Do you have your finger on the pulse when it comes to pet trends in your city? Every year we dig into Rover’s database of over a million pet owners to uncover which dog and cat breeds are trending, including the most popular dog and cat breeds in Denver and across the US.
While some breeds are consistently popular, others are quickly climbing the rankings as what we call trending breeds. These are dogs and cats that rose in popularity in 2024, becoming the top trending breeds for their cities. Scroll down to see if your pet’s breed is among them!
As you’ll discover, when it comes to dogs the most common breed is a mix, a first-place finish that is also true across the US overall. The rest of the top 10 most popular dogs in Denver tend towards being high-energy and outdoorsy types, the ideal fit for this four-season city.
The fun doesn’t stop with dogs though. We’ve also crunched the numbers for cats to see which kinds are the most common, and which breeds are up and coming. We hope you find the deep-dive as fascinating as we do! As the world’s largest network of dog walkers and pet sitters, Rover has heard of just about every pet breed and crossbreed there is, but there is always something in these results that we weren’t expecting. Let’s take a look!
Denver’s Most Popular Dog Breeds
How common is your dog’s breed?
- Mixed
- Golden Retriever
- Labrador Retriever
- Goldendoodle
- German Shepherd
- Australian Shepherd
- Chihuahua
- French Bulldog
- Siberian Husky
- Australian Cattle Dog
A thriving spot that mixes a cosmopolitan energy with a remarkable mountain-backdrop, the Mile High City is best enjoyed outside. Whether cycling the Cherry Creek Trail or heading out to meet friends at one of town’s 150+ craft breweries, pet parents find Denver is the ideal home for both Golden and Labrador Retrievers (ranking second and third) as well as for the popular Goldendoodle and Siberian Husky.
Despite the name, the Australian Shepherd is in fact a home-grown breed that was first developed in California. Extremely energetic and whip-smart, “Aussies” quickly gained a cult status with ranchers across the Western states — a popularity that clearly holds true today!
Labrador Retriever – iStock/THEPALMER
Denver Dog Breed Trends for 2024
Top 10 trending dog breeds
- Alaskan Malamute
- Rat Terrier
- West Highland White Terrier
- Labradoodle
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
- Poodle
- Cane Corso
- Bull Terrier
- Greyhound
- French Bulldog
iStock/Firn
We crunched the data of Rover’s thousands of users in Denver to work out which breeds were most on the rise. The number-one trending breed this year is the Alaskan Malamute, the stunning sled dog. Often confused with the smaller, speedier Siberian Husky, Malamutes are strong, muscular powerhouses with impressive physical prowess. These pups were bred to carry heavy loads and have a ton of energy. They require daily strenuous exercise, making them the perfect match for Coloradans who love to push the limits in the great outdoors. They also excel in agility and obedience trials, competitive sledding, and weight-pulling competitions, and a few activities you may have never heard of before: bikejoring (pulling someone on a bike), skatejoring (pulling someone on skates), and skijoring (pulling someone on skis). Sounds perfect for Denver to us!
Small breeds also had a strong showing in Denver’s top trending breeds this year. The Rat Terrier leads the pack of trending small dogs in Denver. This pup is super smart, highly active, and the perfect size for apartment-dwellers. Pet parents who live in single-family homes should be aware that these dogs are known escape artists, agile enough to jump a fence and inventive enough to find a way to explore the world beyond their yard. Pet parents should be prepared to offer their Rat Terrier plenty of mental stimulation to keep their curiosity satisfied.
Finally, Greyhounds made our list of trending breeds in Denver. Although they are most commonly known for their top speeds in racing, Greyhounds are perfectly happy spending cozy days on the couch, which suits their mellow personality perfectly. Just be sure to give your Greyhound short bursts of daily exercise and you’ll be rewarded with a loving companion.
Denver’s Rarest Dog Breeds
Do you have one of these rare breeds?
- Treeing Walker Coonhound
- Transylvanian Hound
- Tamaskan Dog
- Smooth Collie
- Shiloh Shepherd
According to our data, these breeds were the least common among pet owners in Denver. Continuing the trend of wolfish dogs like the Malamute, one of Denver’s rarest breeds is the Tamaskan Dog. Their origins are a mystery, though we know they are a mix of several arctic breeds, including Siberian and Alaskan Huskies, Malamutes, and German Shepherds. This pup is known to be graceful, smart, and athletic.
Smooth Collies are also known for their grace and intelligence. Smooth Collies differ from their more recognizable counterpart, the Rough Collie (think Lassie). Their coats are smooth, short, dense, and flat as their name suggests. This breed makes an excellent family dog because they love people and are said to be easily trainable. These pups are not built for long hours alone and hate to be tied up in the backyard. They thrive with their people, and loneliness can lead to boredom and excessive barking.
America’s Most Popular Cat Breeds for 2024
- Domestic Shorthair
- American Shorthair
- Domestic Longhair
- Siamese
- Maine Coon
- Ragdoll
- Russian Blue
- Bombay
- Bengal
- Siberian
Drbouz via iStock
Pet parent stats are from a Rover survey of 1,000 U.S. pet parents conducted in July, 2024, via Pollfish. Dog and cat breed data are based on analysis of millions of user-submitted dog breeds provided by pet parents on Rover.com.
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