Top 10 most popular dog breeds in the world
Dogs are man's best friend. This phrase from the 18th century remains and is even more relevant today. Originally domesticated for hunting and other functional tasks, dogs have become our human companions. Dogs are not just pets, they have become friends or even family members. There are about 900 million dogs around the world. The following chart shows you the most popular dog breeds in the world (calculated by registered ownership, excluding feral and unregistered dogs).
Top 10 most popular dog breeds in the world (summary)
About 12.9% of total registrations worldwide
About 8.4% of total registrations worldwide
About 7.8% of total registrations worldwide
About 7.1% of total registrations worldwide
About 6.5% of total registrations worldwide
About 6.2% of total registrations worldwide
About 6.1% of total registrations worldwide
About 3.9% of total registrations worldwide
About 3.6% of total registrations worldwide
About 3.2% of total registrations worldwide
10 most popular dog breeds in the world
1. Labrador Retriever
About 12.9% of total registrations worldwide
Origin: United Kingdom
The Labrador Retriever is the most popular dog breed in the world. One of the many reasons for the popularity of the Labrador is its great diversity. Labrador can vary in coat color, pigmentation and even size. Due to their kind and outgoing nature, Labradors are excellent family dogs and are today considered the breed first and foremost. However, they are also used as working dogs, mainly to assist the disabled as well as for therapeutic work.
2. German Shepherd
About 8.4% of total registrations worldwide
Origin: Germany
The German Shepherd Dog is a direct descendant of the continental European Shepherd breed, it is not surprising that they often herd sheep and assist farmers in other tasks. Around the 1800s during the Industrial Revolution, the German variant then increasingly found its way into urban areas, where it was the preferred guard dog. Today German Shepherds are used both as pets or as family dogs and as working dogs in agriculture or for example in police work. Owners appreciate the great loyalty German shepherds show to their owners and human families. German shepherds also demonstrate above-average levels of intelligence for dogs. This beautiful and worthy overall image has made the German Shepherd the second most popular dog breed in the world.
3. Poodle
About 7.8% of total registrations worldwide
Origin: Germany
As the ultimate pet breed, Poodles have gained popularity around the world in recent decades. Poodles can vary greatly in appearance, not only by their coat color but also by their size. Although they are not always the same, Poodles are among the most intelligent dog breeds. This makes them a very sociable breed, but at the same time very kind and low maintenance. No wonder why so many families around the world love their puppies.
4. Chihuahua
Approximately 7.1% of total registrations worldwide
Origin: Mexico
They may be the smallest dogs in the world, but the Chihuahua is also the oldest dog breed still in existence on the planet. The ancient civilizations of today's Mexico were familiar with small, cute dogs. Therefore, the Chihuahua is also one of the few breeds still alive that is not native to Europe. Chihuahuas are often kept as pets and are often described as "cats among dogs", as they exhibit cat-like behaviors in many situations. At the same time, Chihuahuas are also known for their great loyalty to their owners. Despite their small size, this cannot rarely lead to overprotective behavior in perceived hazardous situations.
5. Golden Retriever
About 6.5% of total registrations worldwide
Origin: United Kingdom
The Golden Retriver is a genetic relative of the Labrador and shares most of the properties of the Labrador. However, there is less diversity among dogs of this breed than there is in Labrador. All Golden Retrievers are golden to golden brown in color. Golden Retrievers are also among the smartest dog breeds on Earth and like Labradors are known for their kindness and sociability. Therefore, they are the preferred choice as therapy or assistance dogs for people with disabilities or special needs. Of course they are also widely used as pets and family dogs.
6. Yorkshire Terrier
About 6.2% of total registrations worldwide
Origin: United Kingdom
7. Dachshund
About 6.1% of total registrations worldwide
Origin: Germany
8. Beagle
Approximately 3.9% of total registrations worldwide
Origin: United Kingdom
9. Boxer
Approximately 3.6% of total registrations worldwide
Origin: Germany
10. Schnauzer
Around 3.2% of total registrations worldwide
Origin: Germany