Massachusetts’ Favorite Dogs Revealed
Thursday, March 29, 2012
The Labrador Retriever is America and Massachusetts' favorite dog.
Everyone Loves Labs
42 states had Labrador Retrievers as their most popular breed, and Massachusetts was one of them. Massachusetts also matched up with the nation as a whole at No. 2 where the German Shepherd comes in. Massachusetts stuck with the family dog trend as Golden Retrievers came in at No.3.
Allie Tellier, Executive Director of the Worcester Animal Rescue League is not shocked by the Commonwealth’s top-three, and thinks each breeds positive rep had a great deal to do with it.
“I think for the retrievers and the German Shepherds, it really has a lot to do with their reputations as good family dogs,” Tellier said. “We tend to think of those dogs as friendly and lovable big dogs that are great with families, so that doesn’t surprise me.”
Big Numbers for Tiny Dogs
While larger family dogs dominated the top-three, a trio of smaller dogs came in next. The ever-popular Chihuahua checks in at No. 4, and the Yorkshire Terrier and Shih Tzu took the No. 5 and 6 spots respectively. Tellier says they do not see very many Yorkshire Terriers at her shelter, most likely because they are expensive dogs, but understands why all these breeds are so popular.
“People think of these dogs as easy ‘pocket pets,’” Tellier said. “I can tell you, that is sometimes a huge misconception. My tiny Chihuahua would eat anything it could if it had more teeth.”
Best of the Rest
The American Pit Bull Terrier checks in at No. 7, then the Boxer, Bulldog and Maltese round out the top-10. Two notable no-shows on the list are the Massachusetts state dog, the Boston Terrier, and the third most popular dog nationally, the Beagle. To find the complete list for each state, click here.
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