Arizona loves chihuahuas
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Labrador retrievers may be the most popular dog breed in the U.S., but Arizona is chihuahua country. Photo: Matthias Rietschel/Getty Images
It's National Dog Day, and the chihuahua is the top dog breed in Arizona, according to a new U.S. News & World Report analysis.
Zoom out: French bulldogs took second place in Arizona, with Labrador retrievers in third.
The fine print: The annual report relies on pet insurance data, so it doesn't account for all dogs in the country.
- Last year, the chihuahua was No. 1, but analysts separated "Labs" (then No. 2) and "black Labs" (then No. 10) into separate categories.
- This year, the Labrador category includes labs of all colors.
The chihuahua was second-most popular breed nationally, followed by the golden retriever.
The national ranking:
- Labrador retriever
- Chihuahua
- Golden retriever
- American pit bull terrier
- German shepherd
- French bulldog
- Goldendoodle
- Shit tzu
- Yorkshire terrier
- Dachshund
Zoom out: The most popular breed varies by state.
- Labrador retrievers were the most popular breed in 17 states (including Vermont, where they were tied with golden retrievers) plus Washington, D.C., while chihuahuas were the top breed in 13 states.
Between the lines: It's tricky to track mutt popularity.
- The study counted "mixed breed," "pit bull," and labels like "German shepherd mix" as separate categories. The goldendoodle was the only mixed breed to crack the top 10.
Zoom out: It's a big year for the dachshund, which made its debut on the top 10 national ranking this year.