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Top New Zealand Dog Breeds - Most Popular Breeds, Dog Attacks and Total Dog Numbers 2025

​Our guide outlines New Zealand's dog population, the most popular dog breed, ownership stats by region, microchipping and de-sexing trends, dangerous breeds and dog bites and frequently asked questions
Updated 29 December 2025
Summary and Key Findings
  • There are 578,157 registered dogs in New Zealand (as at 2025)
  • There are 464,760 registered dog owners - an average of 1.24 dogs per owner
  • Labrador Retriever is New Zealand's most popular breed (40,485 registered)
  • Working dogs dominate total numbers - Huntaway (#2), Border Collie (#3), and Heading (#4) reflect New Zealand's rural base.
  • 79.3% of dogs are microchipped (up from 60.8% in 2015)
  • 56.8% of dogs are de-sexed
  • 9,162 dogs classified as menacing and 573 are classified as dangerous
  • Rural councils have 3-4x more dogs per capita than cities - Hurunui has 397 dogs per 1,000 people vs Wellington's 61
  • The national average is 111 dogs per 1,000 people (roughly one dog per 9 people)

Our guide covers:
Data Source

New Zealand Dog Population Overview

The table below outlines the current state of dog ownership in New Zealand based on official registration data from the National Dog Database. 
Statistic Value Context
Total registered dogs 578,157 2025 data
Total dog owners 464,760 Registered owners
Dogs per owner 1.24 Average
Dogs per 1,000 people 111 NZ average
Pure breed dogs 61.5% 355,756 dogs
Cross breed dogs 38.5% 222,401 dogs
Microchipped 79.3% Up from 60.8% in 2015
De-sexed 56.8% Up from 51.5% in 2015
Classified menacing 9,162 1.6% of all dogs
Classified dangerous 573 0.1% of all dogs
Male dogs 291,363 50.4%
Female dogs 286,794 49.6%

Most Popular Dog Breeds in New Zealand - The Complete List

New Zealand's breed preferences reflect our unique character - working dogs rank unusually high compared to other countries. The National Dog Database tracks 30 specific breeds plus an 'other' category for less common breeds.

Know This: Popular breeds like French Bulldogs, Cavoodles, and Labradoodles don't appear on this list because they're either registered as cross-breeds or fall into the 'other pure breeds' category (96,438 dogs). The database tracks specific breeds that have been established for decades - this is helpful, but also a limitation given the popularity of cross-breeds.

Combined, the three main working dog breeds (Huntaway, Border Collie, and Heading) account for 68,392 registered dogs - nearly 12% of all registered dogs in New Zealand. This is unique globally and reflects New Zealand's strong agricultural sector with approximately 23.6 million sheep per Stats NZ data.
Rank Breed Registered
1 Labrador Retriever 40,485
2 Huntaway 26,884
3 Border Collie 22,530
4 Heading Dog 18,978
5 Jack Russell Terrier 14,225
6 Staffordshire Bull Terrier 13,446
7 Golden Retriever 13,092
8 Miniature Schnauzer 12,334
9 German Shepherd 11,891
10 Fox Terrier (Smooth) 11,494
11 Rottweiler 7,667
12 Shih Tzu 6,726
13 Greyhound 5,761
14 English Springer Spaniel 5,489
15 Cocker Spaniel 5,064
16 Bichon Frise 4,653
17 Cavalier King Charles Spaniel 4,386
18 Maltese 3,616
19 Australian Cattle Dog 3,607
20 Smooth Collie 3,339
21 Toy Poodle 3,317
22 Miniature Poodle 3,004
23 Boxer 2,816
24 Bearded Collie 2,761
25 Chihuahua (Long Coat) 2,557
26 Chihuahua (Smooth Coat) 2,332
27 West Highland White Terrier 2,223
28 Beagle 1,777
29 American Pit Bull Terrier 1,505
30 Rough Collie 1,328
-- Other pure breeds 96,438

Dog Ownership by Region

Dog ownership rates vary dramatically across New Zealand. Rural and provincial councils have significantly more dogs per capita than urban centres - often 3-4 times higher. This reflects the prevalence of working dogs on farms and lifestyle blocks, as well as larger properties more suited to dog ownership.

Know This: Hurunui District has 397 dogs per 1,000 people - roughly one dog for every 2.5 residents. Wellington City has just 61 per 1,000 - one dog for every 16 residents. The difference reflects lifestyle, property sizes, and the presence of working dogs in rural areas.

Highest Dog Ownership (Rural/Provincial)

Council Dogs per 1,000 Total Dogs
Hurunui District 397 5,558
Southland District 337 11,115
Waimate District 323 2,746
Tararua District 320 6,088
Clutha District 317 6,016
Ruapehu District 314 4,081
Mackenzie District 296 1,630
Rangitikei District 296 4,739
Kaikoura District 255 1,146
Carterton District 251 2,514

Dog Ownership in New Zealand Cities (The Complete Ranking)

The table below ranks all major urban centres by dog ownership rate. Wellington has the fewest dogs per capita of any NZ city, while Timaru, New Zealand's dog-loving capital, has nearly three times as many.

Know This: Only eight urban centres sit below the national average of 111 dogs per 1,000 people. The pattern is clear - bigger cities have fewer dogs per capita. This likely reflects smaller properties, more apartments, and busier lifestyles in major centres. We have excluded Porirua City due to incomplete data in the source.
Rank City/Urban Area Per 1,000 Total Dogs
1 Wellington City 61 13,074
2 Auckland 66 114,693
3 Hamilton City 67 12,118
4 Lower Hutt 87 9,741
5 Tauranga City 89 14,265
6 Christchurch City 90 35,467
7 Palmerston North City 91 8,341
8 Whangarei District 97 9,721
-- New Zealand Average 111 578,157
9 Nelson City 110 5,947
10 Napier City 112 7,583
11 Rotorua District 119 9,186
12 Queenstown-Lakes District 122 6,088
13 New Plymouth District 130 11,272
14 Dunedin City 132 17,857
15 Upper Hutt City 132 6,354
16 Hastings District 134 12,018
17 Kapiti Coast District 141 8,174
18 Invercargill City 150 8,563
19 Whanganui District 156 7,493
20 Gisborne District 172 8,968
21 Timaru District 188 9,196

Most Dogs by Council (Absolute Numbers)

Council Registered Dogs
Auckland (combined) 114,693
Christchurch City 35,467
Dunedin City 17,857
Selwyn District 15,919
Tauranga City 14,265
Waimakariri District 13,645
Waikato District 13,217
Wellington City 13,074
Tasman District 12,141
Hamilton City 12,118

Dog Registration Trends (2015-2025)

Dog registrations have grown steadily since 2015, with a notable spike during the pandemic years (2020-2022) when many New Zealanders acquired pets during lockdowns per this RNZ article.

Know This: The 2022 peak of 605,834 dogs likely reflects pandemic pet purchases. The subsequent decline suggests some of these 'COVID dogs' have since left the registry - whether through rehoming, death, or owners not renewing registrations.
Year Registered Dogs Change
2015 543,972 --
2017 556,762 +2.4%
2019 565,757 +1.6%
2021 591,897 +4.6%
2022 605,834 +2.4% (Peak)
2025 578,157 -4.6%

Dog Microchipping and De-Sexing Trends

Responsible dog ownership indicators have improved significantly over the past decade.
Year Microchipped De-sexed
2015 60.8% 51.5%
2020 75.5% 55.3%
2025 79.3% 56.8%

Dangerous Breeds and Dog Bites

The Dog Control Act 1996, explained by the Community Law Centre, allows councils to classify individual dogs as 'menacing' or 'dangerous' based on their behaviour or breed. These classifications have significant implications for owners, including muzzling requirements, special fencing, and higher registration fees.

Menacing vs Dangerous: What's the Difference?
  • Menacing dogs (9,162 in New Zealand): Dogs that have behaved threateningly, or belong to breeds/types listed in the Act. These dogs must be neutered, microchipped, and may need to be muzzled in public.
  • Dangerous dogs (573 in New Zealand): Dogs that have attacked people or animals, causing serious injury. They must be muzzled and leashed in public at all times, kept in secure fencing, and carry significantly higher registration fees. 

Menacing Classification by Breed
  • The data reveals stark differences in menacing classification rates between breeds.
  • While raw numbers are influenced by breed popularity, the percentage of each breed classified as menacing tells a clearer story.

Know This: 85.9% of American Pit Bull Terriers are classified as menacing - by far the highest rate of any breed. This compares to just 1.7% for Rottweilers and 0.2% for Labradors.

Know This: American Pit Bull Terriers are automatically classified as menacing under the Dog Control Act due to their breed (as outlined by the Auckland Council) - they don't need to display aggressive behaviour. This explains the extremely high percentage. Other breeds on this list are classified based on individual dog behaviour.

Our View: Our research team continues to see social media reports about dog bites and attacks on people and other dogs. In this example, a victim went to hospital and found of the six people waiting in A&E, all six were there for dog attacks. Another example suggests some regions have a huge problem with dogs attacking people. This story in 1news talks about the biting of children at record (and increasing) rates.
Breed Total Dogs Menacing % Menacing
American Pit Bull Terrier 1,505 1,293 85.9%
Rottweiler 7,667 132 1.7%
German Shepherd 11,891 169 1.4%
Staffordshire Bull Terrier 13,446 153 1.1%
Australian Cattle Dog 3,607 32 0.9%
Jack Russell Terrier 14,225 38 0.3%
Labrador Retriever 40,485 84 0.2%
Border Collie 22,530 46 0.2%
Golden Retriever 13,092 16 0.1%
Huntaway 26,884 35 0.1%

Dangerous Classification by Breed

Dogs classified as 'dangerous' have actually attacked and caused injury. The breed distribution differs from menacing classifications.
Breed Dangerous % of Breed
German Shepherd 23 0.19%
Rottweiler 21 0.27%
American Pit Bull Terrier 20 1.33%
Staffordshire Bull Terrier 19 0.14%
Australian Cattle Dog 6 0.17%
Border Collie 6 0.03%
Greyhound 5 0.09%
Labrador Retriever 4 0.01%
Jack Russell Terrier 4 0.03%
ACC Dog Bite Injury Claims
  • ACC receives thousands of claims each year for dog-related injuries. The data shows a clear upward trend over the past decade.
  • Key Finding: 15,243 dog bite claims in 2025 - up 20% from 12,677 in 2020. That's roughly 42 claims per day across New Zealand.
  • Know This: The 2020 dip likely reflects COVID-19 lockdowns when fewer people were out and about. Claims have since surged past pre-pandemic levels. These are ACC claims only - the actual number of dog bites is likely higher, as many minor incidents go unreported.​
Year ACC Claims Change
2016 13,674 --
2018 14,941 +9.3%
2020 12,677 -15.2%
2022 12,937 +2.0%
2024 14,861 +14.9%
2025 15,243 +2.6%

Dog Bite Claims by Region

Auckland accounts for nearly a third of all dog bite claims, reflecting its population size. The Far North District has a notably high number of claims (465) relative to its population.
Region Claims (2024)
Auckland 4,726
Christchurch City 1,106
Hamilton City 522
Tauranga City 479
Far North District 465
Whangarei District 388
Hastings District 339
Wellington City 336
Waikato District 319
Rotorua District 318

Frequently Asked Questions

How many dogs are there in New Zealand?

There are 578,157 registered dogs, owned by 464,760 people. That's roughly one dog for every nine New Zealanders, or 111 per 1,000 population. Please know that unregistered dogs aren't counted here, so the real number is higher.

What is the most popular dog breed in New Zealand?

Labrador Retriever, and it's not even close - 40,485 registered, nearly double the second-place Huntaway (26,884). Border Collie takes third with 22,530. The top three haven't changed in years.

Why are working dogs so popular in New Zealand?

New Zealand has 23.6 million sheep and a lot of cattle. Huntaways, Border Collies, and Heading dogs aren't pets - they're essential farm equipment. Combined, these three breeds account for 68,392 dogs, nearly 12% of all registrations. You won't see Huntaways in the UK or US top 10 because they're a uniquely New Zealand breed developed specifically for our terrain and farming style.

Do I have to register my dog?

Yes. The Dog Control Act 1996 requires all dogs over three months to be registered with your local council. Fees vary 0 expect $50-150 annually depending on the council, and usually less if your dog is de-sexed. If you don't register, fines can hit $3,000. Councils strictly enforce these fines too.

Does my dog need to be microchipped?

Most councils require it for new registrations. Currently 79.3% of dogs are chipped, up from 60.8% a decade ago. The cost is $50-80 one-off at your vet. If your dog ever escapes or gets stolen, the chip is often the only way you'll get them back.

Should I get pet insurance for my dog?

It depends on whether you can absorb a $5,000-$10,000 vet bill without stress - many New Zealanders can't. If that would hurt, pet insurance is worth considering. Premiums run $30-80 per month depending on breed, age, and cover level. The key is to get it while your dog is young and healthy - once they develop conditions, those become exclusions. Our pet insurance comparison breaks down the options.

What does pet insurance typically cover?

​You can insure for accident-only and fully comprehensive, but routine care, such as vaccinations and flea treatment, is usually not covered, though some policies offer optional wellness add-ons. Third-party liability cover - if your dog injures someone, another dog or animal or damages property - is included with some policies. Our guide to pet insurance has more information. 

Are any dog breeds excluded from pet insurance?

Most New Zealand pet insurers cover all breeds, but some may exclude or limit cover for breeds classified as menacing or dangerous under the Dog Control Act. American Pit Bull Terriers, Dogo Argentinos, Brazilian Filas, Japanese Tosas, and Perro de Presa Canarios are specifically listed as menacing breeds (as outlined by the Auckland Council). Always check the policy wording before purchasing - our pet insurance comparison guide is a helpful starting point.

Does breed affect pet insurance policy costs?

Yes - Some breeds are prone to specific health conditions that affect premiums. For example:
  • German Shepherds are prone to hip dysplasia
  • Cavalier King Charles Spaniels to heart conditions, and
  • Brachycephalic breeds (flat-faced dogs) often have breathing issues.

Large breeds also tend to cost more to insure than small breeds because treatment costs are higher. Our pet insurance comparison guide explains more.
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