Labrador once again named most popular dog breed across NZ

Saturday, 22 October 2016

Labradors are Aucklanders' - and New Zealanders' - favourite dogs. We hit the Blind Foundation Guide Dog Centre to find out why.

The loveable labrador retriever has once again topped the tables as the most popular dog breed in New Zealand.

Figures from the Department of Internal Affairs show there were 41,835 labradors registered throughout the country as of May 31 - one for every 10 registered dog owners.

The next most popular breed was the huntaway, with 31,548 registered, followed by the border collie with 22,662.

Labradors are known for their ninja-like abilities in sniffing out potential snacks.

Fourth most popular were New Zealand's 18,238 heading dogs, then the country's 18,066 jack russell terriers.

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In Auckland, where about a fifth of New Zealand's dogs live, dog registration figures supplied by Auckland Council show the humble lab is the breed of choice from Rodney in the north all the way down to Franklin.

The staffordshire bull terrier was the second most popular breed in west Auckland, while the miniature schnauzer took the silver medal in the central suburbs.

The SPCA said there were a number of reasons for the geographical distribution of dog breeds, including current fashions, history, demographics and the area's predominant land type.

'In some more rural areas people may want working dogs, such as huntaways or border collies,' SPCA chief scientific officer Arnja Dale said.

'In industrial areas people may want dogs which are thought to be better guard dogs, such as german shepherds.

'In those areas with a high proportion of families with children, dog breeds that are seen as family- and child-friendly are likely to be more predominant.'

Labradors topped the tables because they were a popular 'family' dog in many parts of the world, she said.

'They are generally known to be friendly, relaxed dogs that are intelligent, active and attractive.'

The New Zealand Veterinary Association's Rochelle Ferguson said the results were 'not surprising'.

'It shows how attached New Zealanders are to labradors, where even in areas that are more challenging to own a large breed of dog - such as the central city - their popularity endures.'

Ferguson said the lab's family-friendly legacy could also be self-fulfilling.

'Labradors have been a popular choice for a family dog in New Zealand for many years. Current owners are likely to have fond memories of growing up with a Labrador, and wish for their children to also enjoy the benefits that having a dog in the family brings.'

AUCKLAND'S TOP DOGS (in order of popularity):

Rodney: Labrador, border collie, huntaway

North Shore: Labrador, border collie, staffordshire bull terrier

Central Auckland: Labrador, miniature schnauzer, golden retriever

West Auckland: Labrador, staffordshire bull terrier, german shepherd

South Auckland: Labrador, german shepherd, american pit bull terrier

Franklin: Labrador, jack russell terrier, border collie

Islands: Labrador, jack russell terrier, chihuahua

The New Zealand Blind Foundation Guide Dog Centre, in south Auckland's Manurewa, breeds mostly labrador and golden retrievers.

National manager Paul Metcalf said the breeds formed great bonds with their owners and their temperament suited the job.

'They're just good, fun-loving, loyal, good solid dogs … just very nice dogs to have, and cuddly at times too.'

Labradors aside, Dale said the second- and third-place dog breeds are also highly popular - but some, like border collies, have special needs.

They are highly intelligent and energetic, so require plenty of exercise and stimulation, particularly if being kept in suburban and inner-city areas, she said.

The council's survey is probably a reasonable indication of dog breed distribution, but there are a number of dogs that are not registered, she said.

Seventy-one per cent of the owners interviewed for the 2016 NZ Companion Animal Council report said their dogs were microchipped.

Of those, 91 per cent were registered with their local council.

In total, Department of Internal Affairs figures show there are 414,541 registered dog owners throughout New Zealand and 552,236 registered dogs.

Of those, 352,334 are purebreds and 199,902 are crossbreds.