Dog Registrations Rise to 6,147 in 2024, Reflecting Growing Ownership Trend

November 23, 2025

In 2024, there were 6,147 registered dogs, with a notable increase in registrations since 2008, likely influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. The most common dog breeds were Chihuahua, Labrador, and Französische Bulldogge, with Luna being the most popular dog name, and unique names like Bailey James Dumbledore and El Chapo reflecting creative naming trends.

Photo: Matt Neson, dogs in a park, on Unsplash.com, licensed under Unsplash License.

In the reference period of 2024, there were a total of 6,147 registered dogs. Of these, 3,268 were female and 2,879 were male. The distribution of dogs across different regions was as follows: 5,031 dogs resided in Basel, 1,042 in Riehen, and 74 in Bettingen. The oldest dog recorded during this period was 24 years old. The three most common dog breeds were Chihuahua with 340 dogs, Labrador with 290 dogs, and Französische Bulldogge with 210 dogs.

The most popular names for dogs in this period were Luna, Nala, and Rocky, with Luna being the most favored. Among the newly registered dog names, some stood out for their uniqueness or pop-culture references. These included names like Bailey James Dumbledore, Bumblebee, Mr. Darcy, and El Chapo, which reflect a humorous or creative approach to naming pets.

Since 2008, there has been a noticeable increase in the total number of registered dogs. In 2008, the data is not explicitly provided, but by 2019, the number of registered dogs was 5,072. This number rose to 5,945 in the previous year and further increased to 6,147 in 2024. This upward trend suggests a growing interest in dog ownership over the years. Notably, there seems to be a spike in dog registrations around 2020–2021, which could be linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. During lockdowns, many people sought companionship, leading to an increased demand for pets, including dogs.


Table 1: Top 10 Most Popular Dog Names in 2024
Dog Name Number of Dogs
Luna 154
Nala 84
Rocky 76
Kira 76
Mia 62
Bella 62
Milo 54
Lucy 54
Lucky 52
Leo 52


Table 2: 10 most Popular Dog Breeds in 2024
Dog Breed Number of Dogs
Chihuahua 340
Labrador 290
Französische Bulldogge 210
Yorkshire Terrier 200
Jack Russel Terrier/Parson Russel T 195
Spitz, klein, mittel u gross 173
Pudel, klein und mittel 167
Dackel 165
Golden Retriever 149
Malteser 144

Figure 1: Annual Number of Dogs in Basel by Sex

Figure 2: wordcloud
Word Cloud

Data source: Hundenamen im Kanton Basel-Stadt seit 2008, Hundebestand im Kanton Basel-Stadt seit 1970, Registrierte Hunde nach Postleitzahl und verschiedenen Merkmalen seit 2008

🤖 This text was generated with the assistance of AI. All quantitative statements are derived directly from the dataset listed under Data Source.