Forget kelpies and border collies, a designer dog has been named Australia's favourite dog breed.
The designer cross breed Cavoodle - a mix between a poodle and a Cavalier King Charles spaniel - has been revealed as the nation's most popular dog breed in 2023.
The data from Compare the Market's pet insurance comparison tool found Australians love dogs of all shapes and sizes, with the top 10 featuring both the miniature dachshund and German shepherd.
Pure breeds such as French bulldogs, Labradors, border collies, golden retrievers and Staffies were also popular, while Aussies also loved Groodles (a golden retriever cross poodle) and Maltese crosses.
Two-thirds of Australian households were estimated to have a pet in 2022 and dogs were the firm favourite with a place in nearly half of the nation's homes, according to Animal Medicines Australia.
But Australia is also a nation of cat lovers and domestic short hairs claimed the top breed in 2023, followed by the domestic medium hair.
Ragdoll, British Short Hair, Maine Coon and Burmese breeds were also popular among Australian households.
The number of pets in Australia is expected to rise beyond 29 million in 2024, according to Compare the Market.
It found 14 per cent of Aussies were looking to get a dog in 2024, and 6.4 per cent were keen to welcome a cat to their home.
