A Singapore Special is a local mixed-breed dog — the street-born mongrels native to Singapore's forests, industrial estates and shipyards. They are typically medium-sized (12–25kg), short-coated, athletic and long-lived, and thousands are waiting in local shelters. Thanks to Project ADORE, a Singapore Special up to 55cm at the shoulder can legally live in an HDB flat, which has turned these once-overlooked dogs into one of the most practical choices for a Singapore home.
What exactly is a Singapore Special?
"Singapore Special" is the affectionate name shelters coined for Singapore's free-roaming mixed-breed dogs and their descendants. They are not a breed with a fixed standard; they are a landrace shaped by decades of natural selection in a hot, humid, urban environment. Common traits include a lean frame, upright or semi-erect ears, a whippy tail and a short single coat in brown, black, brindle or white.
Because they were never bred for exaggerated features, Singapore Specials largely avoid the inherited problems that plague many pedigree dogs — no flat faces struggling to breathe in the heat, no heavy coats designed for European winters.
What is a Singapore Special's temperament like?
Three words come up again and again from adopters: smart, loyal, watchful.
- Intelligent. Street survival selects for problem-solvers. Specials pick up training quickly, especially with food rewards, and thrive when given mental work.
- Deeply loyal. Once a Special decides you are family, the bond is intense. Many follow their person from room to room and make attentive, quietly protective companions.
- Initially wary. Many Specials are cautious with strangers, sudden movements and new environments, particularly if they spent their early weeks on the street. This is caution, not aggression — and it fades with patient, positive socialisation. Shelters will match first-time owners with more confident dogs.
Expect a settling-in period of weeks to a few months. The dog you meet at the shelter is rarely the dog you will have at home a year later — adopters consistently describe their Specials "blossoming" once they feel safe.
Can Singapore Specials live in HDB flats? (Project ADORE)
Yes — this is the single most important thing to know. Under Project ADORE (ADOption and REhoming of dogs), a scheme led by the Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS) and supported by HDB, local mixed-breed dogs that fall outside the standard HDB-approved breed list can be kept in HDB flats if these conditions are met:
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Size | Up to 55cm at the shoulder (the 15kg weight cap was removed in the 2020 pilot; the 55cm limit was formalised in 2022) |
| Number | One dog per flat |
| Source | Adopted through an AVS-approved animal welfare group (rehoming partner) |
| Temperament | Dog must pass a temperament assessment by the welfare group |
| Training | Owner must complete basic obedience training with an AVS-accredited trainer |
| Licence | Dog must be microchipped and licensed with AVS |
Always confirm the current conditions on the AVS Project ADORE page before committing, as scheme details are updated from time to time.
Why do Singapore Specials suit our climate so well?
They were literally made here. A short single coat sheds heat efficiently and dries fast after a rainstorm or a hose-down — no undercoat trapping humidity against the skin, which means fewer hot spots and fungal skin issues than thick-coated imports. Their moderate size and lean build tolerate our year-round 26–34°C weather far better than a Husky or Chow Chow ever will. Grooming needs are minimal: a weekly brush and an occasional bath is usually enough.
Where can I adopt a Singapore Special?
All of the major welfare groups below rehome Specials, and the Project ADORE-partnered ones can guide you through the HDB paperwork:
- SOSD (Save Our Street Dogs) — one of the largest street-dog rescues; runs regular adoption drives and a structured adopter-matching process.
- ASD (Action for Singapore Dogs) — dedicated specifically to Singapore Specials since 2000, with an adoption and rescue centre.
- CAS (Causes for Animals Singapore) — rehomes HDB-approved and Project ADORE-eligible dogs.
- SPCA Singapore — Singapore's oldest animal welfare charity; adoption fees include vaccination, microchipping and sterilisation.
Adoption fees typically run S$70–S$400 as of 2026 depending on the organisation, and cover vetting that would cost far more done separately. Expect a home visit or interview — good shelters screen adopters because failed adoptions hurt the dog most.
Are Singapore Specials dangerous or "dirty"? Busting the stigma
No. The wariness some Specials show is fear-based caution, and temperament-assessed Project ADORE dogs have passed a behavioural screening that no pet-shop puppy is ever subjected to. As for the "dirty street dog" label: every shelter dog is vaccinated, dewormed and health-checked before rehoming, and a short-coated Special is one of the easiest dogs to keep clean in Singapore.
The honest picture: a Singapore Special asks for more patience in the first month and repays it with a decade or more of devotion from a healthy, heat-proof, home-grown dog. If you have an HDB flat and were told you could never have a medium-sized dog — Project ADORE exists precisely for you.