Paw prints: Shepherds make popular dogs

With the holiday season, families may be looking into expanding with an additional four-legged companion. According to a nationwide survey by Forbes Advisor, the most popular dog breed New Mexico residents consider is the German shepherd.

According to a news release, two-thirds of U.S. households own a dog and 85% of dog owners consider pets a part of their family. To help determine which furry friend is perfect for your household, Forbes Advisor surveyed 10,000 dog owners in America to determine which breed is most favored in each state.

For New Mexico, German shepherds were the state’s favorite breed, with Australian shepherds following close behind. According to the release, German shepherds’ popularity are due to being a highly trainable and intelligent dog.

German shepherds were ranked America’s second favorite dog breed overall. This breed is often associated in career fields such as search and rescue and police k-9 units.

Some key facts about the German shepherds from the study:

• German Shepherds were ranked as the top breed for 16 states.

• In nine states, German Shepherds were ranked second.

• German Shepherds were more favored by men (9%) than women (6%).

Nationwide the top favorite dog breeds went to Australian shepherds, German shepherds and bulldogs. Despite the rankings, the largest percentage of respondents reported that “no breed in particular” was their favorite (13%).

Madison Willis writes about animals for The Eastern New Mexico News. To suggest a story or nominate a “Pet of the week,” contact her at:

[email protected]