Photo courtesy of Camp Bow Wow.
Photo courtesy of Camp Bow Wow.
Camp Bow Wow, a North American dog daycare and boarding franchise, has revealed the Top 5 Large Dog Breeds and Top 5 Small Dog Breeds for 2023 based on its database of approximately 400 000 dog campers in the United States and Canada.1
Camp Bow Wow’s annual breed list includes a variety of purebred dogs, mixed breed dogs (sorted by main breed), and popular crossbreeds (e.g. doodles), while kennel clubs only share lists annual data based on purebred dog registrations.
The 5 most popular large dog breeds include1:
- Labrador retriever (topping the list for the sixth year in a row)
- Golden doodle
- Golden retrievers (mixed and purebred)
- german shepherds
- australian shepherds
The 5 most popular small dog breeds include1:
- Miniature Poodle
- Chihuahua
- Shih Tzu
- Beagle
- Yorkshire Terrier
Camp Bow Wow animal health and behavior expert Erin Askeland, MSc, CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA, said family, lifestyle and daily routine are key factors to consider before choosing the size and breed of dog to adopt.1 While small breeds often thrive better in apartments and generally have lower energy requirements, larger breeds are generally more active and need more space. There are caveats, however. Every breed is unique, so it’s important to do your research.
“Some small breeds are big dogs at heart – for example, even the smallest terriers tend to be very energetic and need a lot of attention and exercise, while a large dog breed like the Great Dane is known to be quite calm and low energy,” Askeland shared.1 “While a dog’s breed can influence certain tendencies and behaviors, breed alone should not determine whether to bring a particular dog into your home. At Camp Bow Wow, we love all breeds and believe that every dog deserves a loving home.”
It is also essential to consider lifespan, as small dogs generally have a longer life expectancy of between 12 and 15 years, while larger dogs generally live between 8 and 12 years.1 Some theories as to why this happens are that large breeds grow more quickly, so they may be more susceptible to abnormal cell growth caused by cancer, and because large breeds age more quickly, they may be more susceptible to related diseases. at earlier age.2
The references
- Camp Bow Wow reveals the top 5 large and small dog breeds for 2023. Press release. Camp Bow Wow. August 16, 2023. Accessed August 18, 2023. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/camp-bow-wow-unveils-top-5-large-and-small-dog-breeds-for-2023 – 301902607.html
- Meyers H. Why do small dogs live longer than large dogs? American Kennel Club. April 26, 2022. Accessed August 18, 2023. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/why-do-small-dogs-live-longer