Of Course This Is New York’s Official State Dog

You've heard of official state flowers, state fruits, even official state drinks, but did you know New York has an official state dog? This might be one of the greatest official state "things" New York has to its name.

For some context, not every state has an official dog. According to Dogster, only 16 states have elected to hail one breed as their own. Massachusetts claimed the Boston Terrier and Pennsylvania has the Great Dane as their official dog. But states like New Jersey and Connecticut are official state dog-less.

New York State's Official State Dog

French Bulldogs consistently rank as New York's top dog breed. However, these are not the furry friends dubbed as our state's official dog.

No, New York has opted to grant "Working Dogs" as the official state dog!

What's a Working Dog you ask?

Working Dogs are dogs with jobs! According to the American Kennel Club, they're your service dogs, emotional support dogs, and law enforcement K-9s. They help out in search and rescue missions, aid the visually impaired, provide therapy for those in need and much more.

Who Picked New York's Official State Dog?

In 2015, Gov. Andrew Cuomo made the title official.

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Working Dogs seem fitting for New York. With the city often being known to have a fast-paced, busy, always-moving energy, it seems fitting that our official dog should match that energy.

But there's one special dog in particular that inspired this legislation.

Bari the dog was a service dog of New York State Assemblyman Matthew Titone. Outside of his governmental duties, Bari also worked with non-verbal children and adults with autism, providing support and therapy for them.

Working Dogs of the Hudson Valley

We recently shed light on a local K-9 friend, Case. Case volunteers at Northern Dutchess Hospital providing therapy and support for patients.

Read Case's full story here: Goodest Boy Ever: Meet the Special Dog Helping Patients at Northern Dutchess Hospital