Chances are, you have come across cute images or funny videos of dogs on Instagram — #dogs has over 170 million tags on Instagram, and #dogsofinstagram has over 320 million! We wanted to know, of all the beautiful dog breeds out there, which was the most popular on Instagram? To find this out, we looked at the number of hashtags for a range of breeds and curated a top 10 list — read on to see which adorable breeds made the dog-fluencer list!

1. French Bulldog

At the top of our list, with 39.8 million hashtags on Instagram, is the adorable French Bulldog, aka Frenchie. Whilst this breed is controversial as it is known to be a ‘designer dog’ and commonly has some health issues, there is no denying their cute and unique appearance. Their bat-like ears and expressive faces make them extremely captivating – not to mention their hilarious personalities that gained a lot of popularity on social media.

Many celebrities and influencers have French Bulldogs and share them online, such as Lady Gaga and Megan thee Stallion. Some Frenchies are influencers themselves, with Instagram profiles such as Manny the Frenchie, who has 1 million followers!

A black and white French Bulldog puppy sat down with a humans finger over it mouth to make it look its saying 'sh'

2. Golden Retriever

This breed is a classic family dog that has been well-loved for years! Golden Retrievers are beautiful dogs thanks to their silky golden coat and friendly smiles! A huge reason why this breed seems to be popular on social media is due to their expressive eyes — they can convey a wide range of emotions, from joy to love and curiosity. 

The breed’s playful and energetic behaviour can also result in some great photo and video opportunities that can be a huge hit on social media! This breed has always been favoured, consistently remaining among the most popular dog breeds in the world, so it’s no surprise that #GoldenRetriever has 38 million tags on Instagram!

A Golden Retriever sat on a field looking at the camera. It has a smile-like appearance.

 

3. Chihuahua

A few years back, in the late 90s and early 00s, a range of celebrities, notably Paris Hilton and Britney Spears carried Chihuahuas around like fashion accessories. Arguably, one of the most famous Chihuahuas was Bruiser from the iconic film Legally Blonde. 

The breed’s popularity, especially within the landscape of celebrities and influencers, has remained, with 37.1 million hashtags on Instagram.

Like French Bulldogs, Chihuahuas also have a distinct look with large eyes, prominent ears and compact bodies. Although they already look cute enough, many people tend to dress their Chihuahuas in cute outfits, bringing a whole new audience to this stylish breed’s photos! This breed is also often featured in social media trends and memes, due to their expressive features and funny reactions.

A Chihuahua dressed up as a witch with a black witches hat and cloak. The background has halloween decorations up, including pumpkins and bats.

4. Labrador 

With 27.3 million hashtags on Instagram, Labradors are the fourth most Instagrammable breed on our list. Some key reasons why this breed is so popular include their beautiful coat that comes in so many variations, from golden to chocolate and black, and their hazel and brown expressive eyes that, similarly to golden retrievers, show a range of emotions.  Labradors also have a signature ‘otter’ tail, which is distinctively thick and tapered and looks charming in photos.

Another reason Labradors are so photogenic is due to their playful and energetic nature. As they love to explore new places and are very adventurous, Labradors are often photographed in various locations, seasons and situations, from the top of a mountain on a hike to playing on the beach — they can fit into any backdrop!

A Black Labrador looking up. The dog has big brown eyes and a red collar. The background appears to be autumn leaves on the floor

5. Husky

It’s not a surprise that the beautiful Husky made our top five! Although there are many different types of huskies, they are all exceedingly mesmerising and stunning. The main characteristic of this breed that makes them exceptionally popular in photography and on social media is their striking blue eyes — many Huskies also have heterochromia, meaning their eyes will be different colours, which makes them even more unique. 

As well as their eyes, this breed’s coat is loved by many due to their distinctive markings, making each Husky unique, and their plush fur, giving them a cuddly appearance. Both characteristics also make for a great photo that gains engagement on social media. There are 24.9 million tags on Instagram for #Husky due to their aesthetic appeal.

A Husky with black and white fur and striking blue eyes. The dog is looking up at the camera with its tongue out.

6. Pug

This flat-faced breed is unique in appearance, with their large, telling eyes, wrinkly face, and distinctive curly tail — they are known to be a quirky but cute dog! As well as their looks, Pugs are also very expressive, and their exaggerated facial expressions often make for great memes and funny photos. This breed has 24.8 million hashtags on Instagram! 

Additionally, Pugs have great personalities — they are very easy-going, which allows them to feel comfortable in a lot of situations, including being dressed up in costumes and props for pictures. Their waddle-style walk, funny noises, and exaggerated facial expressions make for unique, comical and heartwarming Instagram content. 

A Pug stood in a grassy field, looking at the camera.

7. Poodle

With 24.5 million hashtags on Instagram, Poodles are a beautiful breed known for always being camera-ready! Their main characteristic that is adored by many is their unique curly, dense coat that makes for great images due to the depth and texture. Many Poodles are also groomed in a variety of styles, with their fur often accessorised with bows and bandanas, allowing for more creative images. Poodles are the fashionista of all dog breeds, so it’s not surprising that they do well on social media. 

Poodles also have well-balanced facial features and body proportions — this can help contribute to achieving symmetry in photographs and is visually pleasing. They are known to be an elegant breed, and their poised demeanour and elegant movement can make for great social media images, it’s almost like they’re perfectly posing to create a refined image. 

A Black Poodle sat on some concrete stairs looking away from the camera with its tongue out.

8. Bulldog

Bulldogs have very distinctive features, such as their wrinkly faces and muscular build, which create an interesting and endearing visual dynamic. They also have expressive faces thanks to their big eyes, droopy jowls and unique underbite — these characteristics can almost give them a human-like expression, making for a comical image, enhanced by their broad bodies and short legs.

This breed has been featured in a range of advertisements and marketing campaigns across the UK, the most memorable including Churchill Insurance’s mascot and Bulldog Skincare. Their popularity in marketing certainly supports that they are a photogenic and popular breed, making it clear why #Bulldog has 24.3 million tags on Instagram.

A brown and white Bulldog sat looking at the camera with a grey concrete background

9. Pomeranian 

This breed is known for its ‘teddy bear’ look, likely a key reason #Pomeranian has 23.1 million tags on Instagram. They are small dogs with compact bodies and a double fur coat, making them fluffy and plush — a characteristic many dog lovers find extremely cute. Due to their fluffiness, like Poodles, Pomeranians can be groomed and styled in a range of ways. From appearing as though they have a lion’s mane, to a simple shorter trim, the variety of styles in their wide range of fur colours can add an extra layer of adorableness. 

Similarly to Chihuahuas, Pomeranians are often spotted with celebrities and influencers, such as Lisa Vanderpump, Gwen Stefani, and even Elvis Presley had two, showing just how long they’ve been a go-to celeb breed, adding to their social media influence.

A cream coloured Pomeranian lay on the grass looking up at the camera. The dog is extremely fluffy and appears to be smiling at the camera.

10. German Shepherd 

This visually striking breed is very popular on Instagram, with 21.7 million hashtags. German Shepherds’ beautiful coats are a recognisable characteristic of the breed that certainly adds to their beauty — usually seen in black and tan, their long luscious fur often has unique patterns and looks silky smooth. This breed also has strong and well-defined features, such as bright eyes, confident posture, and alert ears — all of which make them immensely eye-catching. 

This breed is often used as a service dog within the police, armed forces, and search and rescue teams. As well as the breed being visually appealing, being in these roles also adds an emotional element when seeing images of this breed, potentially increasing its popularity on social media.

A black and tan German Shepherd lay in a grassy field facing away from the camera

There are so many adorable dog breeds across social media. Although not everybody might agree with this list, it is obvious that these breeds are the dog influencers on Instagram!

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