Across the U.S., there are millions of dogs living in American households. A new survey from Rover recently revealed that the most popular type of dog throughout the land this year is yet again (drumroll please) … the Labrador retriever.
That is, after “mixed” at the very top of the list for at least the third year in a row. Golden retrievers moved up one spot on the list, pushing goldendoodles into the fourth spot. Bernerdoodles (a cross between a Bernese mountain dog and a poodle) knocked poodles out of the 15th spot, and a little lower down the list, the Maltese breed beat out boxers for the 17th spot.
Here’s Rover’s list of the top 20 most popular dogs in the U.S. for this year:
1. Mixed
4. Goldendoodle
6. Chihuahua
8. Dachshund
9. Shih tzu
13. Siberian husky
14. Labradoodle
15. Bernedoodle
16. Poodle
17. Maltese
18. Boxer
19. Beagle
Rover’s annual survey included 1,000 pet owners this year. They represent the nearly 60 million households in the nation, as estimated by the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Of those surveyed by Rover, 15% of pet owners intentionally sought to adopt a mixed breed and 26% had a specific breed in mind. Instead of searching for a breed, most pet owners chose their canine companions based on size (58%) or personality (51%).
“Those factors drove 41% of pet parents to admit a beautiful truth: Meeting their dog was love at first sight,” said Rover.
Overall, the pet-focused site found that dog adoptions are down almost 4% compared to last year. In June, Audacy reported on other research from Rover that indicated pet spending would increase by 7% to 10% this year.
“In 2025, welcoming a new dog into the family can range from $1,150 to $4,420,” said Rover. It also found that pet owners were concerned about increasing costs and economic pressures.
Once dogs settle in, households often form deep bonds with them, as Audacy explored in a special broadcast this spring. Rover’s new survey found that more than half of pet owners surveyed (53%) said they would choose the exact same breed as their current pet if they brought a new one home. Pet owners who said they wouldn’t choose the same breed largely cited cost-related issues.
“Considering the number of senior dogs in the pet population grew to 52% between 2018 and 2024, it’s likely that these small spot shifts reflect a trend of pet parents choosing a breed they already know and love,” said Rover of the handful of ranking changes observed this year.