By Arden Moore
Among all the species on the planet, dogs definitely put the capital D in diversity. The American Kennel Club recognizes 202 breeds that range from the fluffy Pomeranian, who weigh about 6 pounds, to the gigantic English mastiff, who can tip the scales beyond 230 pounds.
A recent report conducted by Adopt a Pet and Zoetis identified the most desired dog breed for each of the 50 states. Are you ready for the results, Florida?
It turns out that the most popular breed in the Sunshine State is the small but mighty Chihuahua. Officially, this breed is identified as the world’s smallest dog, averaging between 2 and 8 pounds.
Small in size, Chihuahuas are definitely big in personality. Just ask Alex Serrano, director of operations for the Peggy Adams Rescue League based in West Palm Beach.
“On average, we have about 120 animals available for adoption here each month and between a total of 300 to 400 animals under our custody at any one time,” says Serrano. “Some are in foster care until they get old enough or big enough or healthy enough to be adopted. We always have a lot of Chihuahuas and Chihuahua mixes up for adoption. They get adopted fast because they are so tiny and cute and so full of personality.”
Serrano knows this firsthand. Sharing her West Palm Beach home are a sweet pit bull named Kiwi and a deaf French bulldog named Cake Pop. But the undisputed leader of the pack is her confident Chihuahua named Tuna (full name: Tuna Tar Tar who is nicknamed Tuna Melt).
“Five years ago, I was looking for a dog with a big personality and in comes this 6-month-old Chihuahua who looked like a furry bat,” laughs Serrano. “He is very chatty, loves going to places with me like dog bars and the beach. He has a lot of confidence. He instantly bonded with my pit bull, Kiwi, and welcomed our third dog, Cake Pop.”
Chihuahuas can also be protective of their favorite people.
“On walks, my pit bull, Kiwi, will be contentedly walking and smelling flowers and the grass, but my Chihuahua, Tuna, is my real guard dog,” says Serrano. “He may bark at people when meeting them, but if you sit down he will happily jump in your lap. When I come home, he spins because he is so excited to see me. Chihuahuas definitely show their emotions 100% of the time.”
In her position at Peggy Adams, Serrano oversees many areas, including adoptions. She knows personality traits among various dog breeds.
She was also not surprised to learn that the Chihuahua is the top breed among Floridians.
“Chihuahuas are small in size but big in personality,” she says. “More housing places allow for small dogs more so than large dogs. Also, Chihuahuas are easy to care for, a healthy breed and they do not cost a lot to feed.”
If you are considering a Chihuahua or other small breed to adopt, Serrano offers these tips:
• Do not leave small dogs out unsupervised even in fenced backyards. “I am always outside with Tuna because I worry about birds of prey who can swoop down and grab a tiny dog.”
• Measure meal portions. “Chihuahuas can be prone to obesity because they are cute and can use their charms to get table scraps from people, but it is important to keep them at healthy weights,” says Serrano.
• Watch your steps in the house. “Chihuahuas are little and they move quickly,” she says. “Watch for them when walking around in your house because you can accidentally step on them.”
• Do look down in the mouth. “Chihuahuas, like a lot of small breeds, are more prone to dental issues than big breeds,” she says. “Regularly look inside the mouth for any issues like swollen gums, tartar or bad breath. Report any issues to your veterinarian promptly.”
• Clip the leash to a harness on your Chihuahua instead of a collar. “You don’t want to put too much strain on the neck of a small dog like a Chihuahua,” she says.
Serrano loves her canine trio. She says each made her a better person.
Specifically, how has Tuna Tar Tar accomplished this?
“Tuna has taught me to not take life so seriously,” she says. “He is silly. He loves having fun. He brings me such joy.”
Arden Moore writes about pets and can be reached at fourleggedlife@gmail.com.
About the Adopt a Pet breed study
Adopt a Pet teamed up with Zoetis to collect dog adoption data between July 2024 and June 2025 for each state. The report also listed the top personality traits for each breed. The most-sought personality trait across the board — affectionate.
The Chihuahua was tops nationally and in many states. Ranking from second to fifth as the most-sought breeds in the country were the Labrador retriever, dachshund, German shepherd and American pit bull terrier.
Learn more by visiting adoptapet.com/adoptapetrics/dog/2025.
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