Ranking · Updated October 2026
The most popular dog breed in every state, by insurance data, AKC city registrations and a pet-sitting platform
The Labrador Retriever is the most popular dog breed in 22 states, according to a U.S. News study of 3.5 million pet insurance records published in August 2026. The Chihuahua leads 13 states and the Yorkshire Terrier 8 states plus Washington, D.C. No official body counts dogs by breed and state, and the three datasets we checked disagree often.
Key findings
- The Labrador Retriever is No. 1 in 22 of 50 states in the U.S. News 2026 study, more than any other breed.
- The Chihuahua leads 13 states, from Arizona and Texas to Kentucky and West Virginia, and is No. 1 nationally in the same data.
- The Yorkshire Terrier tops 8 states and Washington, D.C., including New York, New Jersey, Georgia and Maryland.
- The French Bulldog leads only 4 states in the insurance data (California, Florida, Hawaii and Nevada), yet it leads 36 of 47 cities in AKC's 2025 registration rankings.
- In 5 states (Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Rhode Island and West Virginia), all three top breeds are toy breeds: Chihuahua, Yorkshire Terrier and Shih Tzu.
- The Labrador Retriever appears in the top three of 34 states and D.C., the Chihuahua in 30 and the Yorkshire Terrier in 25.
- Golden Retrievers lead 7 AKC cities in 2025, spread from Seattle to Raleigh: Austin, Nashville, Pittsburgh, Portland, Raleigh, San Francisco and Seattle.
- Five of the 18 cities AKC ranked in both 2024 and 2025 got a new No. 1 breed, including Denver and Saint Louis, where the Labrador replaced the French Bulldog.
- TrustedHousesitters, a pet-sitting platform, names the Labrador No. 1 in 28 states from its own listings, but it agrees with U.S. News in only 3 of the 17 states it names.
What is the most popular dog breed in every state?
The Labrador Retriever is the most popular dog breed in more states than any other. A U.S. News & World Report study, updated in August 2026, ranks it No. 1 in 22 of the 50 states.
The study used 3,535,932 data points from Fletch, a pet insurance industry partner, covering January 2022 to June 2026. Each record held a dog's breed and the owner's ZIP code and state.
The Chihuahua is No. 1 in 13 states. The Yorkshire Terrier leads 8 states and Washington, D.C. The French Bulldog leads 4 states, the Golden Retriever 2 and the Shih Tzu 1.
This is company data drawn from insured dogs. It is not a census of all dogs, and dogs without insurance are not in it.
Source: U.S. News & World Report 2026 study of 3,535,932 pet insurance industry records from Fletch, January 2022 to June 2026. Includes Washington, D.C. (51 areas).
Show the numbers
| Label | states |
|---|---|
| Labrador Retriever | 22 |
| Chihuahua | 13 |
| Yorkshire Terrier | 9 |
| French Bulldog | 4 |
| Golden Retriever | 2 |
| Shih Tzu | 1 |
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| State | No. 1 | No. 2 | No. 3 | AKC 2025 city No. 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Yorkshire Terrier | Chihuahua | Shih Tzu | No AKC city listed |
| Alaska | Labrador Retriever | German Shepherd | Golden Retriever | No AKC city listed |
| Arizona | Chihuahua | French Bulldog | Labrador Retriever | Tucson: French Bulldog |
| Arkansas | Chihuahua | Yorkshire Terrier | Labrador Retriever | No AKC city listed |
| California | French Bulldog | Chihuahua | Golden Retriever | Los Angeles: French Bulldog; Oakland: French Bulldog; Sacramento: French Bulldog; San Diego: French Bulldog; San Francisco: Golden Retriever |
| Colorado | Labrador Retriever | Chihuahua | Golden Retriever | Denver: Labrador Retriever |
| Connecticut | Labrador Retriever | Shih Tzu / Yorkshire Terrier (tie) | Golden Retriever | Hartford: French Bulldog |
| Delaware | Labrador Retriever | French Bulldog | Shih Tzu | No AKC city listed |
| Florida | French Bulldog | Yorkshire Terrier | Chihuahua | Jacksonville: French Bulldog; Miami: French Bulldog; Orlando: French Bulldog; Tampa: French Bulldog; West Palm Beach: French Bulldog |
| Georgia | Yorkshire Terrier | Chihuahua | Shih Tzu | Atlanta: French Bulldog |
| Hawaii | French Bulldog | Chihuahua | Golden Retriever | Honolulu: French Bulldog |
| Idaho | Labrador Retriever | Golden Retriever | Chihuahua | No AKC city listed |
| Illinois | Labrador Retriever | Yorkshire Terrier | German Shepherd | Chicago: French Bulldog |
| Indiana | Yorkshire Terrier | Chihuahua | German Shepherd | Indianapolis: French Bulldog |
| Iowa | Labrador Retriever | Shih Tzu | Yorkshire Terrier | No AKC city listed |
| Kansas | Chihuahua | Labrador Retriever | American Pit Bull Terrier | No AKC city listed |
| Kentucky | Chihuahua | Yorkshire Terrier | German Shepherd | No AKC city listed |
| Louisiana | Yorkshire Terrier | Chihuahua | Shih Tzu | No AKC city listed |
| Maine | Labrador Retriever | Golden Retriever | German Shepherd | No AKC city listed |
| Maryland | Yorkshire Terrier | Shih Tzu | Labrador Retriever | Baltimore: French Bulldog |
| Massachusetts | Labrador Retriever | Golden Retriever | French Bulldog | Boston: French Bulldog |
| Michigan | Labrador Retriever | Chihuahua | Golden Retriever | Detroit: French Bulldog |
| Minnesota | Labrador Retriever | Golden Retriever | Goldendoodle | No AKC city listed |
| Mississippi | Yorkshire Terrier | Chihuahua | German Shepherd | No AKC city listed |
| Missouri | Chihuahua | American Pit Bull Terrier / Yorkshire Terrier (tie) | Labrador Retriever | Kansas City: French Bulldog; Saint Louis: Labrador Retriever |
| Montana | Labrador Retriever | Golden Retriever | German Shepherd | No AKC city listed |
| Nebraska | Labrador Retriever | American Pit Bull Terrier | Golden Retriever | No AKC city listed |
| Nevada | French Bulldog | Chihuahua | Yorkshire Terrier | Las Vegas: French Bulldog |
| New Hampshire | Labrador Retriever | Golden Retriever | German Shepherd | No AKC city listed |
| New Jersey | Yorkshire Terrier | Shih Tzu | French Bulldog | Newark: French Bulldog |
| New Mexico | Chihuahua | Shih Tzu | American Pit Bull Terrier | No AKC city listed |
| New York | Yorkshire Terrier | Shih Tzu | French Bulldog | Albany: Poodle; Buffalo: French Bulldog; Long Island: Labrador Retriever; New York City: French Bulldog |
| North Carolina | Chihuahua | Yorkshire Terrier | Labrador Retriever | Charlotte: French Bulldog; Raleigh: Golden Retriever |
| North Dakota | Golden Retriever | Afghan Hound / Labrador Retriever (tie) | German Shepherd | No AKC city listed |
| Ohio | Labrador Retriever | Shih Tzu | Yorkshire Terrier | Cincinnati: French Bulldog; Cleveland: French Bulldog; Columbus: French Bulldog |
| Oklahoma | Chihuahua | American Pit Bull Terrier | French Bulldog | No AKC city listed |
| Oregon | Chihuahua | Labrador Retriever | French Bulldog | Portland: Golden Retriever |
| Pennsylvania | Labrador Retriever | Yorkshire Terrier | Chihuahua | Philadelphia: French Bulldog; Pittsburgh: Golden Retriever |
| Rhode Island | Shih Tzu | Chihuahua | Yorkshire Terrier | No AKC city listed |
| South Carolina | Labrador Retriever | Chihuahua | Yorkshire Terrier | No AKC city listed |
| South Dakota | Labrador Retriever | Chihuahua | German Shepherd | No AKC city listed |
| Tennessee | Chihuahua | Yorkshire Terrier | Labrador Retriever | Nashville: Golden Retriever |
| Texas | Chihuahua | French Bulldog | Shih Tzu | Austin: Golden Retriever; Dallas: French Bulldog; Fort Worth: French Bulldog; Houston: French Bulldog; San Antonio: French Bulldog |
| Utah | Labrador Retriever | French Bulldog | Goldendoodle | Salt Lake City: French Bulldog |
| Vermont | Golden Retriever | Labrador Retriever | Dachshund | No AKC city listed |
| Virginia | Labrador Retriever | Yorkshire Terrier | Golden Retriever | Richmond: French Bulldog |
| Washington | Chihuahua | Labrador Retriever | Golden Retriever | Seattle: Golden Retriever |
| Washington, D.C. | Yorkshire Terrier | American Pit Bull Terrier | Labrador Retriever | Washington: French Bulldog |
| West Virginia | Chihuahua | Yorkshire Terrier | Shih Tzu | No AKC city listed |
| Wisconsin | Labrador Retriever | German Shepherd | Golden Retriever | Milwaukee: French Bulldog |
| Wyoming | Labrador Retriever | Chihuahua | German Shepherd | No AKC city listed |
Three states have a tie in their top three. Connecticut has the Shih Tzu and Yorkshire Terrier tied at No. 2. Missouri has the American Pit Bull Terrier and Yorkshire Terrier tied at No. 2.
North Dakota is the only state where a breed outside the national top 10 makes the top three. The Afghan Hound ties with the Labrador Retriever at No. 2 there, behind the Golden Retriever.
Labrador states, Chihuahua states and Yorkie states
Most Labrador states are in the North. It is No. 1 in Alaska, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and every New England state except Vermont and Rhode Island.
The Chihuahua belt runs across the South and Southwest. It leads in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia and North Carolina. Oregon and Washington are the two Chihuahua states on the Pacific coast.
Yorkshire Terrier states sit mainly in the East and Deep South, plus Indiana: New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Indiana.
Our grouping of U.S. News 2026 state No. 1 breeds by the four Census Bureau regions. D.C. counted in the South. Number of states in brackets.
Show the numbers
| Label | Labrador Retriever | Chihuahua | Yorkshire Terrier | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | Shih Tzu |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast (9) | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Midwest (12) | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| South (17) | 3 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| West (13) | 6 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
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Grouped by the four Census Bureau regions, the split is sharp. The Labrador leads 8 of 12 Midwest states, 5 of 9 in the Northeast and 6 of 13 in the West. In the South it leads only 3 of 17, behind the Chihuahua with 7 and the Yorkshire Terrier with 6.
| No. 1 breed | States | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Labrador Retriever | Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming | 22 |
| Chihuahua | Arizona, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia | 13 |
| Yorkshire Terrier | Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Washington, D.C. | 9 |
| French Bulldog | California, Florida, Hawaii, Nevada | 4 |
| Golden Retriever | North Dakota, Vermont | 2 |
| Shih Tzu | Rhode Island | 1 |
Our count from the 51 published top-three lists. Ties count once for each tied breed.
Show the numbers
| Label | states |
|---|---|
| Labrador Retriever | 34 |
| Chihuahua | 30 |
| Yorkshire Terrier | 25 |
| Golden Retriever | 18 |
| Shih Tzu | 14 |
| French Bulldog | 13 |
| German Shepherd | 12 |
| American Pit Bull Terrier | 6 |
| Goldendoodle | 2 |
| Afghan Hound | 1 |
| Dachshund | 1 |
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- Labrador Retriever: in the top three of 34 states and D.C.
- Chihuahua: in the top three of 30
- Yorkshire Terrier: in the top three of 25
- Golden Retriever: in the top three of 18
- Shih Tzu: in the top three of 14
- French Bulldog: in the top three of 13
- German Shepherd: in the top three of 12
- American Pit Bull Terrier: in the top three of 6
Toy breeds sweep five top threes. In Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Rhode Island and West Virginia, the whole top three is the Chihuahua, Yorkshire Terrier and Shih Tzu in some order.
By our count of the published lists, 15 states have neither a Labrador nor a Golden Retriever in their top three. The U.S. News text says 14. We show our count and the source's count side by side.
Most popular dog breeds by city: AKC's 2025 rankings
The American Kennel Club (AKC) does not publish state rankings. It does publish city rankings, based on AKC registrations, for 47 cities in 26 states and Washington, D.C. Its 2025 list was updated on March 23, 2026.
The French Bulldog is No. 1 in 36 of the 47 cities. It also makes the top five in all 47. The Golden Retriever leads 7 cities, the Labrador Retriever 3 and the Poodle 1.
Albany, New York is the odd one out. The Poodle is first there, then the Border Collie, with the French Bulldog fifth.
Source: American Kennel Club, 2025's Most Popular Dog Breeds by City (updated March 23, 2026).
Show the numbers
| Label | cities |
|---|---|
| French Bulldog | 36 |
| Golden Retriever | 7 |
| Labrador Retriever | 3 |
| Poodle | 1 |
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| City | State | No. 1 | No. 2 | No. 3 | No. 4 | No. 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany | New York | Poodle | Border Collie | German Shepherd Dog | Labrador Retriever | French Bulldog |
| Atlanta | Georgia | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | Labrador Retriever | Poodle | Rottweiler |
| Austin | Texas | Golden Retriever | Labrador Retriever | French Bulldog | German Shepherd Dog | Poodle |
| Baltimore | Maryland | French Bulldog | Labrador Retriever | Golden Retriever | Poodle | German Shepherd Dog |
| Boston | Massachusetts | French Bulldog | Labrador Retriever | Golden Retriever | Poodle | Bernese Mountain Dog |
| Buffalo | New York | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | Labrador Retriever | Rottweiler | German Shepherd Dog |
| Charlotte | North Carolina | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | Labrador Retriever | German Shepherd Dog | Poodle |
| Chicago | Illinois | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | Bulldog | Labrador Retriever | German Shepherd Dog |
| Cincinnati | Ohio | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | Labrador Retriever | German Shepherd Dog | Rottweiler |
| Cleveland | Ohio | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | Labrador Retriever | German Shepherd Dog | Poodle |
| Columbus | Ohio | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | Labrador Retriever | Poodle | German Shepherd Dog |
| Dallas | Texas | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | Labrador Retriever | Bulldog | German Shepherd Dog |
| Denver | Colorado | Labrador Retriever | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | German Shepherd Dog | Dachshund |
| Detroit | Michigan | French Bulldog | Yorkshire Terrier | Rottweiler | Golden Retriever | Cane Corso |
| Fort Worth | Texas | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | Labrador Retriever | German Shepherd Dog | Poodle |
| Hartford | Connecticut | French Bulldog | Labrador Retriever | German Shepherd Dog | Pembroke Welsh Corgi | Basenji |
| Honolulu | Hawaii | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | German Shepherd Dog | Labrador Retriever |
| Houston | Texas | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | Labrador Retriever | Bulldog | Poodle |
| Indianapolis | Indiana | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | Poodle | German Shepherd Dog | Rottweiler |
| Jacksonville | Florida | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | Labrador Retriever | German Shepherd Dog | Dachshund |
| Kansas City | Missouri | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | Labrador Retriever | Bulldog | German Shepherd Dog |
| Las Vegas | Nevada | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | Bulldog | Labrador Retriever | Cane Corso |
| Long Island | New York | Labrador Retriever | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | German Shepherd Dog | Poodle |
| Los Angeles | California | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | Dachshund | Bulldog | Pomeranian |
| Miami | Florida | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | Poodle | German Shepherd Dog | Labrador Retriever |
| Milwaukee | Wisconsin | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | Labrador Retriever | Rottweiler | German Shepherd Dog |
| Nashville | Tennessee | Golden Retriever | Labrador Retriever | French Bulldog | Dachshund | Poodle |
| New York City | New York | French Bulldog | Poodle | Golden Retriever | Dachshund | Cavalier King Charles Spaniel |
| Newark | New Jersey | French Bulldog | Labrador Retriever | Poodle | German Shepherd Dog | Australian Shepherd |
| Oakland | California | French Bulldog | Cane Corso | Golden Retriever | Dachshund | Labrador Retriever |
| Orlando | Florida | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | Labrador Retriever | Dachshund | Poodle |
| Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | Rottweiler | German Shepherd Dog | Labrador Retriever |
| Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | Golden Retriever | French Bulldog | Labrador Retriever | German Shepherd Dog | Bernese Mountain Dog |
| Portland | Oregon | Golden Retriever | Labrador Retriever | French Bulldog | Poodle | Papillon |
| Raleigh | North Carolina | Golden Retriever | Labrador Retriever | French Bulldog | Poodle | Beagle |
| Richmond | Virginia | French Bulldog | Labrador Retriever | Golden Retriever | Rottweiler | German Shepherd Dog |
| Sacramento | California | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | Labrador Retriever | Poodle | Rottweiler |
| Saint Louis | Missouri | Labrador Retriever | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | Rottweiler | Bulldog |
| Salt Lake City | Utah | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | Labrador Retriever | German Shepherd Dog | Poodle |
| San Antonio | Texas | French Bulldog | Labrador Retriever | Golden Retriever | Rottweiler | Dachshund |
| San Diego | California | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | Labrador Retriever | Bulldog | Poodle |
| San Francisco | California | Golden Retriever | French Bulldog | Dachshund | Labrador Retriever | Pembroke Welsh Corgi |
| Seattle | Washington | Golden Retriever | Labrador Retriever | French Bulldog | Pembroke Welsh Corgi | German Shepherd Dog |
| Tampa | Florida | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | Poodle | Labrador Retriever | Dachshund |
| Tucson | Arizona | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | Labrador Retriever | German Shepherd Dog | Bulldog |
| Washington | D.C. | French Bulldog | Labrador Retriever | Golden Retriever | Poodle | Bulldog |
| West Palm Beach | Florida | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | Poodle | Labrador Retriever | Cane Corso |
Our count from AKC's 47 city lists. Fort Worth's 'German Shepherd Dogs' counted as German Shepherd Dog.
Show the numbers
| Label | cities |
|---|---|
| French Bulldog | 47 |
| Golden Retriever | 44 |
| Labrador Retriever | 43 |
| German Shepherd Dog | 27 |
| Poodle | 25 |
| Rottweiler | 11 |
| Bulldog | 10 |
| Dachshund | 10 |
| Cane Corso | 4 |
| Pembroke Welsh Corgi | 3 |
| Bernese Mountain Dog | 2 |
| Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | 2 |
| Border Collie | 1 |
| Yorkshire Terrier | 1 |
| Basenji | 1 |
| Pomeranian | 1 |
| Australian Shepherd | 1 |
| Papillon | 1 |
| Beagle | 1 |
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Our count from AKC's 2025 city lists. The French Bulldog is in the top five of all 47 cities.
Show the numbers
| Label | cities |
|---|---|
| No. 1 | 36 |
| No. 2 | 5 |
| No. 3 | 5 |
| No. 4 | 0 |
| No. 5 | 1 |
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Where the French Bulldog is not first, it is close behind. It ranks second in 5 cities and third in 5 more. Its lowest position is fifth, in Albany.
Golden Retrievers lead in Austin, Nashville, Pittsburgh, Portland, Raleigh, San Francisco and Seattle. Labradors lead in Denver, Long Island and Saint Louis.
The Rottweiler makes the top five in 11 cities and the Dachshund in 10. The Cane Corso appears in 4: Detroit, Las Vegas, Oakland and West Palm Beach. Detroit is the only city with the Yorkshire Terrier in its AKC top five, at No. 2.
AKC does not say how it draws city lines. Long Island, for example, is a region and not a city.
Which cities changed their top dog in 2025
AKC's 2024 city page lists 18 cities, and all 18 appear again in 2025. Five of them got a new No. 1 breed in 2025.
Denver and Saint Louis switched from the French Bulldog to the Labrador Retriever. San Francisco and Raleigh moved to the Golden Retriever. Boston went the other way, from the Golden Retriever to the French Bulldog.
Eleven cities kept the same No. 1 with some reshuffling below it. Chicago and Houston kept the same five breeds in the same order.
| City | No. 1 in 2024 | No. 1 in 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | French Bulldog | French Bulldog | Same No. 1 |
| Boston | Golden Retriever | French Bulldog | New No. 1 |
| Chicago | French Bulldog | French Bulldog | Same top five, same order |
| Columbus | French Bulldog | French Bulldog | Same No. 1 |
| Dallas | French Bulldog | French Bulldog | Same No. 1 |
| Denver | French Bulldog | Labrador Retriever | New No. 1 |
| Detroit | French Bulldog | French Bulldog | Same No. 1 |
| Houston | French Bulldog | French Bulldog | Same top five, same order |
| Los Angeles | French Bulldog | French Bulldog | Same No. 1 |
| Miami | French Bulldog | French Bulldog | Same No. 1 |
| New York City | French Bulldog | French Bulldog | Same No. 1 |
| Philadelphia | French Bulldog | French Bulldog | Same No. 1 |
| Raleigh | Labrador Retriever | Golden Retriever | New No. 1 |
| San Francisco | French Bulldog | Golden Retriever | New No. 1 |
| Seattle | Golden Retriever | Golden Retriever | Same No. 1 |
| Saint Louis | French Bulldog | Labrador Retriever | New No. 1 |
| Washington | French Bulldog | French Bulldog | Same No. 1 |
| West Palm Beach | French Bulldog | French Bulldog | Same No. 1 |
Nationally, the French Bulldog was AKC's No. 1 breed in 2025 for the fourth straight year, followed by the Labrador Retriever and Golden Retriever. See our full AKC breed rankings report for the national list since 2013.
Why do state dog breed rankings disagree?
State rankings disagree because each one counts a different group of dogs. U.S. News counts insured dogs. AKC counts purebred dogs registered with AKC. TrustedHousesitters counts dogs listed by owners who use its pet-sitting platform.
TrustedHousesitters published its own state list on June 30, 2026. It analyzed all US dog listings on its site and found the Labrador Retriever most listed in 28 states and the Golden Retriever in 8.
Its text names the top breed for 17 states. In only 3 of them, Arizona, Illinois and Pennsylvania, does it match the U.S. News No. 1.
Company data: dog listings on the TrustedHousesitters pet-sitting platform. Counts as published; they sum to more than 50 because of ties.
Show the numbers
| Label | states |
|---|---|
| Labrador Retriever | 28 |
| Golden Retriever | 8 |
| Boston Terrier | 2 |
| German Shepherd | 2 |
| Chihuahua | 2 |
| Australian Shepherd | 2 |
| Australian Cattle Dog | 1 |
| Cardigan Welsh Corgi | 1 |
| Labradoodle | 1 |
| French Bulldog | 1 |
| Cockapoo | 1 |
| Keeshond | 1 |
| Dachshund | 1 |
| Papillon | 1 |
| Miniature Schnauzer | 1 |
| Golden Doodle | 1 |
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| State | TrustedHousesitters No. 1 | U.S. News No. 1 | Same breed? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | Australian Cattle Dog | Labrador Retriever | No |
| Arizona | Chihuahua | Chihuahua | Yes |
| California | Golden Retriever | French Bulldog | No |
| Florida | Labrador Retriever | French Bulldog | No |
| Georgia | Labrador Retriever | Yorkshire Terrier | No |
| Idaho | Golden Retriever | Labrador Retriever | No |
| Illinois | Labrador Retriever | Labrador Retriever | Yes |
| Kentucky | Miniature Schnauzer | Chihuahua | No |
| New York | Labrador Retriever | Yorkshire Terrier | No |
| North Carolina | Labrador Retriever | Chihuahua | No |
| North Dakota | Cockapoo | Golden Retriever | No |
| Oklahoma | German Shepherd | Chihuahua | No |
| Pennsylvania | Labrador Retriever | Labrador Retriever | Yes |
| Rhode Island | French Bulldog | Shih Tzu | No |
| Texas | Labrador Retriever | Chihuahua | No |
| Utah | Chihuahua | Labrador Retriever | No |
| Washington | Golden Retriever | Chihuahua | No |
The TrustedHousesitters counts sum to 54, not 50, partly because of ties. Wyoming has a four-way tie between the Australian Shepherd, Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever and Papillon. The company does not publish how many dogs sit behind each state.
Texas shows the same split. U.S. News puts the Chihuahua first, TrustedHousesitters the Labrador, and AKC has the French Bulldog first in Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio.
Only 12 of AKC's 47 city leaders match the U.S. News No. 1 for their state. Registered purebred dogs in big cities are a different group from insured dogs statewide.
America's top 10 dog breeds by two measures
The two national lists disagree too. U.S. News puts the Chihuahua at No. 1 for 2026, the French Bulldog second and the Labrador Retriever third. AKC puts the French Bulldog first for 2025, then the Labrador and the Golden Retriever.
Five breeds appear in both top 10s: the French Bulldog, Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, German Shepherd and Dachshund. The Chihuahua, Yorkshire Terrier and Shih Tzu are in the insurance top 10 but not AKC's.
| Rank | U.S. News 2026 (insured dogs) | AKC 2025 (registered purebreds) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chihuahua | French Bulldog |
| 2 | French Bulldog | Labrador Retriever |
| 3 | Labrador Retriever | Golden Retriever |
| 4 | Yorkshire Terrier | German Shepherd Dog |
| 5 | Shih Tzu | Dachshund |
| 6 | Golden Retriever | Poodle |
| 7 | German Shepherd | Beagle |
| 8 | American Pit Bull Terrier | Rottweiler |
| 9 | Goldendoodle | German Shorthaired Pointer |
| 10 | Dachshund | Bulldog |
U.S. News also ranks the American Pit Bull Terrier eighth and the Goldendoodle ninth. AKC registers neither, so neither can appear in AKC's list.
The 2026 U.S. News edition moved the Labrador from No. 1 to No. 3 nationally. The Chihuahua rose from No. 2 to No. 1, and the French Bulldog from No. 6 to No. 2.
How the state picture changed from the 2025 study
The 2025 U.S. News edition, published in August 2025, used 1,261,285 data points from January 2022 to July 2025. It ranked the Labrador No. 1 nationally and No. 1 in 17 states, with a tie for first in one more.
The 2026 edition used 3,535,932 data points, almost three times as many. It ranks the Labrador No. 1 in 22 states but third nationally, behind the Chihuahua and French Bulldog.
The two editions are not a clean time series. The 2025 edition listed mixes such as the Chihuahua mix and Labrador mix as separate entries, while the 2026 lists name no mixes. The data window also overlaps, starting in January 2022 both times.
For other state-by-state dog data, see our reports on the most dog-friendly states and cities, veterinarians by state and breed-specific laws by state.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular dog breed in every state?
The Labrador Retriever is No. 1 in 22 states in the U.S. News 2026 study of pet insurance data. The Chihuahua leads 13 states, the Yorkshire Terrier 8 states plus D.C., the French Bulldog 4, the Golden Retriever 2 and the Shih Tzu 1.
What is the most popular dog breed in Texas?
It depends on the data. U.S. News 2026 insurance data puts the Chihuahua first in Texas. TrustedHousesitters listings put the Labrador first. AKC's 2025 registrations put the French Bulldog first in Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio, and the Golden Retriever first in Austin.
What is the most popular dog breed in California?
The French Bulldog, in U.S. News 2026 insurance data, followed by the Chihuahua and Golden Retriever. The French Bulldog also leads AKC's 2025 rankings in Los Angeles, Oakland, Sacramento and San Diego. San Francisco is the exception, with the Golden Retriever first.
What is the most popular dog breed in Florida?
The French Bulldog, according to U.S. News 2026, with the Yorkshire Terrier second and the Chihuahua third. AKC's 2025 registrations put the French Bulldog first in all five Florida cities it ranks. TrustedHousesitters names the Labrador instead.
What is the most popular dog breed in New York?
The Yorkshire Terrier, in U.S. News 2026 data, ahead of the Shih Tzu and French Bulldog. AKC's 2025 rankings put the French Bulldog first in New York City and Buffalo, the Labrador on Long Island and the Poodle in Albany.
Does the AKC publish the most popular dog breed by state?
No. AKC publishes a national ranking and rankings for selected cities, both based on AKC registrations. Its 2025 city list covers 47 cities in 26 states and Washington, D.C. State lists come from companies such as insurers and pet-sitting platforms.
Is there a map of the most popular dog breed by state?
Yes, but each map reflects its source. TrustedHousesitters published a state map in June 2026 from its own listings, showing the Labrador first in 28 states. U.S. News published state top-three lists from insurance data. They name the same No. 1 in only 3 of 17 states we could compare.
Why is the Chihuahua so popular in some states?
The data does not say why. In U.S. News 2026 data the Chihuahua leads 13 states, mostly in the South and Southwest, and is No. 1 nationally. None of the sources we used measured why owners in those states choose it.
Methodology and limitations
We read three sources in October 2026. U.S. News & World Report's most popular dog breeds study (updated August 2026) gives the top three breeds for all 50 states and D.C. from 3,535,932 records supplied by Fletch, a pet insurance industry partner. We copied every state list and counted the No. 1 breeds and top-three appearances in Python.
AKC's 2025 and 2024 city ranking pages give the top five breeds, by AKC registrations, for 47 and 18 cities. We extracted every list from the pages and compared the 18 cities present in both years, matching New York, St. Louis and Washington, D.C. under their 2025 names.
TrustedHousesitters' June 30, 2026 report gives counts of states per breed and names the top breed for some states in its text and in coverage by FOX Television Stations. We use only states named in text, not those read off its map image. AKC's national top 10 comes from its March 18, 2026 press release.
Sources
- U.S. News & World Report, The Most Popular Dog Breeds in Each State (updated August 2026), State top-three lists, national top 10, 3,535,932 data points from Fletch, January 2022 to June 2026
- American Kennel Club, 2025's Most Popular Dog Breeds by City (updated March 23, 2026), Top five breeds by AKC registrations in 47 cities
- American Kennel Club press release, March 18, 2026, AKC national top 10 for 2025 and 2024
- Also consulted: American Kennel Club, 2024's Most Popular Dog Breeds by City, TrustedHousesitters, Most owned dog breeds in the US (June 30, 2026), FOX 5 New York, July 12, 2026, FOX 9, August 26, 2025.
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