Americans continue to love Labs!
The Labrador Retriever has remained the top dog in USA for 2014! The Labrador has held this honor for 24 record-breaking years!
In 2013, the Labrador broke the Poodle’s decade’s old record of being most popular dog for the longest time. This year the Lab extended the record! Go Labs!
Labradors continued to reign supreme as the nation’s top dog according to American Kennel Club rankings to be released Thursday.
Labradors made it into the top 10 in the 1970s and haven’t left since.
Originally bred to retrieve game, the Labrador has proven well-suited to almost any canine role time and again. Labrador help our in all walks of life: search-and-rescue, police work, agility and other dog sports, guide and therapy dog work, and sensitive family companion.
Breeder Micki Beerman recalled one of her Labs winning over a hesitant child by gradually moving closer, until the child began to pet the dog.
“They’re just very intuitive,” said Beerman, of Brooklyn. “They kind of know when you need them.”
The popularity of Bulldogs soared. They hit a new high at number 4 in the rankings, with their Frenchie cousins – the French Bulldog breed making the top 10 for the first time in nearly a century.
The German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, and Beagles held their own in the top five! The Yorkshire Terriers, Poodles, Boxers and Rottweiler completed the top 10 places, with the Dachshund slipping from 10th to 11th.
The rise of the Bulldog did not surprise their fans who adore their distinct push-faced expression and calm, loving nature.
“They just have such character,” says Bulldog Club of America communications chairwoman Annette Noble. The breed is gentle, but resolute, and in Noble’s words “may well want “to think about it first and decide whether it’s worth it.”
The smaller, less jowly French Bulldog surged from the 49th spot to 9th in the course of ten years.
It is thought that their roles in movies, TV shows and advertising have increased their popularity in recent years.
Here are the top 10 ranked breeds for 2014:
- Labrador Retriever
- German Shepherd
- Golden Retriever
- Bulldog
- Beagle
- Yorkshire Terrier
- Poodle
- Boxer
- French Bulldog
- Rottweiler
A number of other breeds are on the move:
- The Havanese jumped from 52nd in 2004 to 25th last year.
- The Border Collie rose from 60th to 39th.
- The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon rose from 112th to 74th
- The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever rose from 118th to 96th. This breed only gained AKC recognition only in 2003.
The AKC doesn’t release raw numbers, only rankings. They reflect puppies and other newly registered dogs.
Source: WPTV
