America’s Most Popular Dog Breeds, From Labs to Frenchies

The world of dog breeds is incredibly diverse, with many unique types of dogs. Certain dog breeds are more popular than others. Rover, a platform connecting pet owners with sitters and walkers globally, dove into their internal database to identify the eight most popular dog breeds in the U.S. Their findings reveal that the most desired canine traits by pet owners are friendliness and sociability (24 percent), cuddliness (15 percent), and loyalty (15 percent).

The study also highlights that most current pet parents (60 percent) own mixed-breed dogs. 40 percent have purebred dogs. Rover's research shows that 22 percent of pet parents seek out specific breeds. Meanwhile, 19 percent intentionally opt for mixed breeds. Although more than half (58 percent) of pet parents consider breed an important factor when adding a new dog to their family. A significant majority (81 percent) would still choose to adopt a dog, even if their top three preferred breeds were unavailable.

Mixed-breed dogs claimed the top spot as the most popular breed in the United States, according to the study. It's worth noting that the study distinguishes between mixed breed and terms like "mutt" or "designer dog." Maria Baker, DVM, a veterinarian at Pet How, explained to Rover that the difference lies in whether the mix of breeds is known or intentional. "Mutt" typically refers to dogs with an unknown or diverse lineage, and "mixed breed" refers to dogs with known but varied parent breeds, she said. "Designer dog" refers to dogs intentionally bred from two specific purebred dogs.

Continuing with their rankings, Labrador Retrievers secured the second position on the list. While Goldendoodles followed closely as the third most popular dog breed in the U.S.

From German Shepherds to Shih Tzus and French Bulldogs, see the full list of most popular dog breeds in the U.S. here.