Dog breed
Sixteen states of the United States have designated an official state dog breed. Maryland was first to name a dog breed as a state symbol, with the Chesapeake Bay Retriever in 1964, and Pennsylvania followed the year after with the Great Dane. Dog breeds are mostly affiliated with the states where they originated. North Carolina chose the Plott Hound as it was the only dog breed indigenous to the state.
Other official state dogs indigenous to their state include 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 as a hunting and working dog; it was chosen over the Beagle which was also proposed around the same time.
Two 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 convinced 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 their state dog in 2010.