Americans love their dogs. According to Forbes, more than 65 million U.S. households have a dog, making pooches the most popular pet in the country. But which breeds have the most hearts in America in 2025?
Drawing from millions of pet profiles and a nationwide survey, Rover, an online marketplace for pet care, is out with its annual report of the most popular, trending, and rarest dog breeds of 2025.
Rover’s list differs from other rankings like the one from the American Kennel Club, the world’s largest registry of purebred dogs. Their list uses their registration statistics to determine the top dogs, so the list only includes purebred dogs. In contrast, Rover relies on user-submitted data of more than one million dogs added to their platform in the last year. “These are dogs who have been adopted or brought home by pet parents, as opposed to litters being registered but not yet homed with a pet parent,” explained the press release.
So while the French Bulldog nabbed the AKC’s top spot for the third year in a row, the winner using Rover’s set of criteria was clear: the ever-popular mixed breed — or as many dog lovers affectionately call them, a good old-fashioned mutt.
Out of the 1,000 pet parents surveyed, 15% told Rover they intentionally sought to adopt a mixed breed, while just 26% had a specific breed in mind. Here’s how the rest of the list shapes up:
Most Popular Dog Breeds in 2025
MixedLabrador RetrieverGolden RetrieverGoldendoodleGerman ShepherdChihuahuaFrench BulldogDachshundShih TzuYorkshire TerrierAustralian ShepherdAmerican Pit Bull TerrierSiberian HuskyLabradoodleBernedoodlePoodleMalteseBoxerBeagleMiniature Schnauzer
See photos of the top 15 dog breeds:
The top 10 usually doesn’t change much from year to year, so Rover also compiles a list of trending dog breeds. These are the dogs gaining traction in their database — often influenced by pop culture or social media — but not yet popular enough to crack the top 20. Could one of these trending breeds break into the top 10 next year?
Top 10 Trending Dog Breeds
Miniature PoodleAmerican Staffordshire TerrierCavalier King Charles SpanielToy PoodlePugAustralian Cattle DogPembroke Welsh CorgiBoston TerrierDoberman PinscherCockapoo
Top 5 Rarest Dog Breeds in U.S.
Unique and tough to find, the rarest dog breeds in the U.S. are ones you won’t see every day at the dog park.
Japanese SpitzSpinone ItalianoGordon SetterBlue LacySpanish Water Dog
When it comes to how and why pet parents choose their pups, Rover found size is a key factor, followed by personality. But dog owners overwhelmingly said that loyalty is the most desirable personality trait, followed by friendliness, playfulness, and cuddliness. And more than half of the people surveyed said if they were bringing a new pet home today, they would choose exactly the same breed.
Which would you choose? If you’re thinking of adding a new furbaby to your family, check out Rover’s quiz to help match the right type of dog to your lifestyle! The brand new USA TODAY Pets hub will be right here to walk through each stage of the journey with your pet.
