Friday, September 11, 2026

Question: What breed did Pennsylvania designate as its official state dog in 1965?

Answer: The Great Dane. Pennsylvania named it the official state dog in 1965, citing the breed’s steadfast service and loyal devotion. A portrait of William Penn and his Great Dane, titled Best Friend by Pennsylvania artist Violet Oakley, hangs in the Governor’s reception room. Fittingly, the 1965 voice vote is remembered as the “Barking Dog Vote”: lawmakers reportedly answered the Speaker with yips, growls, and barks before he gaveled in the result, declaring the “arfs have it.”