Canada’s most popular breeds
Canada’s most popular breeds
Today we are going to dive into Canada’s most popular breeds when it comes to dogs and cats. New reports suggest the mixed breed dog is number one and the domestic shorthair takes first place for cats. The 2023 Most Popular Dog and Cats Breed Report was released by Rover.com earlier this year which also highlights some of the trends across the country. Did your pet make the list of Canada’s most popular breeds? Keep reading to find out!
In order to get the results, Rover surveyed 500 pet owners from across Canada on the different factors that helped them make a decision, when choosing the perfect pet. While mixed breeds are the most popular when it comes to dogs, the Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, Goldendoodle and German Shepherd breeds followed closely behind.
Trending breeds
For dogs, the most breeds seeing a year-over-year change in terms of popularity include the Bernedoodle, Miniature Poodle, French Bulldog, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Toy Poodle. For cats, the top trending breeds are Domestic Shorthair, American Shorthair and Domestic Longhair.
It is believed that Doodles are gaining popularity because of their coats being hypoallergenic. Many people who suffer from allergies opt for breeds that tend to have hair instead of fur, although there is no dog breed that is 100 percent hypoallergenic.
In the survey, ‘hypoallergenic’ was ranked the second most important factor when choosing a dog. In the last decade alone, Doodle breeds added to Rover have doubled. Bernadoodles take first place in the most trending dog breed with Miniature Poodles coming in second.
“Whether they’re bringing home a designer, hybrid or mixed breed pet, pet parents tell us what they really want is a dog or cat who fits their family dynamic,” said Kate Jaffe, trends expert at Rover.
“Pets are important members of our families and a lot of thought goes into choosing who to bring home. Many of the traits we most desire in a pet aren’t determined by their breed, but can be found and celebrated in dogs and cats of all kinds.”
Rarest dog breeds
In Canada, the rarest dog breeds include the Saluki, Barbet, Welsh Terrier, Japanese Spitz and Miniature Bull Terrier.
“Whether they’re bringing home a designer, hybrid or mixed breed pet, pet parents tell us what they really want is a dog or cat who fits their family dynamic,” said Jaffe.
“Pets are important members of our families and a lot of thought goes into choosing who to bring home. Many of the traits we most desire in a pet aren’t determined by their breed, but can be found and celebrated in dogs and cats of all kinds.”
Forty two percent of pet owners say breed isn’t a deciding factor when it comes to choosing a dog. Eighty one percent of respondents say they would have still brought a dog home, even if the top three breeds they were interested in weren’t available.
The leading factor for choosing a dog is ‘family-friendliness’ which we agree at AFB Pet Club is a very important trait. When choosing a dog to bring home based on personality, friendliness and social behaviour traits ranked number one, followed closely by cuddly, loyal and intelligent.
Interestingly, 88 percent of respondents who didn’t take home a dog based on breed say they have developed ‘breed loyalty’ and would choose the same type of dog again if they were to get another pet.
Top dog breeds listed
Mixed breed
Labrador Retriever
Golden Retriever
Goldendoodle
German Shepherd
French Bulldog
Labradoodle
Cockapoo
Top trending dog breeds listed
Pomeranian
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Samoyed
Shiba Inu
Chihuahua
Pug
West Highland White Terrier
Bernedoodle
Cat trends
When it comes to cat owners, breed is not nearly as important as it is for dog owners. Only 30 percent of respondents said breed mattered when choosing a cat to bring home. The colour of a cat’s coat was more important with 48 percent of respondents saying it was a deciding factor. The most popular personality traits that pet owners looked for are cuddly, friendly and social, calm and low energy.
Top cat breeds listed
Domestic Shorthair
American Shorthair
Domestic Longhair
Ragdoll
Siamese
Bengal
Maine Coon
British Shorthair
Persian
Final thoughts
Deciding factors for picking the right pet will vary for each pet owner. However its no secret that Canadians love their mixed breed dogs and having a dog with a good personality is more important than their looks! Pets are family which is why its so important to find one that fits with your household dynamic. What we learned from this report is that it doesn’t necessarily matter what’s on the outside, its what’s on the inside that counts. As for our cat owners, personality is also very important as well as the colour of their coats.
