News

Paws-itively popular pets

By Pip Turton

Feb 6, 2026

Luna the Dalmaffy (Dalmatian x Staffy), showing off as one of Australia’s most popular pet names.

If you think your neighbourhood is full of cavoodles named Luna and Milo, you’re not imagining things — new forecasts suggest Australians are sticking with familiar breeds and friendly, human-style names in 2026.

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Pet insurer Petsy predicts cavoodles will once again top the list of Australia’s most popular dog breeds, followed by Labrador retrievers and golden retrievers.

Smaller dogs continue to rise in popularity, with miniature dachshunds and French bulldogs rounding out the top five, alongside favourites such as border collies, German shepherds and doodle crosses.

For cat lovers, domestic breeds remain king, with domestic shorthair cats leading the way ahead of domestic mediumhair and ragdolls.

When it comes to names, short and sweet wins again.

Luna is tipped to remain the most popular name for both dogs and cats in 2026, followed by favourites such as Milo, Coco, Teddy and Daisy for dogs, and Mochi, Leo and Nala for cats.

Petsy founder Monica Limanto said the results highlighted how deeply pets were embedded in Australian family life.

“Pets are part of the family in many Australian households,” she said.

“The popularity of breeds like cavoodles and names like Luna and Milo show that we are choosing pets that suit our lifestyle and names that feel personal and familiar.”