Ollie, a maker of human-grade, fresh dog food, released its inaugural "Ollie Obsession Overview: The State of Dogs 2026" report, where they concluded that America's dogs are healthier than they were a year ago.
The report, released in conjunction with National Dog Month in August, draws on hundreds of thousands of proprietary Health Check-In data points submitted by Ollie Pack members between 2025 and 2026, along with a national survey of more than 1,000 American dog parents conducted in January 2026.
Shift to proactive, preventative pet care
Nearly one-third of dogs, or 31%, improved in at least one health marker year-over-year, according to the report. The company attributed the gains to a broader shift toward proactive and preventative pet care.
"At Ollie, we have a front-row seat to one of the most encouraging trends in canine health today: America's dogs are getting healthier," said Tara Zedayko, chief scientific and manufacturing officer at Ollie. "Across hundreds of thousands of Health Check-Ins, we're seeing improvements in weight management, digestion, dental health and skin condition.
"These aren't isolated wins," Zedayko continued. "The data reflects a growing movement toward proactive dog wellbeing, where families are paying closer attention, building healthier habits and recognizing that everyday care can have a meaningful impact over a dog's lifetime. That's the future of canine health we're working to build."
Health findings
Among the report's health findings, 7.94% of overweight dogs moved into a healthier weight category, and the share of dogs classified as highly active rose to 17.8% of new Ollie Pack members in 2026, up from 15.7% in 2025.
Stool health improved in 42.3% of dogs with multiple Health Check-Ins, making digestion the most improved health category, the report found. Healthy coat assessments rose to 82.4% of dogs, up from 80.6% in 2025, while dental health improved in 13% of dogs year-over-year. Dogs 8 years and older saw their dental scores improve by 4.2%.
Dogs 7 years and older experienced some of the greatest overall health improvements in the report, which the company said reinforces the benefits of consistent nutrition and preventative care throughout a dog's lifetime.
State and breed data
The report also broke down wellbeing data by state and breed:
- Colorado ranked as the most active dog state, with 18.3% of Ollie member sign-ups scoring "high" activity levels.
- New York had the highest share of dogs with healthy weights, at 65.2%.
- Arizona had the highest share of dogs with healthy teeth, at 46.7%.
- Idaho recorded the healthiest skin, with 88.2% of dry skin assessments rated "healthy."
- Washington posted the best gut health, with 77% of stool submissions scoring "healthy."
- Georgia had the oldest dogs on average, at 5.4 years, and the oldest Pack members, at 5.2 years.
- New York had the youngest dogs, averaging 4.4 years.
- Massachusetts saw the most improvement of any state, with 25.1% of dogs with multiple Health Check-In submissions improving their health scores.
- Vermont, Maine and Delaware had the highest share of dogs experiencing skin concerns, according to the report.
Among the top 100 breeds in Ollie's data:
- The Labrador Retriever was the most common breed.
- Doberman Pinschers had the healthiest teeth among the top 25 breeds.
- French Bulldogs recorded the greatest weight loss among the top 25 breeds over the past year.
- Shih Tzus had the healthiest stool among the top 25 breeds.
- Cavapoos had the healthiest coats among the top 25 breeds, at 82.09%.
Survey findings
In the accompanying survey, 70% of dog parents said they care more about their dog's health and longevity than their own. Other findings found:
- 68% of dog parents said they would give up five years of their own life to add five years to their dog's life.
- 99% of respondents said they consider their dog a family member.
- 89% called their dog their best friend.
- 19% said they feel closer to their dog than to their own children.
- 29% said they feel closer to their dog than to their own parents.
The survey also found a 35.7% increase in dogs named Travis and a 7% increase in dogs named Taylor between 2025 and 2026, according to Ollie.
The company said more than 6% of Ollie members upload a photo of their dog's stool weekly through its Health Check-In feature, and one member submitted 55 stool photos over three months.
"Behind every statistic is a dog with their own personality, preferences, and a family doing everything they can to give them the happiest, healthiest life possible," Zedayko said. "Whether it's the senior dog making remarkable progress, the puppy building healthy habits early, or the parent completing dozens of Health Check-Ins, these stories are what bring the data to life."
