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The dog days of summer are almost over, but tails are still wagging in Mississippi. August is National Dog Month.
U.S. News & World Report released a list of the most popular dog breeds by state, and Mississippi’s Top 3 might surprise you.
Does your pet have a one-of-a-kind name? Or will you find it on the list of the most popular in the U.S.? Here’s what you need to know about the most popular dog breeds in the Magnolia State.
What are the most popular dog breeds in Mississippi?
Topping the U.S. News & World Report list, the Chihuahua, Yorkshire terrier and Labrador retriever.
To get the data, U.S. News analyzed information from Fletch, a pet insurance provider. Analysts considered information from January 2022 to July 2025, including dog breeds and owner ZIP codes.
What to know about the Chihuahua
“A national symbol of Mexico, these alert and amusing “purse dogs” stand among the oldest breeds of the Americas, with a lineage going back to the ancient kingdoms of pre-Columbian times. The Chihuahua is a balanced, graceful dog of terrier-like demeanor, weighing no more than 6 pounds.” according to the American Kennel Club.
Chihuahuas are very affectionate and can be good with other dogs, but not great with young kids. AKC notes they have “loyalty, charm and a big-dog attitude.”
What are other popular dog breeds across the nation?
According to U.S. News, the Top 10 dog breeds are:
Labrador retrieverChihuahuaGolden RetrieverAmerican Pit Bull TerrierGerman ShepherdFrench BulldogGoldendoodleShih TzuYorkshire TerrierDachshund
What’s the most popular dog name in Mississippi?
Think your dog has a unique name? Turns out Bella is No. 2 in the nation. It’s only outpaced by Luna, according to an analysis of pet insurance data. Other popular pup names across the U.S. are Charlie, Max and Daisy.
According to U.S. News, the most popular dog names in Mississippi are:
BellaHarley/Lucy (tie)Cooper/Louie/Luna/Maggie/Max/Rip/Sadie (tie)
Is Mississippi a dog or a cat state?
More Mississippi households have dogs as pets, but there are more pet cats throughout the state. TotalVet broke down the most recent data from Insurance Information Institute, Inc. to get the answers.
According to TotalVet, there are about 558,000 households that own dogs, and the average is 2.1 pooches per household. However, there are about 276,000 canine companions across the state.
Cat owners, however, are in about 336,000 homes. The average number of cats is 2, but the total number of feline friends was about 661,000.
Many homes have both.
Bonnie Bolden is the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with Gannett/USA Today. Email her at bbolden@gannett.com.
