HDB approved breed checker
HDB flats may keep one dog from an approved list of 61 small breeds (plus crosses of any two), with separate routes for eligible assistance dogs and Project ADORE adoptions. Include the exact size or variety when searching. Type a breed to check the HDB list, Malaysia's DVS banned and restricted lists, and DBKL's licensing schedules in one go.
The HDB list (61 breeds, plus approved crosses)
- Affenpinscher
- Australian Silky Terrier
- Australian Terrier
- Bichon Frise
- Bohemian Terrier
- Bolognese
- Brussels Griffon (also known as Griffon Bruxaellois)
- Bichon Havanese
- Border Terrier
- Boston Terrier (Lightweight or Middle weight)
- Cairn Terrier
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
- Chihuahua
- Chinese Crested Dog
- Chinese Imperial Chin
- Chinese Temple Dog (Classic or Miniature)
- Coton de tulear
- Czech Terrier
- Dachshund (Light or Miniature)
- Dandie Dinmont Terrier
- English Toy Spaniel
- Griffon Belge
- German Hunting Terrier
- Griffon Brabancon
- Hairless Dog
- Italian Greyhound
- Jack Russell Terrier
- Japanese Spaniel (also known as Chin)
- Japanese Spitz
- Lhasa Apso
- Little Lion Dog
- Lakeland Terrier
- Maltese
- Manchester Terrier
- Miniature Pinscher
- Miniature Schnauzer
- Norfolk Terrier
- Norwich Terrier
- Papillon
- Pekinese
- Pomeranian
- Poodle (Toy or Miniature)
- Pug
- Schipperke
- Scottish Terrier
- Sealyham Terrier
- Shetland Sheep dog
- Shih Tzu
- Silky Terrier
- Small Continental Spaniel
- Small English Terrier
- Small Spitz
- Smooth Fox Terrier
- Toy Fox Terrier
- Toy Terrier
- Tibetan Spaniel
- Volpino Italiano
- West Highland Terrier
- Wire-Haired Fox Terrier
- Welsh Terrier
- Yorkshire Terrier
- Cross of any 2 breeds in items 1 to 61
Malaysia import lists (DVS) and DBKL licensing schedules
Banned from import: Pit Bull Terrier / Pit Bull (incl. American Pit Bull, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier); Akita; Japanese Tosa; Dogo Argentino; Fila Brasileiro; American Bulldog; Neapolitan Mastiff.
Restricted (MAQIS approval to import): Bull Mastiff; Bull Terrier; Doberman; German Shepherd (incl. Alsatian, Belgian and East European Shepherd); Rottweiler; Perro de Presa Canario (2013 general regulation).
DBKL prohibited breeds: Pit Bull Terrier / Pit Bull (incl. American Pit Bull, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier); American Bulldog; Neapolitan Mastiff; Japanese Tosa; Akita; Dogo Argentino; Fila Brasileiro.
DBKL small-dog schedule (licence approval required): Miniature Pinscher, Bichon Frise, Pekingese, Papillon, Toy Poodle, Japanese Chin, Maltese, Pomeranian, Chihuahua.
DBKL controlled breeds: Rottweiler, Doberman, German Shepherd, Bull Mastiff, Bull Terrier, Perro de Presa Canario.
Sources: HDB Guidelines on Keeping Pets (checked 16 September 2026); DVS general import regulations (2013 text with March 2026 notice); DBKL dog-licence schedules (checked 17 September 2026). Lists change — confirm on the official page before you commit to a breed.
How this tool works
The Singapore list is HDB's own "HDB-approved dog breeds" table from its Guidelines on Keeping Pets page (checked 16 September 2026), reproduced verbatim with common nicknames mapped to the official names — "westie", "yorkie", "toy poodle", "mini schnauzer". The check uses exact breed names and unambiguous nicknames. Broad terms, fragments and designer crosses ask for more detail instead of borrowing a verdict from a similar name. The standard breed list is separate from assistance-dog and Project ADORE/K-9 eligibility. HDB and AVS sources checked 16 September 2026.
The Malaysia checks use the Department of Veterinary Services import regulations — the general scheduled and non-scheduled country lists (2013 text with the March 2026 country-list notice) — and DBKL's Kuala Lumpur schedules for prohibited, controlled and small dogs. The Malaysia results also require an exact breed name or recognised alias. A missing match is not an approval or a prohibition. DBKL ownership rules are separate from DVS import rules, and other councils must be checked individually. DBKL schedules checked 17 September 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is a corgi HDB approved?
Neither the Pembroke nor the Cardigan Welsh Corgi is on HDB's standard breed list. Any assistance-dog eligibility must be established separately under HDB's requirements. Temperament alone is not an exception.
Can I keep two dogs in an HDB flat?
No. HDB allows one dog of an approved breed per flat, plus up to two licensed cats since September 2024. The usual private-premises limit is three cats or dogs combined; AVS approval is needed to exceed it.
Can a mixed-breed dog live in an HDB flat?
HDB lists crosses of two approved breeds; confirm both parents and any variety restrictions. A local mixed-breed Singapore Special up to 55 cm at the shoulder may qualify through Project ADORE — adopted from an approved partner, licensed, sterilised, microchipped and obedience-trained.
Sources
- HDB — Guidelines on Keeping Pets (approved breeds and special schemes, checked 16 September 2026)
- AVS — Project ADORE and retired K-9 scheme
- AVS — limits of ownership
- DVS Malaysia — non-scheduled-country import rules with March 2026 notice
- DVS Malaysia — scheduled-country import rules with March 2026 notice
- DBKL — dog licence management