If love means posting photos of your beloved on social media, then people in the Midwest and the Southeast really love their Labradors. Westerners, on the other hand, are head over heels for German shepherds.
So suggests an analysis of 10 million Instagram photos posted publicly over three months in the spring and marked with the hashtag #DogsofInstagram, which revealed some interesting patterns in the geography and timing of America’s dog obsession. The , a company that makes animal-related products, including electronic dog fences, and so has an interest in tracking pooch power.
Among the highlights: According to mentions in photo captions, Labs, German shepherds and bulldogs rule Instagram. This will come as little surprise to people familiar with the American Kennel Club’s annual list of America’s most popular breeds — they’re three of the top four on that list, too.
Labs, in fact, were the most represented dog of Instagram in 17 states. Pit bulls, the dogs Americans love and hate, took top honors in seven states. Alaskans, no surprise, love to snap photos of their huskies.
Dogs on the coasts — and in Colorado — are the most featured #DogsofInstagram subjects. Poor Missouri and North Dakota pooches: Their owners aren’t so quick to post dog photos (or maybe they have better ways to spend their time).
When it comes to how lovingly they’re described, different breeds overtake the usual top dogs. The folks at used in these Instagram posts to determine “how positive” they were. The company didn’t reveal more about its methodology, but the dogs it awarded the highest “average sentiment scores” were Irish setters, Akitas, bichon frises and golden retrievers.
A few other #DogsofInstagram facts to throw out during your next small-talk session at the dog park: Although 60 percent of the photos used no filters, the most commonly used was Clarendon. The most frequently Instagrammed dog parks are in Hollywood and Manhattan. And about one-third of #DogsofInstagram photos are posted over the weekend
