Dogs remain well and truly man’s best friend in the U.S., with 65.1 million American households owning a canine friend, but the big question remains – which breed is our favorite?
The answer may give you paws for thought with Rover, the world’s largest online pet care marketplace, having provided the answer in its 2025 Most Popular Dog and Cat Breeds Report.
The report unveils this year’s most popular, trending, and rarest dog and breeds nationwide, having taken data from 1,000 nationwide pet parents.
Taking the lead are the non-designer mixed breeds, affectionately known by some as mutts, who have come out as top dog.
It comes as analysis by Forbes Advisor found that 42 percent of dog owners got their pets from a store, while 38 percent found their furry friends at an animal shelter or rescue. The outlet added that essential dog expenses currently cost an average of $1,533 annually.
Rover’s survey found that following the non-designer dogs, the most popular breed in America is the Labrador Retriever. Golden Retrievers are in third place, having overtaken the Goldendoodle which took the spot in 2024, but is now in the doghouse.
Other breeds included (in order) in the top 10 are; German Shepherds, Chihuahuas, French Bulldogs, Dachshunds, Shih Tzus, and Yorkshire Terriers.
In terms of year-over-year change, Rover’s study found, the Miniature Poodle maintained its status as the number one top trending dog breed in 2025, followed by the American Staffordshire Terrier.
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel ranked third for the second year in a row in that category.
Other key findings of the survey included that the top three rarest dog breeds of the year are Japanese Spitz, Spinone Italiano and the Gordon Setter.
Pet parents voted the Pit Bull as most photogenic and most likely to be trending on social media. The Golden Retriever and German Shepherd came in second and third, while the French Bulldog and Pug were identified as trending breeds on social media.
Adorably, the most important deciding factor when choosing a furry friend is loyalty, with 67 percent of respondents listing it as the most desired personality trait or characteristic.
This is followed by 58 percent who decided based on size.
