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List of U.S. state dogs

A map of the United States with Alaska, Wisconsin and Texas in red along with a swathe of the north eastern states.
A map of the US showing in red which states have a specified dog breed as an official symbol

Thirteen states of the United States have designated an official state dog breed. Maryland was the first state to name a dog breed as a state symbol, naming the Chesapeake Bay Retriever in 1964.[1] Pennsylvania followed the year after, naming the Great Dane as its official breed.[2] Dog breeds are mostly affiliated with the states that they originated in. North Carolina chose the Plott Hound as it was the only dog breed indigenous to the state.[3]

Other official state dogs also are indigenous to their state, including the Boston Terrier (Massachusetts) and the Alaskan Malamute (Alaska).[4][5] Pennsylvania selected the Great Dane not because of its origin, but because it was introduced by early settlers in the state to be used as a hunting and working dog;[6] it was chosen over the Beagle, which was also proposed around the same time.[7]

Two of the more recent successful campaigns to name a state dog have been started by schoolchildren. In 2007, Alaskan kindergarten student Paige Hill's idea created the campaign for the Alaskan Malamute which would convince Representative Berta Gardner to support the bill in 2009, with it becoming law in 2010.[8] Elementary school students from Bedford, New Hampshire won their campaign for the Chinook to be accepted as a symbol of their state in 2010.[9]

There have been a variety of campaigns in other states to select a state dog. Georgia was undecided about choosing a state dog in 1991, with an attempt to make the Golden Retriever the official dog failing after a vote in the Georgia State Senate; an opposing campaign promoted the Bulldog, the mascot of the University of Georgia.[10] The campaign to make the Siberian Husky the Washington state dog failed in the Washington House of Representatives in 2004.[11] In January 2019, Minnesota partnered with charity Pawsitivity Service Dogs to introduce a bill to make the Labrador Retriever the State Dog.[12]

In 2006, New York State Assembly member Vincent Ignizio suggested that New York should adopt a dog as a state symbol,[13] and during the campaign to name the western painted turtle as state reptile for Colorado in 2008, it was suggested by local press that the Labrador Retriever would be suitable as a symbol, even though it is not native to the state.[1] While in Kansas as early as 2006, residents have suggested the Cairn Terrier as the state dog due to the breed's appearance as Toto in the film The Wizard of Oz.[14] In 2012, Representative Ed Trimmer tabled a bill proposing the Cairn Terrier as a state symbol.[15] In 2015, the "working dog", animals that have been trained for various service roles, was adopted.[16]

Although South Dakota does not have a state dog breed, it does list the coyote—a canine species related to the dog—as its state wildlife animal.[17][18] In Minnesota, legislation has been proposed on six occasions to adopt the eastern timber wolf as the state animal.[19]

In 2013, Colorado listed rescue dogs and cats as the state pet,[20][21][22] as did Tennessee in 2014[23] and Delaware in 2023 replacing the Golden Retriever.[24] California also named the shelter pet as its state pet in 2015 because of all the abandoned shelter pets each year. California's legislature hopes this will cause more adoptions of pets from shelters.[25][26] In 2017, Illinois designated shelter cats and dogs as the state pet as well,[27] while in 2018, Georgia adopted "adoptable dogs" as its state dog.[28]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference colorado was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ McAuliffe, Emily (2003). Pennsylvania Facts and Symbols. Bridgestone Books. p. 21. ISBN 978-0-7368-2268-8. Archived from the original on August 5, 2020. Retrieved June 2, 2016.
  3. ^ "Plott Thickens as Committee O.K.s Official State Dog". The Dispatch. April 19, 1989. p. 15. Archived from the original on October 25, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2011.
  4. ^ "AKC Kennel Club: Boston Terrier". American Kennel Club. Archived from the original on January 13, 2005. Retrieved January 11, 2011.
  5. ^ "AKC Kennel Club: Alaskan Malamute". American Kennel Club. Archived from the original on July 21, 2012. Retrieved January 11, 2011.
  6. ^ Hart, Joyce (2004). Pennsylvania. Benchmark Books. p. 5. ISBN 978-0-7614-1691-3.
  7. ^ "Great Dane Whips Beagle". Toledo Blade. October 14, 1959. p. 9. Archived from the original on October 25, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2011.
  8. ^ "Governor signs bill making the Alaska Malamute Alaska's state dog". Sit News. May 14, 2010. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved January 11, 2011.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference pelham was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ "Senator wants a state dog". Star News. February 25, 1991. p. 2B. Archived from the original on October 25, 2021. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
  11. ^ "Surviving bills and some that didn't". The Spokesman Review. February 18, 2004. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
  12. ^ "Best in snow? Bill would make Labrador retriever Minnesota's top dog". MPR News. Archived from the original on January 30, 2019. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  13. ^ Kranes, Marsha (February 4, 2006). "Pol Shepherds an Official State Dog". New York Post. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
  14. ^ "Wichita resident wants 'Toto' breed named state dog of Kansas". Lawrence Journal-World. May 13, 2006. p. 2B. Archived from the original on October 25, 2021. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
  15. ^ "Toto as state dog of Kansas? Bad idea, PETA says". LA Times. February 3, 2012. Archived from the original on October 25, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2012.
  16. ^ "'Working dog' designated as NY's official state dog", Niagara Gazette, AP, December 24, 2015, archived from the original on December 29, 2019, retrieved December 29, 2019
  17. ^ "Delaware State Animals". Delaware.gov. Archived from the original on July 14, 2012. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
  18. ^ "South Dakota Facts". Travel South Dakota. Archived from the original on July 17, 2012. Retrieved January 11, 2011.
  19. ^ "Minnesota State Symbols—Unofficial, Proposed, or Facetious". Minnesota State Legislature. Archived from the original on August 8, 2010. Retrieved January 10, 2011.
  20. ^ O'Conner, Coleen (March 22, 2013). "Kids fight for abandoned dogs and cats to become Colorado state pets". Denver Post. Archived from the original on March 25, 2013. Retrieved May 13, 2013.
  21. ^ "Shelter Dogs, Cats Now Colorado's Official State Pet". CBS Denver. May 13, 2013. Archived from the original on January 31, 2016. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
  22. ^ "Colorado Senate Bill 13-201" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on October 25, 2021. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
  23. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on October 12, 2020. Retrieved July 17, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  24. ^ McVety, Molly (June 5, 2023). "So long, golden retriever. Delaware has new official state dog". Delaware Online.
  25. ^ spcala.com/press-release/legislature-declares-shelter-pet-as-official-california-state-pet/
  26. ^ leginfo.ca.gov/pub/15-16/bill/asm/ab_0051-0100/acr_56_bill_20150420_introduced.htm
  27. ^ "5 ILCS 460/ State Designations Act". www.ilga.gov. Archived from the original on July 17, 2020. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  28. ^ "2018 Georgia Code :: Title 50 – State Government :: Chapter 3 – State Flag, Seal, and Other Symbols :: Article 3 – Other State Symbols :: § 50-3-88. Definitions; adoptable dog designated as the official state dog". Justia Law. Archived from the original on July 17, 2020. Retrieved July 17, 2020.

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