Every year we dig into Rover’s database of over a million pet owners to uncover which dog and cat breeds are the most popular in different cities throughout the world, including which breeds are trending across the US, including in Nashville.
While some breeds are perennially popular, others are just starting to climb the ranks as what we call trending breeds. These are dogs and cats that had a spike in popularity in 2023, becoming the top trending breeds for their cities. Can you guess what they might be?
As you will see, when it comes to dogs, the most common breed is a mix, with crossbreeds topping the table for the most popular dog breed overall. We found that 60% of pet parents in the US have a mixed breed dog and one in five (19%) specifically sought out a mixed breed dog, or “mutt”.
After mixed breeds, the top 10 most popular dogs in Nashville feature some all-time classic breeds, which come up again and again for a reason. When it comes to trends, you’ll notice just how many doodles, that is poodle crosses, are making their mark.
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 on the up! We hope you will enjoy learning about new kinds of cats as much as we did.
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 have a look!
Nashville’s Most Popular Dog Breeds
Mixed
Labrador Retriever
Goldendoodle
Golden Retriever
German Shepherd
Chihuahua
Shih Tzu
French Bulldog
Dachshund
Yorkshire Terrier
Mixed breeds are the most common overall. Looking over the rest of the top 10, it’s a pretty even spread between more energetic medium to large breeds, who will surely enjoy letting off steam in one of Nashville’s many dog parks, to smaller breeds popular in cities the world over.
Right up in the top 5 we see two all-time favorite breeds which are classics for a reason. The loveable Labrador retriever is cherished as an always-affable family companion, along with its cousin, the intelligent and eager-to-please Golden. Special mention for the Goldendoodle, which combines the appealing traits of the Golden Retriever with the sociability and, depending on the cross, the hypoallergenic qualities of a Poodle coat. The designer crossbreed known affectionately as the ‘Groodle’ are cherished for their loving and loyal nature and make wonderful family dogs.
Going down the list we find smaller breeds, perhaps more readily associated with city living. For example, the endlessly endearing Shih Tzu. This ancient breed, whose name means ‘lion dog’, was developed by elite breeders to live quite literally in the lap of luxury in the palaces of Chinese emperors, including the Ming dynasty. The breed was made available for the public only relatively recently, in the 20th century and today they still love nothing more than to curl up in their owner’s lap for a cuddle (even if you’re not royal!).
Trending Breeds in Nashville
The Top 10
Bernedoodle
Miniature Poodle
French Bulldog
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Toy Poodle
American Bully
Maltese
Bichon Frise
Poodle
Doberman Pinscher
When it comes to trends, the poodle rules! Four poodle or poodle crosses (known collectively as ‘doodles’) make this top 10 list. We see a very interesting entry right up top – the Bernedoodle, a cross between a Standard, or sometimes Miniature Poodle, and a Bernese Mountain Dog. The latter breed, a working dog originating from the Swiss Alps, are majestically beautiful to look at and kind and placid in nature. Poodles also being highly intelligent, alert working dogs and this crossbreed needs plenty of stimulation and exercise – as long as she gets it, she’ll make a charismatic and delightful companion for the whole family.
We also see Poodles of every size on the list. Originally developed as working retrievers as far back as the Middle Ages, smaller Miniature variations of the breed came into favor with French royalty in the 1700s. The main difference between the Standard, Miniature and Toy really comes down to size as they all conform to the same official breed standard.
In a survey we conducted across the US as part of out research, we discovered that Gen Z pet parents are most likely to have a mixed breed dog (69%), while Gen X (44%) and baby boomers (43%) are most likely to have purebreds.
Rarest Dog Breeds in Nashville
Saluki
Sakhalin Husky
Portuguese Podengo
Welsh Springer Spaniel
Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael)
Manchester Terrier
Bedlington Terrier
American Hairless Terrier
Canary Mastiff
Tennessee Treeing Brindle
We found that these breeds are present in Nashville in the smallest number. There’s some really unusual breeds on the list that might only be recognizable to the most clued-up of dog breed experts. The Sakhalin Husky is a critically endangered breed native to the island of the same name that sits between Russian and Japanese waters. Originally bred as sled dogs, the Sakhalin Husky has a slightly different appearance to the more common (but no less beautiful) Siberian variety, with darker coloring, usually black.
Number 10 on this list we have a local speciality to the region, the strong and loyal hunting dog the Tennessee Treeing Brindle, developed from Cur dogs and known to be supremely smart and fast with a very keen nose.
The Most Popular Cat Breeds in Nashville
Domestic Shorthair
American Shorthair
Domestic Longhair
Maine Coon
Siamese
Nashville Cat Breed Trends for 2023
Snowshoe
Savannah
Turkish Van
Siberian
Scottish Fold
These trending cat breeds could win prizes for their evocative names alone, let alone their engaging looks and personality.
Numbers are rising fastest for the striking Snowshoe breed, recognizable instantly for their piercing blue eyes and distinctive markings and colors of white and blue, chocolate or gray, similar to the Siamese from which they are partially descended. As kittens, all Snowshoes are born white and develop their own distinctive markings over time. In contrast to most of their species, Snowshoes are known to actually enjoy water and swimming!
The Scottish Fold cat are called such after their distinctive folded ears which, combined with their round faces and big eyes, give them a teddy-bear or even owl-like appearance. Along with their endearing appearance and sweet personality, this breed hailing from Perthshire in Scotland is also known for their eccentric sitting positions, and sometimes sit upright, legs out, like a human.
Get to Know the Breeds
Learn more about Labrador Retriever
Learn more about the Golden Retriever
Learn more about the Goldendoodle
Learn more about the Greyhound
How To Tell What Breed A Cat Is
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