult to housebreak, and potentially annoyingly barky, Doxies are hopelessly devoted to their families and play well with older children. In all honesty though, the moment this little bundle of joy comes into your life, you won’t want to share it with your kids, anyway.

A modern descendent of the Roman Molosser dog, the “Berner Sennenhund”, as it is known in German, is a complex breed. Despite their eventual massive size, these Swiss pups can be rather sensitive, prone to separation anxiety, and even intimidated by beards. Can you say “heartbreakingly shy”? At the same time, they’re equally known to love people, especially kids, and be a true fren until the end. Be warned, while they start out small, these woofers grow fast, so cherish it while it lasts. Thankfully, if properly trained and socialized as a pupper, the Bernese Mountain Dog never seems to become aware of its age, keeping a puppy-like attitude towards life for way longer than many other breeds.

#5: Pug

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People like things that are smol, and inexplicably love things that look old, so throw a set of wrinkles on a flat-faced pup three apples tall and you have cuteness overload. Like the Shih Tzu, these little rockstars can trace their roots back to ancient China. Typically born in litters of four to six, the Pug can come in the traditional fawn, silver, apricot or all black, and are known for their comical attitude. Making their way to Europe in the late 1500s via Dutch traders, Pugs soon found fans with the movers and shakers of the day, eventually finding themselves companions to the likes of Marie Antoinette and Josephine Bonaparte. North America would experience Pug-life sometime after the American Civil War.

With its wolfish good looks, a full-grown Husky always has a certain air of distinction. In puppy form however, the Husky resembles Gizmo's first batch crossed with a cartoon. The breed's familiar wolf-like facial colorings- when miniaturized- give the pups a look of almost evil determination, which, combined with their hapless size, makes them absolutely precious. Although hard to housebreak, huskies make up for it with a natural playfulness - a trait they often carry from puppyhood to maturity. Quite frankly… they can be crazy energetic, so one shouldn’t be surprised to see a Husky puppy bouncing here, there and everywhere in search of adventure and mischievous fun. They may very well drive the family cat right out of town.

“Cuteness” could and should be measured in units of corgi puppies because… well, just LOOK at them! Welsh for “dwarf dog”, Corgis come in two equally adorable variations - the Pembroke and the Cardigan. While the slightly larger and more colorful Cardigan is not without its fans, it's the Pembroke that tends to win the popular vote. The Pembroke has been a favorite of Queen Elizabeth II since she received a Corgi named Susan for her 18th birthday. In addition to being cute as a button form birth right through their golden years, the breed is the subject of rather endearing folklore. According to legend, Corgis were the traditional steeds of woodland fairies, and were eventually introduced to hoomans as a gift.

Also called the Zwergspitz or the Loulou, and looking like a cloud, crossed with a cotton ball (with a little Ewok thrown in), the Pomeranian is a keen learner and loyal to the core. Although known for their tiny size - and thus, their huge cuteness- the Pomeranian is descended from much larger ancestors - Spitz dogs, which weigh closer to 30 pounds. Sometimes these old genes resurface, resulting in a “throwback pomeranian”, a pom pom substantially larger than their 3 to 7 pound average. Yes… that’s the ADULT weight range. At 8 weeks, a healthy pomeranian floof can weigh as little as a pound. Is your heart melting at the mere thought of one yet?

#1: Golden Retriever

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Ah, the Golden Retriever... but which one? There are actually three main categories - British, American, and Canadian- and each one will melt your heart. Coming in shades from cream to gold, and even some reddish hues, a Golden Retriever is a friend for the whole family, not just the person that feeds it. Third in popularity in the US, at least one Golden has found a home in the White House - President Ford’s appropriately-named pet – Liberty. And why not? With their gooey good looks and smarts to match, a retriever can make any house a home. Loveable, trainable, and OH SO SOFT, a golden retriever puppy could melt a heart of stone.