Our dogs love us unconditionally, but how well do our local communities reciprocate that devotion to our BFFs (Best Furry Friends)?

To mark National Dog Day on Aug. 26, LawnStarter sniffed out 2022’s Best Cities for Dog Lovers. 

We measured the puppy love in nearly 175 of the biggest U.S. cities based on 24 key indicators of dog-friendliness, such as housing, services, and care. We also looked at pawlicy favorability, access to pup-welcoming businesses, and affordability.

Check out the 10 leaders of the pack (and the 10 runts of the litter) below, followed by some highlights and lowlights from our report. (Click here to see where your city ranks and for surprising findings.)

Highlights and Lowlights:

• Good Dog, Bad Dog: Turns out dogs and cats can happily coexist — if they live in the right city. Our Best and Worst Cities for Dog Lovers (Orlando, Florida, and Detroit, respectively) are also this year’s furrendliest and least friendly toward Cat Lovers. 
  
  Despite dog- and cat-specific factors making up each ranking, it’s clear The City Beautiful has a thriving service industry for both types of pets, while The D — sadly not an acronym for “dog-friendly” — is sorely lacking for either. 

• Homeward (South)bound: The overwhelming majority of our top 50 cities for dog-friendly housing is located in the South. Texas has the edge, claiming four of the top 10 spots. If you’re not ready to buy a home, competition for pup-welcoming rentals will be minimal in Tampa, Florida.
  
  Steer clear of cities like Honolulu, New York, Philadelphia, and Boston if you and your pooch are claustrophobic. San Francisco also counts among those to avoid for housing, ironic for a city with more dogs than children.

• Who Let the Dogs Out? When you have a furry best pal who loves your company, you want to do everything together — even shopping, eating out, and getting your hair done.
  
  It’s easy to give your pooch the royal treatment in cities like Austin, Miami, and Seattle. These cities spoil pups and parents with abundant dog-friendly restaurants, shopping centers, and hotels.
  
  Don’t stray into Los Angeles suburbs, though. Lancaster, San Bernardino, and Pomona, for example, make up a big chunk of the Dog-Friendly Businesses category’s worst end due to a lack of woof-worthy options.

Our full ranking and analysis can be found here: https://www.lawnstarter.com/blog/studies/best-cities-dog-lovers/