State dog

Twelve states of the United States have designated an official state dog breed. Maryland was the first state to name a dog breed as a state symbol, naming the Chesapeake Bay Retriever in 1964.Pennsylvania followed the year after, naming the Great Dane as its official breed. Dog breeds are mostly affiliated with the states that they originated in. North Carolina chose the Plott Hound as it was the only dog breed indigenous to the state.

Other official state dogs also are indigenous to their state, including the Boston Terrier (Massachusetts) and the Alaskan Malamute (Alaska). Pennsylvania selected the Great Dane not because of its origin, but because it was introduced by early settlers in the state to be used as a hunting and working dog; it was chosen over the Beagle, which was also proposed around the same time.

Two of the more recent successful campaigns to name a state dog have been started by schoolchildren. In 2007, Alaskan kindergarten student Paige Hill's idea created the campaign for the Alaskan Malamute which would convince Representative Berta Gardner to support the bill in 2009, with it becoming law in 2010. Elementary school students from Bedford, New Hampshire won their campaign for the Chinook to be accepted as a symbol of their state in 2009.

In May 2013, Governor John Hickenlooper signed a bill started by school children, designating dogs and cats adopted from a Colorado shelter or rescue as the official Colorado state pet. The bill was passed via the state's education committee, both recognizing its role in educating children about the legislative process and the importance of educating the general population regarding the benefits and responsibilities of pet ownership.

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