Corrections and clarifications: A previous version of this story had an outdated number of dog breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club.
Pet owners often pamper their fur babies with the same fervor that parents have for their human children. But dogs haven’t always been given the same level of treatment that many of us aim to provide today.
National Dog Week, established by William Lewis Judy in 1928 as a way to celebrate our beloved canines, occurs annually Sept. 20-27.
Throughout Judy’s career, he highlighted dog owners’ responsibilities and explored various breeds in books like “The Dog Encyclopedia,” published in 1923, and “Dog World Magazine,” which was owned by Judy and continued to publish until 2012. His work taught people about dogs needs, the different types of breeds and how to successfully train them, according to the Animal History Museum.
Out of 200 purebred dog breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club, less than a handful were at the top of people’s minds who searched online.
Based on Google search data compiled over the last five years, Bulldogs are the most-searched dog breed in the U.S. in all but 13 states: Alaska, Idaho, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Hampshire, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and West Virginia. Those states favored three other breeds: Labrador Retriever, Siberian Husky and German Shepherd.
Alabama – Bulldog
Alaska – Siberian Husky
Arizona – Bulldog
Arkansas – Bulldog
California – Bulldog
Colorado – Bulldog
Connecticut – Bulldog
Delaware – Bulldog
District of Columbia – Bulldog
Florida – Bulldog
Georgia – Bulldog
Hawaii – Bulldog
Idaho – Labrador Retriever
Illinois – Bulldog
Indiana – Bulldog
Iowa – Bulldog
Kansas – Bulldog
Kentucky – German Shepherd
Louisiana – Bulldog
Maine – Labrador Retriever
Maryland – Bulldog
Massachusetts – Bulldog
Michigan – Bulldog
Minnesota – Labrador Retriever
Mississippi – Bulldog
Missouri – Bulldog
Montana – Labrador Retriever
Nebraska – Bulldog
Nevada – Bulldog
New Hampshire – Labrador Retriever
New Jersey – Bulldog
New Mexico – Bulldog
New York – Bulldog
North Carolina – Bulldog
North Dakota – Labrador Retriever
Ohio – Bulldog
Oklahoma – Bulldog
Oregon – Bulldog
Pennsylvania – Bulldog
Rhode Island – Bulldog
South Carolina – Bulldog
South Dakota – Labrador Retriever
Tennessee – Bulldog
Texas – Bulldog
Utah – Bulldog
Vermont – Labrador Retriever
Virginia – Bulldog
Washington – Siberian Husky
West Virginia – German Shepherd
Wisconsin – Labrador Retriever
Wyoming – Bulldog
From 2013 – 2020, Bulldogs ranked in the top five most popular dog breeds, based on American Kennel Club (AKC) registration statistics. In 2021, Bulldogs were knocked down to No. 6 by the Poodle, which made top five for the first time since 1997.
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Bulldogs are believed to have been created in 13th-century England for bullbaiting — a betting “sport” where bulls fought a pack of dogs in front of spectators — according to AKC. As the sport became obsolete, Bulldogs were bred to be more of a companion than a fighter.
The Labrador Retriever has been the No. 1 most-popular breed since 1991, according to AKC.
See the most-searched dog breeds in the country.
Camille Fine is a trending visual producer on USA TODAY’s NOW team.
