Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( AECOPD) refers to the continuous deterioration of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) beyond the scope of daily variation. At present, there are no standard animal models for COPD or AECOPD. The animal model for AECOPD is applied in studying the pathological mechanisms of AECOPD and determining effective diagnosis and treatment method. COPD preparation method include simple passive smoking, passive smoking combined with tracheal instillation of the lipopolysaccharide method, and automobile exhaust inhalation. AECOPD model preparation is usually bacterial or viral infection of the COPD model. This brief review focuses on COPD and AECOPD animal models from the perspectives of model creation and evaluation, providing useful information for researchers and medical practitioners.