The Dog In The Window In Illinois Is Most Likely This Breed

The purse-sized Chihuahua is the top dog nationwide but doesn't crack the top three in Illinois in a new analysis from U.S. News & World Report.

U.S. News released its Most Popular Dog Breeds in Each State report Tuesday, during National Dog Month, an observance founded in 2020 to celebrate the joy dogs bring to families and to promote rescues and adoptions. National Dog Day is Aug. 26.

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Illinois' dog owners, who are among 56 million households nationwide that are home to at least one dog, prefer Labrador retrievers, followed by Yorkshire terriers and German Shepherds in the No. 1 and No. 2 spots, respectively.

The Chihuahua was the most popular breed in 13 states. Rounding out the top 10 were the French bulldog, Labrador retriever, Yorkshire terrier, Shih Tzu, golden retriever, German shepherd, American pit bull terrier, goldendoodle and dachshund.

For the report, U.S. News analyzed more than 3.5 million data points from insurance industry partner Fletch, covering January 2022 through June 2026. Researchers looked at dog breeds and where owners live to determine the most popular breeds in each state and Washington, D.C.

The study found some regional preferences. In New Jersey and New York, the Yorkshire terrier, shih tzu and French bulldog comprise the top three.

It's the same with neighboring New Hampshire and Maine, although residents of these New England states prefer big dogs over small ones. Their three favorite dog breeds are Labrador retriever, golden retriever and German shepherd. And Alabamans and Georgians are partial to Yorkshire terriers, Chihuahuas and Shih Tzus.

The study also found that large dogs dominate in seven states — Alaska, Wisconsin, Maine, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota and Montana. And speaking of big dogs, only 14 states don't have either a Labrador retriever or a golden retriever in their top three.

Toy breeds—Chihuahuas, Yorkshire terriers and Shih Tzus – take the top spots in five states: Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Rhode Island and West Virginia.

The dachshund, which takes the No. 10 spot nationwide, only places in the top three for Vermont, where it stands below golden retrievers and Labrador retrievers, respectively.

Only one state, North Dakota, has a most popular breed that didn't make the nationwide top three. The Afghan hound tied for No. 2 with the Labrador retriever.