Must Love Dogs: These Are the 20 Most Dog-Friendly Cities of 2019

Seattle, Chicago and Denver are top dog, as are mixed breeds and labs, according to data from Redfin and Rover.

Dogs are family, but when you have one, moving can be, well, ruff. Not only do you need to find the perfect home for you and your family, but you need to ensure there’s plenty of room and nearby green space for your furry family members too.

It also might help if you’re moving to, or within, one of the following cities.

That’s why Redfin partnered with Rover, the largest network of five‑star pet sitters and dog walkers, to determine the top cities for dog lovers. Rover ran the numbers on over 14,000 cities across the country, compiling a list with the highest counts of walks, dog walkers and sitters, along with total hours, minutes and distance per walk by each dog walker or sitter on Rover.

And because each top city needs a top dog, Rover also uncovered the most popular breed in each area. Why yes, we have noticed a lot of French Bulldogs in New York lately, now that you mention it.

We then coupled Rover’s insights with Redfin data to take a closer look at what life as a dog is like in each city. We recorded how often the keyword ‘dog’ appeared in the online listing descriptions of homes for sale, typically to note that a property was dog-friendly, close to dog parks, etc. We also included each dog-friendly city’s Walk Score®, to highlight how easy it is to treat your dog to his or her favorite activity.

So, which cities are home to the ‘good-est’ boys and girls? Here’s Redfin and Rover’s definitive ranking for the most dog friendly cities of 2019:

Despite the notion that some people may wait to move to the suburbs to adopt a dog, urban cores still rank highest in dog friendliness. Cities renowned for leafy parks and outdoor activities like Seattle, Chicago and Denver claimed the top spots. And while New York City, Brooklyn and San Francisco rank highest for walkability, a seemingly significant factor when deciding to get a dog, they rank lower for overall dog friendliness, perhaps due to a higher cost of living, and housing inventory of typically smaller apartments–there’s no room for a large golden retriever in a fifth-floor walkup studio, sadly.

Other highlights include Washington, D.C., and its suburbs of Arlington, V.A. and Alexandria, V.A. all making the list, possibly aligned to an influx of interest in the area following Amazon’s arrival to town.

When it comes to breed, well, all dogs are adored equally, but Rover sees the highest intake of Mixed and Labrador Retrievers nationwide. And ever the cosmopolitan hubs, New York City and Los Angeles stand out with Frenchies and Chihuahuas, respectively. Across the river from Manhattan, Brooklyn marches to its own beat, and prefers Pit Bull mixes, as does Philly.

No matter where you live, and what dog you own however, if you’ve opened your home to love and care for a dog, we’re guessing it’s as dog friendly as it gets.