Chennai: Gentle and friendly labrador retrievers , adapted to the city’s weather and social conditions, are the most chosen pets, topping Chennai’s dog breed registrations. According to GCC, 1,246 labradors are registered, leading the pack. Golden retrievers follow with 498, followed by German shepherds (455) and beagles with 274 registrations.
Rottweilers and dobermans have 146 and 128 registrations, respectively. Among native breeds, the kanni tops with 91 registrations. Labradors and Golden Retrievers are popular in the city’s urban environment, particularly in gated communities and apartments.
Their friendly nature and ease around children are key factors, say pet parents . Shivani Ramakrishnan from Taramani, who has two Labs, said, “As a first-time pet parent, I chose Labs because of their friendly nature. They are easy to train, have low grooming costs and don’t require a muzzle.
” Sunitha Joshi, who owns golden retrievers, said they are adaptive and playful with children in common apartment spaces. “These breeds are ideal for a metro because of their soft temperament,” she said. Smaller households, on the other hand prefer beagles.
K Vijay of Mogappair, who lives in a two-BHK without a balcony, said, “We wanted a dog for companionship. Beagles are friendly, easy to carry, and fit well in our small household.” Dog breeder RV Nirmal Kumar, representing the Canine Pet Dealers Welfare Association, said toy-sized breeds such as beagles are ideal.
However,.
