Is yours one of the one in eight in NZ?
At Auckland Kennel and Cattery it is our business to keep up with dog news. So, after having investigated the popularity of ‘Bellas’ in Auckland, we’ve done the research and found out what the most popular dog breeds in New Zealand are.
We thought that if you were on the hunt for a new dog, you may be wondering what the popular dog breeds are, or you may just be wondering quite how popular your favourite fur buddy is.
We love pets
According to Companion Animals New Zealand, CANZ, Aotearoa is home to more than 4.35 million companion animals. Our pets almost outnumber our people, and more people share their homes with companion animals than almost anywhere else in the world. Only the United States has a higher proportion of households with companion animals than us.
As we already know at Auckland Kennel and Cattery, 74% of people with cats and 78% with dogs consider their pets to be members of the family.
A third of New Zealand households share their home with at least one dog and there are a total of 851,000 dogs in NZ. The proportion of households with dogs has increased from 29% in 2011 and 28% in 2015 to 34% in 2020. 32% of Auckland homes have a dog.
Pure or mixed breeds?
Over half of the dogs in New Zealand, 500,000, are pure breeds, designer breeds or registered pedigrees. The remaining 360,000 dogs are mixed or non-pure breeds.
In New Zealand, there are 224 recognised dog breeds and breeders are the most popular way that New Zealanders find their furry family members: 21% of dogs are purchased from a breeder and a further 17% from a private advertisement.
The average price for a registered pedigree is dog $660, a designer breed costs $630 on average and the price for a pure breed is around $570. The average price for a mixed or non pure breed is $210.
Which breed wins?
Labradors account for one in eight pure-bred dogs in New Zealand, and it’s likely that many of our 212,000 cross-breed dogs have a good mix of Lab in their genetic make-up. There are currently 41,385 Labradors registered in New Zealand.
Labradors are the most popular dog in 38 of New Zealand’s 67 council districts, all the cities, and an increasing number of smaller towns.
Huntaways and border collies are the second and third most popular breeds, which is probably due to the sheer size of our rural community. The other top breeds are Jack Russell terriers, cocker spaniels, German shepherds, and golden retrievers, while greyhounds, schnauzers and shih tzus are becoming more popular.
It’s all about Labradors
Labradors are actually from the island of Newfoundland, Canada. Originally, they were working dogs, helping cod fishermen haul in their nets before becoming shooting and companion dogs for the British aristocracy.
The breed has really taken off in New Zealand since the 1990s and have topped the American Kennel Club’s list of breeds from 1991.
Absolute people-pleasers, they’re easy to train. They’ve got a kind expression, make great mates and have a reputation for being good with kids, putting up with being poked and prodded. We think people like Labs because there’s nothing too ‘special’ about them. They’re easy going, a nice size – not too big – and they will do just about anything. If you ask it of them, Labradors will give it a fair go. With a Labrador, you basically know what you’re getting.
Check out our Auckland boarding kennels
Come and have a look around. You’ll be able to see for yourself why our Auckland Kennel and Cattery is so popular, and not just with Turbo. While your dog is staying with us at our boarding kennels, we give them exercise and playtime twice daily, and loads of cuddles.
Turbo our regular Labrador
Meet Turbo. This cute guy has basically grown up with us at Auckland Kennel and Cattery. If you are thinking about boarding your dog with us while you’re on holiday, or bringing them in to have fun at our doggie daycare, why not pop in, meet us and talk to Turbo.