Camp Bow Wow’s top dogs of 2023

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Who’s the big dog now?

To celebrate National Dog Day on Aug. 26, North America’s largest doggy daycare franchise Camp Bow Wow has shared a release with a list of the top five big dog and small dog breeds of 2023.

Camp Bow Wow’s research comes from its doggy camper database, which contains nearly 400,000 campers across the United States and Canada. The camp’s database includes a range of purebred dogs, mixed-breed, and popular crossbred dogs, like doodles.

In the big dog category, Camp Bow Wow’s top five are:

1. Labrador Retriever
2. Goldendoodle
3. Golden Retriever (both mixed and purebred)
4. German Shepherd
5. Australian Shepherd

The Labrador Retriever, both purebred and mixed, stole the no. 1 spot for the sixth year in a row, the camp says.

In the small dog category, Camp Bow Wow’s top five are:

1. Miniature Poodle
2. Chihuahua
3. Shih Tzu
4. Beagle
5. Yorkshire Terrier

And finally, the top dogs of 2023 are:

1. Labrador Retriever
2. Goldendoodle
3. Golden Retriever (both mixed and purebred)
4. German Shepherd
5. Australian Shepherd
6. Pit Bull Terrier
7. Miniature Poodle
8. Chihuahua
9. Labradoodle
10. Siberian Husky

For those looking to adopt

Camp Bow Wow says that those who are looking to adopt should keep in mind some important factors. Erin Askeland, an animal health and behavioral expert with Camp Bow Wow, says family, lifestyle, and daily routine should be considered before adopting.

Small dogs are better suited for apartment living and tend to have lower energy demands. Meanwhile, larger dogs are typically more active and need more space. Askeland says in the release that despite these commonalities, there are exceptions.

“Some small breeds are big dogs at heart — for example, even the smallest terriers tend to be high-energy and need lots of attention and exercise, while a large dog breed like a Great Dane is known to be fairly calm and lower-energy,” Askeland said in the release.

Askeland also added, “Even though a dog’s breed may influence certain tendencies and behaviors, the breed alone should not determine whether to bring a specific dog into your home. At Camp Bow Wow, we love all breeds and believe every dog deserves a loving home.”   

Lifespan is another differentiator between small and large dogs. Small dogs tend to have longer lifespans, usually 12–15 years or more, while large dogs typically have lifespans around 8–12 years.   

Camp Bow Wow has locations in Carmel, Southport, Lawrence, and Noblesville.