Hanover. Whether playful French, lively Mexicans or proud Italians: German dog parks are extremely international. This is shown by the current ranking of Agila pet insurance based on the dogs insured with it.
“Germans continue to keep mixed breeds particularly often, followed by Labradors and French bulldogs,” explains Agila expert Franziska Obert. “These three breeds have been popular with dog owners for years.”
The Golden Retriever has moved up two places to fourth place. The St. John's dogs, which come from Canada, are considered the ancestors of most retriever species. They were bred to be hardworking and resilient working dogs. The Golden Retriever is extremely willing to learn and adaptable. He is very attached to his family and is patient with children. Over the past few decades, he has gone from being an original hunting companion to becoming a family dog.
The poodle also climbed two places, reaching seventh place in 2024. It was originally bred for hunting, specifically water hunting. The expression “like a watered poodle” also comes from this time. Today the graceful animals fascinate with their intelligence, pride and energy.
Most of the small dogs defended their places in the German dog breed ranking, with the exception of the French Bulldog, which slipped from second to third place. The other four-legged friends of smaller caliber, Chihuahuas, Havanese and Maltese, have again conquered places five, eight and ten in 2024. Small but mighty! They are by no means intimidated by the “big guys”. All three breeds are confident and fearless dogs with a strong character. The cheerful daredevils demand good education and clear statements from their owners.
The Cane Corso, which has slipped two places to seventh place, needs even more intensive training. The Italian Mastiff, as the Cane Corso is also called, is a massive and muscular type of dog and belongs in experienced hands. Its ancestor probably accompanied the ancient Romans for centuries as a war dog. Today he is often used as a farm and guard dog.
The Australian Shepherd also lost two places and landed in sixth place. As a former working dog that was bred as a herding dog, the Australian Shepherd's need for exercise knows almost no limits. “This breed can be an ideal pairing for active families with children. As with all other dog breeds, the prerequisite is that parents convey clear rules of behavior for two- and four-legged friends at an early stage,” says Obert.
Remains number one in the German dog breed ranking: the mixed breed. The fact that it has been so popular nationwide for years certainly has to do with the fact that it is considered to be more robust and less susceptible to illness than purebred dogs and that it is generally said to have a longer lifespan. “However, this also depends on the breed of the parent animals. If they are susceptible to certain diseases, the mixed-breed offspring can also have this disposition,” says Obert.
The ranking of the most popular dog breeds is based on the data of animals born in 2024 and registered with Agila pet insurance in the same year. With over 500,000 insurance contracts for dogs and cats, Agila is one of the leading specialist insurers for pets in Germany and Austria.