Cities with the largest dog populations
By Kael Laselva
Dogs are everywhere. Being the world’s most popular pet, you can expect to see dogs everywhere you look; However, your city might not be as densely populated with canines as you may think, at least when compared to other areas of the world. Now the question arises, “What metric should be used when determining which cities are the most dog-crazy?”. Well, instead of using dogs per square foot, or total canine population in general, the following list is ranked based on the dog to human ratio (D:H) as a “per 100” statistic (number of dogs for every 100 humans), leveling out the playing field as much as possible. The numbers used in this article were researched by “Protect My Paws” statisticians, (https://protectmypaws.com/best-cities-for-dog-lovers-in-the-world/)
- San Francisco, USA
Maybe the “Golden City” was truly named after the sheer mass of Golden retrievers that reside within it. This city in California houses 26.5 dogs per 100 humans. According to an article written by the American Kennel Club, the French Bulldog is the most popular breed in San Francisco as of 2022 (https://www.sfexaminer.com/culture/sf-loves-french-bulldogs-according-to-american-kennel-club/article_02154c58-c364-11ed-945e-db0d844cf1f3.html#).
- San Diego
Have you ever wondered where the “San” in San Diego comes from? Well, based on its Spanish and Latin roots, it translates to the word “Saint”, and although the city was named after its founder, it makes sense that it would be home to the 4th highest number of angels per person in the world. Although these angels may be fluffy and slobbery, they are still very much saints. San Diego sits at number 4 with a ratio of 36.1 dogs for every 100 humans.
- Havana, Cuba
At our number three spot for where dogs are the most PUPular, is the capital of Cuba. Although Havana has a ratio of 40.6 D: 100 H, that statistic is a bit misleading when it comes to identifying which cities have the most dogs as PETS. Havana has one of the world's highest stray dog populations, similar to many other Caribbean and Latin countries.
- Bern, Switzerland
The city of Bern, Switzerland, has medieval architectural design traits and patterns recognized to be from as far back as the 12th century, specifically present in the “old town” section of the city known as Altstadt. This rustic, European city is home to a very abundant population of canines, placing second on our list with a whopping 47.7:100 dog to human ratio. The most popular dog breed among the Swiss people is the Chihuahua, according to an article by authors at “I am Expat” (https://www.iamexpat.ch/lifestyle/lifestyle-news/most-popular-dog-names-and-breeds-switzerland-revealed#:~:text=Most%20popular%20dog%20breeds%20in,Labrador%20Retriever%20%2D%2025.081)
- Houston, Texas
Maybe what they say is really true… everything is bigger in Texas, including the dog population! The staple American city of Houston is home to an immense number of canines, making it the world's most dog-crazy city according to the metric being used. As of 2021, if the number of humans and dogs both counted towards the total population, the pups would make up over a THIRD of it, having around 52.1 dogs for every 100 humans.