Looking at Lexington's Dog Demographics

Tomorrow, Feb. 10, is the last day for Lexington residents to get their dogs licensed, as is required by the Massachusetts state statute and town bylaws. 

The standard license fee is $15 per dog and current rabies vaccination certificates must be filed with the Town Clerk’s Office before any license can be issued.  If 2012 dog licenses are not renewed by Feb. 10, a $25 late fee can be assessed for non-licensed dogs. For more information, contact the Town Clerk’s Office at townclerk@lexingtonma.gov or 781-862-0500 x270.

On the eve of that deadline, Assistant Town Clerk Dianne Snell provided Patch with a snapshot of Lexington’s canine demographics. 

In 2011, the clerk’s office licensed 2,317 dogs. Of those, retrievers reign as the most popular, while several small dogs also rank among the top 10 breeds.

And with Max, Bailey, Lucy, Molly and Maggie leading the way, there are few surprises among Lexington’s most popular dog names, which . 

Here are by-the-numbers breakdowns of Lexington’s top 10 dog breeds and names, with stats supplied by the Town Clerk’s office.

Top 10 Breeds

1. Labrador Retriever – 243
2. Golden Retriever – 179
3. Mix – 140
4. Beagle – 73
5. Shih Tzu – 72
6. Poodle – 69
7. Cockapoo – 67
8. Bichon Frise – 66
9. Dachshund – 51
10. Chihuahua – 46

Top 10 Names

1. Max – 37
2. Maggie, Lucy, Bailey/Baily and Molly/Mollie – 32
3. Coco/Cocoa and Daisey/Daisy – 27
4. Lilly/Lily/Lillie – 26
5. Bella – 25
6. Chloe – 24