Dog CEO — Free Random Dog Images API (Breed Filter, No Key)

TL;DR

Dog CEO (Dog API) is the web's most popular dog image API, serving up high-quality photos of every breed imaginable. You can get a completely random dog, filter by breed (like "husky" or "labrador"), drill into sub-breeds (like "corgi cardigan"), or browse the entire breed list. All images are sourced from trusted photo repositories and returned as JSON with direct image URLs.

Quick start: https://dog.ceo/api/breeds/image/random

No API key needed — just make a request!

How to Use This API

1. Random Dog Image

https://dog.ceo/api/breeds/image/random

Returns {"message":"https://images.dog.ceo/breeds/hound-afghan/n02088094_1003.jpg","status":"success"}

2. Random Image of a Specific Breed

https://dog.ceo/api/breed/husky/images/random

3. Multiple Images at Once

https://dog.ceo/api/breeds/image/random/3

Get 3 random dog images in one call. Replace 3 with any number.

4. List All Breeds

https://dog.ceo/api/breeds/list/all

Returns all breeds with their sub-breeds. Example: {"corgi":["cardigan","pembroke"]}

5. JavaScript — Random Dog Display

async function showRandomDog(breed = null) {
  let url = 'https://dog.ceo/api/breeds/image/random';
  if (breed) {
    url = `https://dog.ceo/api/breed/${breed}/images/random`;
  }
  const resp = await fetch(url);
  const data = await resp.json();
  return data.message; // image URL
}

showRandomDog('corgi').then(imgUrl => {
  console.log('Random corgi:', imgUrl);
  // Set as src on an  element
});

6. Python — Breed Gallery

import requests

def get_breed_images(breed, count=5):
    resp = requests.get(
        f'https://dog.ceo/api/breed/{breed}/images/random/{count}'
    )
    return resp.json()['message']

# Get 5 corgi images
images = get_breed_images('corgi', 5)
for i, url in enumerate(images, 1):
    print(f"Corgi {i}: {url}")

Try a random dog: https://dog.ceo/api/breeds/image/random

Try This URL Now

Frequently Asked Questions

How many dog breeds are supported?: Over 100 breeds including sub-breeds. The /breeds/list/all endpoint returns the complete list. Examples: husky, labrador, corgi (cardigan + pembroke), hound (afghan, basset, blood, etc.).
Where do the images come from?: Images are sourced from the Stanford Dogs Dataset and other curated collections. All are verified as dog photos (not AI-generated) and hosted on Dog CEO's CDN.
Can I browse all images for a breed?: Yes! Use /api/breed/{breed}/images to get every image URL for that breed. For breeds with hundreds of images, consider pagination or using /images/random/{n} instead.
Does the API have rate limits?: No documented rate limits. The API has been running for years and handles heavy traffic reliably. As always, be respectful with your request frequency.
What if I request a breed that doesn't exist?: The API returns HTTP 404 with {"status":"error","message":"Breed not found (master breed does not exist)"}. Check the breed list endpoint first.
Are the images free to use?: Yes, the images are freely available. The API itself is open source and free for any use, commercial or personal.

API Details

API URL: https://dog.ceo/dog-api/
Documentation: dog.ceo/dog-api
Category: Fun
Authentication: Not Required
Geographic Coverage: Global

What You Can Build

Random dog photo gallery with breed filter dropdown
Dog breed identifier trainer — show photo, guess the breed
"Daily dog" email subscription service
Pet store website with breed-specific image showcases
Mood booster app — show a random cute dog on command