Natick’s dog population, which boomed during the pandemic, continues to grow. The town has 3,621 licensed dogs, as compared to 2,700 in 2020 and 3,229 in 2022.
Since 2022, the name Luna has shot to the top of the popularity list. The name was number three in 2022, with 37 canine Lunas in Natick, but came in first place this year, with 54 Lunas far outnumbering the 38 Bellas who came in second place.
The rest of the top ten was as follows.
Graphic by Ella Stern
A different breed
Mixed-breed dogs have also skyrocketed in popularity in Natick since 2022, the last year Natick Report documented the town’s dog data. That year, mixed breeds outnumbered labrador retrievers only 489 to 485. This year, however, Natick has 324 labs and a whopping 645 mixed breeds. (We are unsure if dog owners or the town have begun classifying certain breeds differently to account for this difference—maybe black labs were not categorized separately before.)
The rest of the top ten is as follows.
The average age of dogs in Natick is six-and-a-half years, and male dogs slightly outnumber female dogs, 50.5% to 49.5%.
Finally, what would this post be without pictures of a few of Natick’s fine pups…
Felix: Mixed breed, age 4
Emma: Long haired chihuahua, age 10
The author’s dog, Darcy, a 5-year-old Goldendoodle
Learn more about dog licenses in Natick.
Got any good Natick animal stories for us? Let us know: natickreport@gmail.com
Cute dog, Ella!
The has to be one of the most heart warming and adorable articles ever in the Natick Report! I hope all the Natick Town Doggery have a lovely ear scratching tonight from their humans.