{"id":4622,"date":"2026-02-03T14:27:16","date_gmt":"2026-02-03T14:27:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pe-ts.fun\/?p=4622"},"modified":"2026-02-03T14:27:16","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T14:27:16","slug":"list-of-americas-most-popular-dog-and-cat-breeds-by-state-in-2026-might-surprise-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pe-ts.fun\/?p=4622","title":{"rendered":"List of America&#8217;s Most Popular Dog and Cat Breeds By State in 2026 Might Surprise You"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">It&#8217;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&#8217;d like your furry friend to have.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">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.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">America&#8217;s Most Popular Dog Breeds<\/h2>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">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.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"Graphic of most popular dog breeds by stateImage via MetLife Pet Insurance\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/qj0iVOu.Fu3XO3mtNjhpZQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU0MDtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/pethelpful_915\/74999d26941770f19b23c926573dc407\"\/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<div style=\"max-height:none;overflow:visible\">\n<p>Graphic of most popular dog breeds by stateImage via MetLife Pet Insurance<\/p>\n<p><span>(Image via MetLife Pet Insurance)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Does your state&#8217;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&#8217;t common at all!<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Some dog breeds even dominated entire regions of the US, such as the <a href=\"https:\/\/pethelpful.com\/dogs\/Dog-Breeds-The-Cane-Corso\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Cane Corso;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Cane Corso<\/a>, which was widely searched for in the South. Nationwide, however, ten dog breeds were searched for more than any others. These include:<\/p>\n<ol class=\"mb-4\">\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-decimal\"\/>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-decimal\"\/>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-decimal\"\/>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-decimal\"\/>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-decimal\"\/>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-decimal\"\/>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-decimal\"\/>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-decimal\"\/>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-decimal\"\/>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-decimal\"\/><\/ol>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><strong>Related: One of a Kind Cane Corso-French Bulldog Mix Puppy Leaves People Stunned<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">From their findings, MetLife also determined which states and populous cities most actively research new breeds.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;Texas, Nevada, and California have the highest search volume for dog breeds per capita,&#8221; MetLife explains, while Bakersfield, CA, San Francisco, CA, and Colorado Springs, CO, rank as the top cities most actively researching dog breeds.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">America&#8217;s Most Popular Cat Breeds<\/h2>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">MetLife&#8217;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.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"Graphic of most popular cat breedsImage via MetLife Pet Insurance\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/gt9Z9gGevgv8y5agq0d66Q--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU0MDtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/pethelpful_915\/ee0a8915dde171da8415272e4f4214b1\"\/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<div style=\"max-height:none;overflow:visible\">\n<p>Graphic of most popular cat breedsImage via MetLife Pet Insurance<\/p>\n<p><span>(Image via MetLife Pet Insurance)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">I was surprised that the Maine Coon wasn&#8217;t one of the more prevalent breeds on the map! Instead, Savannah cats rule in the Southeast, while <a href=\"https:\/\/pethelpful.com\/cats\/great-names-for-your-norwegian-forest-cat\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Norwegian Forest Cats;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Norwegian Forest Cats <\/a>command the Northwest.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">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:<\/p>\n<ol class=\"mb-4\">\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-decimal\"\/>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-decimal\"\/>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-decimal\"\/>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-decimal\"\/>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-decimal\"\/>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-decimal\"\/>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-decimal\"\/>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-decimal\"\/>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-decimal\"\/>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-decimal\"\/><\/ol>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Is your favorite cat breed on the list? If it&#8217;s not, it may still be included in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.metlifepetinsurance.com\/americas-favorite-pet-breeds\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:MetLife's study;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">MetLife&#8217;s study<\/a> as one of the most popular breeds in a major US city. There&#8217;s a complete list, including the top 50 most populous cities in America, for dog breeds, too!<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Researching a dog or cat&#8217;s breed can be helpful when learning about their health or behavioral tendencies, but breed isn&#8217;t everything. Please consider visiting your local animal shelter to see the rescue dogs and cats you might fall in love with!<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a href=\"https:\/\/emojipedia.org\/dog-face\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:\ud83d\udc36;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">\ud83d\udc36<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/parade.com\/newsletters\/parade-pets\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:SIGN UP to get \u201cpawsitivity\u201d delivered right to your inbox with inspiring &amp; entertaining stories about our furry &amp; feathered friends;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><strong>SIGN UP to get \u201cpawsitivity\u201d delivered right to your inbox with inspiring &amp; entertaining stories about our furry &amp; feathered friends<\/strong><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/emojipedia.org\/paw-prints\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:\ud83d\udc3e\ud83d\udc3e;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">\ud83d\udc3e\ud83d\udc3e<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><i>This story was originally published by <a href=\"https:\/\/pethelpful.com\/pet-news\/americas-most-popular-dog-cat-breeds-by-state-2026\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:PetHelpful;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">PetHelpful<\/a> on Jan 31, 2026, where it first appeared in the <a href=\"https:\/\/pethelpful.com\/pet-news\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Pet News;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Pet News<\/a> section. Add PetHelpful as a <a href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=pethelpful.com\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Preferred Source by clicking here.;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Preferred Source by clicking here.<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It&#8217;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 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4623,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4622","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pets-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pe-ts.fun\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4622","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pe-ts.fun\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pe-ts.fun\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pe-ts.fun\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pe-ts.fun\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4622"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/pe-ts.fun\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4622\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pe-ts.fun\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4623"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pe-ts.fun\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4622"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pe-ts.fun\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4622"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pe-ts.fun\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4622"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}