Languages, favorite food and favorite sports teams are some the cultural aspects that can bring people of certain countries together. But now, thanks to a new map, our furry canine pals are set to be included in these cultural conversations.
Those of us with dogs already love to talk about our four-legged friends. The love of canines can bring people from all walks of life closer to together. Now, people can bond over their country’s favorite dog breed.
New research from UK-based home improvement site householdquotes.co.uk showed the most popular dog in every country via a dog-themed map. The site used Google search data to find the most sought-after breed in every country on Earth. And then put pictures of the popular ones on maps.
The 150 territories in the study highlighted 27 of the most popular and loved dog breeds.
According to data from the home improvement site, the Rottweiler is the number one dog in 34 countries, the highest number of appearances for any breed. At the same time, the Australian Shepherd is the most-searched breed in the world, with 913,000 monthly hits across the four countries where it is number one.
Europe
In Europe, the Border Collie and Cane Corse both ranked as the most popular dog breeds among 14 countries (seven each). Border Collies were most popular in Iceland, Spain, Belgium, Slovenia, Hungary, Czech Republic and Andorra. While the Cane Corso is the most beloved dog in Croatia, Slovakia, Montenegro, Serbia, Georgia, Romania and Macedonia.
The border collie is a familiar sheep dog, but what of the Cane Corso? This “affectionate, intelligent, majestic” guard dog can trace her heritage to Roman times, and is well-loved in the Balkans and surrounding nations.
The most popular dog in the UK is the cockapoo. While in France the Australian Shepherd ranked at the top. Meanwhile, Golden Retrievers ranked at the top in Greece, Italy, Ireland, Norway, Luxembourg and Denmark.
North America
In the North American continent the Rottweiler reigns supreme. The breed ranked at the top in almost half of the countries including the Virgin Islands (US), Jamaica, Haiti, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Panama, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and the Dominican Republic.
In the US, the Australian Shepherd is the most popular dog breed. Despite the name, the Aussie shepherd is an American breed. According to the study, the breed is especially and recently sought after for its distinctive mottled colouring and, very often, mismatched eyes.
Meanwhile in Canada the Golden Retriever ranked as top dog and Mexico the Chihuahua is king.
South America
The Rottweiler is the top dog in South America, loved by nearly two-thirds of the continent.
In Argentina, the English Bull Terrier ranked at the top while Chileans are big fans of Pugs, Guyana loves Golden Retrievers and Uruguay residents adore the Border Collie.
See below for a map of most popular dog breeds in South America.
Middle East and Central Asia
In the Middle East and Central Asia, the German shepherd is the most popular dog in seven countries of the region (plus a further 22 around the world). Several breeds dominated the region including the Border Collie, the Golden Retriever, the Doberman Pinscher, Rottweiler, and the German Shepherd.
It’s big, guard dogs all around in the Middle East and Central Asia, as Dobermanns and Rottweilers occupy many of the remaining countries. The golden retriever is popular in Egypt, although stray dogs still roam the streets. For those who want to have a look at adopting adopting a homeless hound, click here.
Rest of Asia and Oceania
Within the Rest of Asia and Oceania region, the Shiba Inu makes its biggest mark in Asia, where she is top dog in Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, and Singapore. Overall, the German Shepherd is the most popular dog breed in this region.
The German shepherd and the Golden Retriever are also popular across the rest of the region. A special mention goes to the Shih Tzu, who makes his only appearance in the Philippines while Vietnam belongs to the Poodle.
Africa
The German shepherd is most popular in 14 African countries, just edging out the Rottweiler, who is most-searched in 13 places. But the Boerboel makes a good effort too: all four of her number one appearances are in African countries (Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe). In fact, this tough, intelligent dog originated in South Africa.
“Like international celebrities, there isn’t always a clear reason why a certain breed of dog is more popular in one country or another,” the study states. “Thankfully, dogs are not really about “reason” so much as “cuddling,” “rolling senselessly on their backs,” and – occasionally – a bit of loyal hard work such as guarding the home.”
The study collected two lists of dog breed names using dogtime and Wikipedia and collected monthly Google search figures for every breed in every country.
How come the German Shepherd is the most popular dog breed in Congo, more than a Basenji, the country’s national dog?
The Cane Corso is loving and devoted toward its family members and suspicious of strangers.These dogs may also be territorial with other dogs or cats Since Cane Corsos were once used for hunting applications, they may also have a moderate to high prey drive.