Top U.S. Dog Statistics to Know for 2022
If you’re looking for some of the latest U.S. dog statistics, I’ve decided to compile a list of the best ones I‘ve found. I tried to find ones within the last couple of years for relevancy.
Whether you’re looking for the total number of dog owners in the U.S., the most popular breeds, or anything else, there should be some interesting statistics here for everyone. This will be an ongoing list.
I did find several other statistics, but I left off the ones without clear proof. For example, many websites disclose a statistic, but do not link to an actual source supporting it.
My Top U.S. Dog Statistics to Know for 2022
1. In 2022, the top 5 U.S. cities that are best for walking dogs overall are (1) Portland, OR, (2) San Francisco, CA, (3) Oakland, CA, (4) Las Vegas NV, and (5) Boise ID, respectively.
This list was created by Lawn Starter after looking at over 170 of the biggest U.S. cities and comparing them for pup-friendly trail access, walkability, safety, and services.
Interestingly, 7 of the top 10 cities were in the West, while the cities at the bottom were in the South.
Source: Lawn Starter
2. 69 million American households own at least one dog.
According to the American Pet Products Association’s 2021-2022 National Pet Owners Survey, dogs are #1 for household ownership in the U.S. with 69 million households owning a dog. Cats are #2 with 45.3 million households, while freshwater fish are #3 at 11.8 million households.
Source: APPA
3. While dogs are owned by the most households in the U.S. compared to other animals, Americans own more fish and cats in actual numbers.
Based on the American Products Association’s 2017-2018 National Pet Owners Survey, there are 158.1 million fish owned in the U.S. (139.3 million freshwater and 18.1 million saltwater), 94.2 million cats, and 89.7 million dogs. I was unable to find a more recent survey regarding total ownership.
Source: APPA 2017-2018 National Pet Owners Survey
4. The most popular dog breed in the U.S. is the Labrador Retriever.
According to the American Kennel Club, the Labrador Retriever tops their list for most popular dog breed in 2020 for the 30th year in a row based on their registration statistics. Here are their top 10, although they list a total of 195:
- Labrador Retriever
- French Bulldogs
- German Shepherd Dogs
- Golden Retrievers
- Bulldogs
- Poodles
- Beagles
- Rottweilers
- Pointers (German Shorthaired)
- Dachshunds
Source: American Kennel Club
5. Almost 1 in 5 households acquired a dog or cat since the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis.
The ASPCA conducted a poll of 5,020 people determining this statistic, which accounts for a total of 23 million U.S. households. They also determined that 90% of dog owners still have this pet, while 85% of cat owners still have this pet.
Source: ASPCA
6. The U.S. States with the highest percentage of dog ownership are Idaho, Arkansas and Montana, respectively.
Idaho had the highest dog ownership rate at 58.3%, followed by Montana with 51.9%, and Arkansas with 51.6%, according to the AVMA Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook 2017-2018 Edition.
Source: AMVA Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook
7. The U.S. States with the lowest percentage of dog ownership are New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island (26%), respectively.
New Hampshire had the lowest percentage of dog owners at 23.7%, followed by Connecticut at 24%, and Rhode Island at 25.8%, according to the AVMA Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook 2017-2018 Edition.
Source: AMVA Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook (see link above)
8. Dogs continue to make up the majority of insured pets compared to cats in the U.S.
In the United States, there are a total of 3,101,956 insured pets. Of that total, 82.9% are dogs compared to 17.1% that are cats, according to The North American Pet Health Insurance Association.
In Canada, there are 352,631 total insured pets. Of that number, 75.2% are dogs compared to 24.8% that are cats.
Source: NAPHIA
9. The average dog owner now spends $1480 per year for basic care and routine visits, according to the APPA National Pet Owners Survey, 2021-2022.
This $1480 only takes into account these basic expenses. As a side note, the average cat owner spends about $900 annually.
Source: Forbes
10. There are approximately 4.1 million shelter animals in the U.S. that are adopted each year consisting of 2 million dogs and 2.1 million cats.
While those numbers reflect adoptions, there are a total of approximately 6.3 million companion animals that enter U.S. shelters each year. Some are euthanized, some are returned to their owners, while the rest are adopted, according to the ASPCA.
Source: ASPCA
Summary of Top U.S. Dog Statistics to Know for 2022
Well, I hope you enjoyed these recent U.S. dog statistics.
Please let me know if you have any others you think I should add. The main issue is finding legitimate sources supporting such statistics, so please let me know where you found your data.
Thank you for reading this blog post.
