18 Adorable Dog Breeds That Can’t Live in HDB Flats

So, you’ve decided to become a paw-rent and get a new furry companion.

Congratulations! That’s fantastic news.

But there’s just one caveat. You live in a Housing Development Board (HDB) flat. 

That means there are rules and regulations you have to follow, including getting a pet that qualifies as one of the breeds allowed to stay in HDB flats. 

Before we talk about the dogs we wished we could keep in HDB flats (interestingly, most of them are larger-sized pooches), here is the full list of breeds that are HDB-approved

1. Affenpinscher
2. Australian Silky Terrier
3. Australian Terrier
4. Bichon Avanese
5. Bichon Frise
6. Border Terrier
7. Boston Terrier (Light and Middleweight)
8. Bohemian Terrier
9. Bolognese
10. Brussels Griffon (Griffon Bruxellois)
11. Cairn Terrier
12. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
13. Chihuahua
14. Chinese Crested Dog
15. Chinese Imperial Chin
16. Chinese Temple Dog (Classic and Miniature)
17. Coton de Tulear
18. Czech Terrier
19. Dachshund (Light and Miniature)
20. Dandie Dinmont Terrier
21. English Toy Spaniel
22. German Hunting Terrier
23. Griffon Belge
24. Griffon Brabancon
25. Hairless Dog
26. Italian Greyhound
27. Jack Russell Terrier
28. Japanese Spaniel (Chin)
29. Japanese Spitz
30. Lakeland Terrier
31. Lhasa Apso
32. Little Lion Dog
33. Maltese
34. Manchester Terrier
35. Miniature Pinscher
36. Miniature Schnauzer
37. Norfolk Terrier
38. Norwegian Lundehund
39. Norwich Terrier
40. Papillon
41. Pekingese
42. Pomeranian
43. Poodle (Toy/Miniature)
44. Pug
45. Schipperke
46. Scottish Terrier
47. Sealyham Terrier
48. Shetland Sheepdog
49. Shih Tzu
50. Silky Terrier
51. Small Continental Spaniel
52. Small English Terrier
53. Small Spitz
54. Smooth Fox Terrier
55. Tibetian Spaniel
56. Toy Fox Terrier
57. Toy Terrier
58. Volpino Italiano
59. Welsh Terrier
60. West Highland Terrier
61. Wire Haired Fox Terrier
62. Yorkshire Terrier
63. Singapore Specials (under Project ADORE)*

*The Singapore special is a dog bred on the street, with different breeds inter-mixing over generations.

Now then, since we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s get down to business. 

Here are some of the popular dog breeds that we sincerely wish that HDB would make an exception for:

1. Labrador

One of the most popular dog breeds, it’s hard to find a doggo more loveable than the angel-eyed Labrador.

2. Dalmatian

A hunting dog, this black-and-white canine would make a lovely addition to any family.

3. Siberian Husky 

Just look at those ears. Wouldn’t you want to keep one of these fellas at home? However, we think that Singapore’s tropical heat isn’t suitable for the Husky.

4. Shiba Inu

Yet another hunting dog breed, the Shiba Inu, is an independent pooch not easy to train but worth every single bit of effort.

5. Golden Retriever 

The big goldie has the most beautiful smile, is friendly, and has a wonderfully tolerant attitude that makes them fabulous pets.

6. Beagle

An amiable, gentle doggo, the high-energy Beagle is a great family pet that we wish we could play around with in an HDB flat.

7. Chow Chow 

If a Chow Chow’s face doesn’t quite scream cute, we don’t know what does. Originally from northern China, the Chow Chow is an affectionate and independent pooch.

8. Pit Bull

One of the breeds prohibited in Singapore, the Pit Bull, suffers from a bad rep that is quite unfair. This misunderstood pup is one of the gentlest dogs around.

9. Samoyed

The silly Samoyed is a spitz-type dog that is just a smiley, fluffy ball of fur. How could you ever hate this furry critter? Not possible. 

10. Corgi

It’s Corgi butt time! While there are plenty of Singaporeans that keep Corgis, they are not legally allowed as pets in HDBs.

11. Bulldog 

Another pup not allowed in HDB flats, we wished we could spend all day rubbing the belly of the English bulldog.

12. Border Collie

Highly intelligent and extremely energetic, the Border Collie would be a bundle of joy in any household. Sad that we can’t have them in an HDB flat.

13. German Shepherd

The German Shepherd is a loyal fur-kid and a family protector, so it’s a real shame that this gentle giant isn’t allowed to stay in an HDB flat.

14. Akita

The Akita is a wolf-like breed of ancient Japanese heritage, famed for its courage and loyalty. Sadly, Singapore prohibits these dogs.

15. Rottweiler

A descendant from the mastiffs of the Roman legions, Rottweilers make for a fabulous family pet. Unfortunately, HDB dwellers won’t be able to keep them.

16. St. Bernard

They may look sleepy and sad all the time. But the St. Bernard is a very lively and watchful pooch – though they can unintentionally knock over small children because of their large size. 

17. Great Dane

It may be impractical to keep a Great Dane in an HDB flat due to its sheer size, but we sure would not mind if they were allowed.

18. Doberman

The Doberman is a guard dog and police dog, explaining their fierce reputation. But they are very good-natured pups and loyal to boot too. 

19. Bonus: all cats 

All cats, no matter the breed, are not allowed in HDB flats.

A few reasons given by HDB: cats are difficult to contain within an HDB flat and they also make caterwauling sounds which may annoy neighbours.

Thankfully, this is a law that is continually assessed.

Nee Soon GRC Member of Parliament (MP) Louis Ng recently fought for a review of the ban.

Whether that ban gets revoked remains to be seen, but we do hope that cat lovers get to legally keep their favourite felines in HDB flats pretty soon. 

So, there you have it. That’s our wish list of dogs we wish were allowed to stay in HDB flats.

Do you agree with our selection?

Let us know in the comments section below. 

1 comment

  • I love mini pug

    Pamela

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