CHILLICOTHE—The people of Ross County paws-itively love their dogs, as shown by the over 12,000 dogs that were registered in the county last year by dog tags. With many different breeds accounted for in the county it is clear there is a diverse dog population in the area, but what dogs were the most popular to own last year?
Mixed Breed
The number one breed put down last year with over 1,600 counts, which is around 13% of the total, in the county was mixed breed. This is not an actual breed and is used when a dog is a mix of two or more breeds or their breed is unknown. These dogs, also sometimes called mutts, do not belong to any singular breed category.
Labrador Retriever
The first actual breed to top the list is the labrador retriever with a count of around 800 dogs in the county. According the to American Kennel Club, this dog is one of the most popular in the entire country and are often active and outgoing dogs. The breed was traditionally used as waterdogs tasked with retrieving ducks for hunters.
Chihuahua
Around 770 Chihuahuas live in Ross County, according to the dog tag report. This breed is described as charming and sassy and is in the toy group as they typically weigh less than six pounds. Chihuahuas are also one of the oldest breeds in the Americas with the Aztecs being known to have this breed.
Pitbull
The general pitbull breed has a count of over 650. This breed can be thought of as violent as they are often used in dog fights and are muscular in build, but this breed is actually known as the “Nanny Dogs” for how safe they are to be around children.
German Shepherd
There are around 580 German Shepherds. These dogs are described as smart and courageous and belong in the herding group. The American Kennel Club states that this breed is considered an “all-purpose worker” and they can often be seen working for the police and military around the world.
Beagle
Coming in as the fifth most popular dog in Ross County, if you don’t count mixed breeds, is the beagle with a county of over 570 dogs. These dogs are often friendly and curious. This breed is also a popular choice for rabbit hunters.
After the top breeds listed above the counts in Ross County drop significantly moving all the way down to breeds that only have one count in the county like English Pointer, Irish Terrier and Welsh Springer Spaniel.
Shelby Reeves is a reporter for the Chillicothe Gazette. You can email her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @Shelby_Reeves_
