It’s a poll that’s less reliable than the US Election result but more indicative than, say, asking people how much junk food they eat: It’s the most popular dog breed or variety of 2020.
The poll has been conducted by our chums at Pet Insurance Australia who have been busy crunching the numbers to see what were the most common dog breeds that were born in and insured in 2020.
So you could say this is a poll of the best looked-after puppies in Australia of the past year (our words, not theirs).
Pet ownership and adoption rates have sky-rocketed in 2020. Covid-19 saw many households deciding to introduce a ball of fluff and fun into their abodes during one of the toughest years in recent memory.
And, of course, NSW’s anti-pet by-laws have sailed off into the distance like a badly aimed frisbee, soaring over your dog’s head into a river.
The resulting surge in pet ownership has led to some interesting statistics on how Australians not only choose the name of their pet, but also the breed.
“With the rise in pet ownership and those taking up pet insurance, we have seen some interesting comparisons between female and male dog breeds for this year,” Nadia Crighton from Pet Insurance Australia says.
“The breeds listed are those who were born in 2020, and certainly shows a trend towards the designer cross breeds such as the Cavoodle for both male and female.”
While the more traditional pure dog breeds, such as the Golden Retriever and Labrador feature in the top five for both male and female dogs.
“It’s wonderful to see so many popular crossbreeds making the list,” Nadia says. “The Maltese Cross has been an Australian favourite for some time, and topped this list in 2019, so it’s no surprise it makes the list once again in 2020.”
“While the very popular, Staffy, German Shepherd, and Border Collie are a popular choice in both the male and female category.”
| Female Dog Breeds | Male Dog Breeds |
| 1. Cavoodle | 1. Cavoodle |
| 2. French Bulldog | 2. Golden Retriever |
| 3. Golden Retriever | 3. Border Collie |
| 4. Labrador | 4. French Bulldog |
| 5. Groodle | 5. Miniature Dachshund |
| 6. Staffordshire Bull Terrier | 6. Labrador |
| 7. German Shepherd | 7. German Shepard |
| 8. Labradoodle | 8. Maltese Cross |
| 9. Border Collie | 9. Groodle |
| 10. Miniature Dachshund | 10. Staffordshire Bull Terrier |
| 11. American Staffordshire Terrier | 11. Labradoodle |
| 12. Maltese Cross | 12. Spoodle |
| 13. Kelpie Cross | 13. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel |
| 14. Spoodle | 14. American Staffordshire Terrier |
| 15. American Staffordshire Terrier Cross | 15. Cocker Spaniel |
And what do Pet Insurance Australia’s policyholders most commonly call their female and male Cavoodles in 2020?
“In terms of name popularity, Winnie is the top name for a female Cavoodle in 2020, while more Cavoodle male owners are choosing the name Milo,” Nadia says.
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