Dogs are the most popular pets in the U.S., with pooches found in 65.1 million households, according to a survey by the American Pet Products Association. But some dog breeds can be found in more homes than others – and the most popular breeds vary by location, according to our research.
One thing that seems constant, however, is the special place pets have in the hearts of their owners. That could help explain why the pet insurance industry has continued to grow. The North American Pet Health Insurance Association reports that the number of pets insured in the U.S. has increased by an average of 22.6% annually since 2020. The majority of insured pets in the U.S. are dogs.
To find the five most popular dog breeds in 25 major U.S. cities, we analyzed a database of dog breeds – and uncovered some interesting insights into dog ownership trends.
Some breeds that are among the 10 most popular nationally – like Goldendoodles, Golden Retrievers, and French Bulldogs – are among the most popular in many large cities. But so are a range of other breeds, from Siberian Huskies to English Springer Spaniels, Rottweilers, Miniature Dachshunds, and Pugs.
Read our report to find out if your favorite dog breed made the list in your city.
The Most Popular Dog Breeds in the U.S. 🐶
The top 25 dog breeds in the United States are:
- 🐕 Chihuahua
- 🐕🦺 French Bulldog
- 🦮 Golden Retriever
- 🐺 German Shepherd
- 🐩 Shih Tzu
- 🐕 Goldendoodle
- 🐶 Yorkshire Terrier
- 🐕🦺 American Pit Bull Terrier
- 🐕 Pit Bull
- 🐕🦺 Labrador Retriever (Black)
- 🐶 Maltese
- 🐕 Pomeranian
- 🐕🦺 Miniature Dachshund
- 🦮 Labrador Retriever (Yellow)
- 🐺 Siberian Husky
- 🐶 Miniature Schnauzer
- 🐕 Boxer
- 🐕🦺 Australian Shepherd
- 🐶 Pug
- 🐕 American Bully
- 🦮 Beagle
- 🐕🦺 Labrador Retriever (Chocolate)
- 🐕 Boston Terrier
- 🐕🦺 Rottweiler
- 🐩 Miniature Poodle
The 25 Most Populous U.S. Cities 🏙️
These are the 25 most populous cities in the U.S. The projected population estimates are from World Population Review and are based on recent U.S. Census estimates.
- 🗽 New York: 7,931,147
- 🌴 Los Angeles: 3,748,640
- 🌆 Chicago: 2,590,002
- 🤠 Houston: 2,305,889
- 🌵 Phoenix: 1,676,481
- 🔔 Philadelphia: 1,533,916
- 🌟 San Antonio: 1,506,593
- 🌊 San Diego: 1,375,452
- ⭐ Dallas: 1,295,447
- 🌴 Jacksonville: 990,931
- 🌟 Fort Worth: 989,842
- 🎸 Austin: 983,126
- 🌉 San Jose: 932,636
- 🌇 Charlotte: 920,325
- 🌳 Columbus: 909,676
- 🏙️ Indianapolis: 874,089
- 🌦️ Seattle: 757,992
- 🌁 San Francisco: 746,481
- 🏞️ Denver: 708,948
- 🛢️ Oklahoma City: 706,576
- 🎤 Nashville: 677,519
- 🌵 El Paso: 675,872
- 🏛️ Washington: 672,738
- 🎰 Las Vegas: 665,811
- 🚢 Boston: 629,842
The Five Most Popular Dog Breeds by City 🐕🦺🏙️
The most popular dog breeds in each of the 25 most populous U.S. cities are listed below. The cities are listed in alphabetical order.
Austin, Texas
- 🐕 Goldendoodle
- 🐕🦺 French Bulldog
- 🦮 Labrador Retriever
- 🐕 Golden Retriever
- 🐺 Siberian Husky
Boston, Massachusetts
- 🦮 Golden Retriever
- 🐺 German Shepherd
- 🐩 Shih Tzu
- 🐶 Bichon Frise
- 🐕 Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Charlotte, North Carolina
- 🦮 Golden Retriever
- 🐕 Goldendoodle
- 🐕🦺 English Springer Spaniel
- 🐕 Brittany Spaniel
- 🐕🦺 French Bulldog
Chicago, Illinois
- 🐕 Goldendoodle
- 🦮 Golden Retriever
- 🐺 German Shepherd
- 🐕🦺 French Bulldog
- 🐕 Miniature Dachshund
Columbus, Ohio
- 🦮 Golden Retriever
- 🐕🦺 Rottweiler
- 🐕 Australian Shepherd
- 🐕 Bernese Mountain Dog
- 🐕 Silken Windhound
Dallas, Texas
- 🐕🦺 French Bulldog
- 🦮 Labrador Retriever (Yellow)
- 🐕 Cane Corso
- 🦮 Golden Retriever
- 🐕 Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Denver, Colorado
- 🦮 Golden Retriever
- 🐕🦺 French Bulldog
- 🐺 German Shepherd
- 🐩 Maltese
- 🐕 American Pit Bull Terrier
El Paso, Texas
- 🐩 Shih Tzu
- 🐺 German Shepherd
- 🐕🦺 French Bulldog
- 🐕 Schnauzer
- 🦮 Labrador Retriever
Fort Worth, Texas
- 🐕 Goldendoodle
- 🐺 German Shepherd
- 🐩 Maltese
- 🐶 Pug
- 🦮 Beagle
Houston, Texas
- 🐕 Goldendoodle
- 🐺 German Shepherd
- 🐕🦺 French Bulldog
- 🐕 Chihuahua
- 🐩 Pomeranian
Indianapolis, Indiana
- 🐩 Shih Tzu
- 🐕 Chihuahua
- 🐕 American Bully
- 🐕🦺 American Pit Bull Terrier
- 🐕 Goldendoodle
Jacksonville, Florida
- 🦮 Golden Retriever
- 🐕🦺 French Bulldog
- 🐕 Boxer
- 🐩 Toy Poodle
- 🐕 American Bully
Las Vegas, Nevada
- 🐕🦺 French Bulldog
- 🦮 Golden Retriever
- 🐕 Goldendoodle
- 🐕 Australian Shepherd
- 🐩 Shih Tzu
Los Angeles, California
- 🐕🦺 French Bulldog
- 🦮 Golden Retriever
- 🐕 Chihuahua
- 🐕 English Bulldog
- 🐕 Goldendoodle
Nashville, Tennessee
- 🐕 Goldendoodle
- 🦮 Golden Retriever
- 🐕 Lagotto Romagnolo
- 🦮 Labrador Retriever
- 🐺 Siberian Husky
New York, New York
- 🦮 Golden Retriever
- 🐶 Yorkshire Terrier
- 🐕 Goldendoodle
- 🐩 Shih Tzu
- 🐕🦺 French Bulldog
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- 🐺 German Shepherd
- 🐕 English Bulldog
- 🐕 Great Pyrenees
- 🐶 Miniature Schnauzer
- 🐶 Yorkshire Terrier
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- 🦮 Golden Retriever
- 🐶 Yorkshire Terrier
- 🐕 Chihuahua
- 🐩 Shih Tzu
- 🐕🦺 American Pit Bull Terrier
Phoenix, Arizona
- 🦮 Golden Retriever
- 🐺 German Shepherd
- 🐕 Chihuahua
- 🐕 Australian Shepherd
- 🐕🦺 French Bulldog
San Antonio, Texas
- 🦮 Labrador Retriever (Yellow)
- 🐶 Pug
- 🐕🦺 French Bulldog
- 🐕 Chihuahua
- 🐺 German Shepherd
San Diego, California
- 🦮 Golden Retriever
- 🐶 Pug
- 🐕🦺 French Bulldog
- 🦮 Labrador Retriever (Yellow)
- 🐕 Labrador Retriever
San Francisco, California
- 🐕 Goldendoodle
- 🐕 Chihuahua
- 🐩 Shih Tzu
- 🐺 German Shepherd
- 🐩 Pomeranian
San Jose, California
- 🐺 German Shepherd
- 🐕 Goldendoodle
- 🦮 Golden Retriever
- 🐕 Pembroke Welsh Corgi
- 🐩 Toy Poodle
Seattle, Washington
- 🦮 Golden Retriever
- 🐕🦺 French Bulldog
- 🐕 Dachshund
- 🐕 Goldendoodle
- 🐩 Poodle
Washington, D.C.
- 🐕🦺 French Bulldog
- 🐩 Poodle
- 🦮 Golden Retriever
- 🐕 Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
- 🐕 Goldendoodle
Popular Pup Breed Highlights from Across the U.S. 🌟
- Three breeds that are among the 10 most popular nationally – Goldendoodles, Golden Retrievers, and French Bulldogs – can be found atop the list of popular breeds in 20 of the cities we analyzed.
- Dog breeds other than those three to claim the top spot in at least one city include the Shih Tzu and German Shepherd.
- Although the Chihuahua is the most popular dog breed in the United States overall, it was not the top choice in any of the 25 most populous U.S. cities, according to our research. It is, however, among the five most popular breeds in seven of the cities.
- A number of dog breeds that are not among the 10 most popular nationally can be found among the top five in major U.S. cities, including the Maltese (Denver), the Pomeranian (Houston, San Francisco), the Miniature Dachshund (Chicago), the Miniature Schnauzer (Oklahoma City), and the American Bully (Indianapolis, Jacksonville).
- The only Poodle to make the list nationally was the Toy Poodle, at No. 25. But Poodles of varying sizes were among the most popular breeds in four major cities: Jacksonville, San Jose, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.
- Golden Retrievers top the list of most popular breeds in 10 of the 25 most populous cities.
- The French Bulldog is among the most popular breeds in 16 cities we researched, and is No. 1 in four cities.
- The Goldendoodle ranks in the top three in 10 cities and is No. 1 in six cities.
- The Golden Retriever is the most popular dog breed in Denver, according to our analysis. Not surprisingly, nearby Golden, Colorado hosts the Goldens in Golden event, which sees dog owners and enthusiasts gather annually to celebrate the popular breed.
- German Shepherds are popular around the U.S., but especially so in some of the largest metropolitan areas of Texas. The breed – fourth most popular nationally – can be found among the five most popular in four large Texas cities. German Shepherds are the second most popular breed in El Paso, Fort Worth, and Houston; and fifth most popular in San Antonio. The popular pets have a long history as working dogs and service dogs.
- Smaller breeds that are popular nationally are also among the most popular in some cities where large numbers of apartment dwellers can be found. For instance, the Shih Tzu and the Bichon Frise in Boston; and the Yorkshire Terrier and Shih Tzu in New York. The Yorkshire Terrier, Chihuahua, and Shih Tzu can all be found among the most popular dog breeds in Philadelphia.
Methodology 📊
Our 360 Reviews team analyzed data from a third-party pet insurance industry partner from September 2023 to March 2024. The data points analyzed included dog breeds and dog owner city and state residences, which was filtered to show the most popular dog breeds within the 25 most populous U.S. cities.
