The most popular dog breed with Gen Z, Gen X, millennial and baby boomer pet owners in the U.S. has been revealed in a new poll.
When it comes to dogs, America is a divided nation, if the findings of a survey of 1,000 U.S. pet parents conducted by Pollfish on behalf of the pet-sitting platform Rover is to be believed.
According to the responses, dog breed preference in the U.S. is firmly divided along age demographic lines. The majority of baby boomers—American dog owners ages 59 and over—had Chihuahuas down as their canine of choice.
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Philip Tedeschi, a researcher and professor at the University of Denver who specializes in studies on the human and animal bond, offered his theories on why that may be.
“It may be a more recent phenomena driven by the fact that many boomers are also empty-nesters and that these pint-sized dogs often remind people of having a child,” he told Newsweek.
“Additionally, changing trends in urbanization and jobs resulted in many boomers finding themselves in urban and suburban housing that lent itself to smaller dogs.”
While baby boomers prefer Chihuahuas, according to the poll, Gen X—ages 44 to 59—were found to be most fond of Labrador retrievers.
Again, Tedeschi, who is a member of Rover’s Pet People Panel, had some ideas about why.
“Apparently one of the defining features of Gen Xers is that they were often viewed as not wanting to be burdened with the pressures of society,” he said. “Gen Xers also experienced one of the highest rates of divorce as children and significant economic instability.
“Bring in the dog that is most often viewed as the all-purpose, go anywhere, do anything, center of the parade dog. Labs are one of the most popular breeds because of their playful, affectionate and wonderful temperaments.”
He also cited the Labrador retriever’s genetic eagerness to “be with us, doing what we are doing” regardless of the context as an ideal trait for this particular generation.
“If you are a couch potato and your only exercise is walking to and from your fridge, your lab will accompany you,” Tedeschi said. “But, if you decide to scale one of Colorado’s 14,000-footers, they will also join you for that outing as well.”
By contrast, millennial respondents—ages 28 to 43—preferred German shepherds. Though Tedeschi was not entirely sure what motivates this particular preference, he did suggest that the breed might be ideally suited to the generation that breathes “everything internet.”
“One possible framework that might explain attraction to German shepherds is that they are extra smart, loyal, deeply connected to their individual person or family, protective and beautiful,” he said.
“As a breed, they are visible in media doing amazing things, holding space, fighting foes, and overcoming obstacles. For a generation that has grown up with its share of existential threats, reasons for anxiety and depression, these dogs might feel like they will stand with you through thick and thin.”
The Gen Z dog owners quizzed as part of the Rover survey, pet owners up to age 27, meanwhile, prefer golden retrievers, something Tedeschi again suggested might be down to technology.
“This generation has been shaped by technology, social media and the phone,” he said. “Golden retrievers are often characterized as visually beautiful, sweet and affectionate, eager to please, fun and exuberant in play.
“These dogs have been viewed as easily trained and settle into our lives in a predictable and consistent manner. It’s possible one of the explanations for why Gen Zers are attracted to these dogs is that if you Google ‘What is the most recommended dog to get?’ golden retrievers are almost always on the top of the list with perfect pictures to accompany.”
Though Tedeschi stressed the theories were exactly that, his commentary threw out some interesting points of discussion, as did the rest of the Rover research.
The miniature poodle, for instance, was identified as the top-trending dog breed of 2024, meaning it’s the breed that experienced the most growth in terms of ownership, according to the study. Non-designer mixed breeds are the most popular dog breed in America, followed by the Labrador retriever and goldendoodle.
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