"Pitbulls" Are 20% of Dogs in the U.S.

Dogs labeled as "pitbulls" are by far the most popular "strong breed" dogs in the U.S. - more popular than German Shepherds, Boxers, Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, Great Danes, Huskies, Mastiffs, and many other strong breeds. In fact, breed population data shows that pitbull-type dogs (and their many mixes) are the 3rd most popular dog type adopted from shelters and the 5th most popular dog type registered by veterinarians. Furthermore, the veterinary data shows that pitbull-type dogs are becoming more and more popular with their overall population increasing by 24% while the populations of other large or strong breeds such as German Shepherds (-7%) and Labrador Retrievers (-17%) have declined. Therefore, we estimate that pitbull-type dogs and their many mixes account for 20% of dogs in the U.S. based on recent shelter and veterinary population data (provided below). While the American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT) is a distinct breed, the broader label of "pitbull" is not a breed but instead a generic term used to loosely describe a type (or category) of dog based only on its appearance resembling any medium-sized dog with physical characteristics from any of the numerous "bully-type" (or bulldog-type) breeds. Accordingly, our 20% pitbull-type dog population estimate includes the 4+ unique breeds commonly assigned to the broad pitbull-type category, a large number and variety of pitbull-type mixes, and other breeds and mixes that can be labeled as "pitbulls" due to their appearance.

Shelter Data

​ASPCA shelter data reveals that pitbull-type dogs are the most popular dog type by intake and the third most popular dog type by adoption counts. For population estimates, shelter intake data is a more accurate and more robust measure of breed population sizes (vs. adoption data) because it includes all dogs - not just the dogs that have been adopted. The only other strong breed in the top 5 rankings of the ASPCA intake and adoption data are German Shepherds and compared to German Shepherds, the pitbull-type population is 3.6x higher by intake counts and 2.5x higher by adoption counts. The shelter data is further validated by veterinary data which confirms that pitbull-type dogs are the 5th most popular dog type in the U.S. and also the only "strong breed" dog type in the top 5 list of the most popular breeds registered by veterinarians.​
​Chart courtesy of: ASPCA

20% Population Estimate

There are an estimated 90 million dogs in the U.S. and while there are no conclusive population counts by breed, we estimate that 20% (18 million) can be classified as pitbull-type dogs and their mixes:
  • According to AKC breed registration data, German Shepherds account for 6.3% of the U.S. dog population.
  • If German Shepherds account for 6.3% of the dog population and the ASPCA data shows that the pitbull-type population is 3.6x higher (by intake), then we estimate the pitbull-type population to be around 20% (6.3% x 3.6 = 22.7%) of the U.S. dog population.
  • If estimating the pitbull-type population by shelter adoption data (which is a less robust count compared to intake data), the pitbull-type population would be around 15% (6.3% x 2.5 = 15.8%).
AKC/UKC registration data (which is commonly used to estimate breed populations) typically only includes purebred dogs and a recent peer-reviewed study concluded that the vast majority (98%) of pitbull-type dogs are in fact mixed breed dogs. Therefore, because the majority of pitbull-type dogs are not purebred, shelter and veterinary data is a more accurate representation of their total population size (vs. AKC/UKC registration data) because it includes purebred dogs, mixed breed dogs, and represents comprehensive dog population data from all across the country regardless of registrations or any breed-specific legislation.​

Breed Registration Data

When compared to other breeds commonly considered to be "strong breeds", pitbull-type dogs are by far the most popular strong breed dogs at around 20% of the total U.S. dog population. According to AKC registration data, the population estimates for the next most popular strong breeds (that account for at least 1% of the population) are:
  • ​German Shepherds: 6.3%
  • Boxers: 3.9%
  • Rottweilers: 2%
  • Doberman Pinschers: 1.6%
  • Great Danes: 1.3%
  • Huskies: 1.3%
  • Mastiffs: 1%
  • Other strong breeds: all less than 1%

"America's Dog"

Contrary to misinformation promoted by special-interest organizations and tabloids, pitbull-type dogs are not "fringe" or unpopular dogs. Instead, they are exceedingly popular mainstream dogs providing companionship and happiness to millions of families which is not surprising given their excellent temperament scores and outstanding behavior. In fact, pitbull-type dogs have been popular in the U.S. since the early 1900s - they were prominently featured as national mascots on military recruitment posters during World Wars 1 and 2, they were mascots for sports teams and companies, they were featured in television shows and movies, and they were proudly considered "America's dog". Furthermore, their popularity alone is a leading reason why dog bans targeting "pitbulls" are a trend in decline and have been recently repealed in many cities and towns including in Denver, CO where voters repealed the city's 31-year-old ban against pitbull-type dogs by a landslide 66% majority. Therefore, we'd say that they are still "America's dog" today which is why it's really no surprise that BSL and dog bans are being frequently challenged and often repealed because after all, great dogs are family.
Updated: March 24, 2022