It’s important to do your research when searching for the perfect furry friend for your family. Learning the ins and outs of pet care is essential, but familiarizing yourself with different dog and cat breeds can be helpful, too. Even if you plan on rescuing a pet (and you should!), you can learn about the traits and qualities you’d like your furry friend to have.

But which breeds are the most popular? Although social media is full of adorable Golden Retriever and Maine Coon cat videos, the most popular dog and cat breeds in each state may surprise you. MetLife Pet Insurance analyzed Internet searches across the entire United States to see which animals reign supreme in each state in 2026.

America’s Most Popular Dog Breeds

To determine the most popular dog breed in each state, MetLife Pet Insurance identified Google search patterns and ranked them on a per-capita basis. These are the most searched-for dogs in each of the 50 States.

Does your state’s most searched-for dog breed surprise you? In California, for example, where Poodle mixes are rather common, it makes sense that people search for Maltipoos more than any other breed. In other states, though, their most searched-for breed isn’t common at all!

Some dog breeds even dominated entire regions of the US, such as the Cane Corso, which was widely searched for in the South. Nationwide, however, ten dog breeds were searched for more than any others. These include:

Related: One of a Kind Cane Corso-French Bulldog Mix Puppy Leaves People Stunned

From their findings, MetLife also determined which states and populous cities most actively research new breeds.

“Texas, Nevada, and California have the highest search volume for dog breeds per capita,” MetLife explains, while Bakersfield, CA, San Francisco, CA, and Colorado Springs, CO, rank as the top cities most actively researching dog breeds.”

America’s Most Popular Cat Breeds

MetLife’s findings were just as fascinating on the feline side. One breed won over most of the Pacific Northwest, while another dominated in the South.

I was surprised that the Maine Coon wasn’t one of the more prevalent breeds on the map! Instead, Savannah cats rule in the Southeast, while Norwegian Forest Cats command the Northwest.

Several exotic cat breeds, such as the Serengeti and Somali breeds, were also popular, but only ten cat breeds were the most searched for in the country. Those are:

Is your favorite cat breed on the list? If it’s not, it may still be included in MetLife’s study as one of the most popular breeds in a major US city. There’s a complete list, including the top 50 most populous cities in America, for dog breeds, too!

Researching a dog or cat’s breed can be helpful when learning about their health or behavioral tendencies, but breed isn’t everything. Please consider visiting your local animal shelter to see the rescue dogs and cats you might fall in love with!

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This story was originally published by PetHelpful on Jan 31, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here.