The American Kennel Club released its annual list of the most popular breeds in America, and for the 22nd year in a row, the Labrador retriever is Number 1.
The 2012 Top Ten list had a few shake-ups, as the Yorkshire terrier dropped to sixth place and the bulldog moved into fifth. The golden retriever and beagle also swapped spots between 2011 and 2012.
"Bigger breeds are making their move," said AKC Spokesperson Lisa Peterson in a press release. "The popularity of the pint-sized, portable pooch just gave way to a litter of larger breeds in the Top 10. These predictable, durable, steady breeds, like Labs and Goldens, are great with kids and offer the whole family more dog to love.
Here is some additional information from the article:
Most Notable Dog Trends in 2012 Include:
- Mastiff-type breeds have risen in rank, with the Mastiff going from 34 to 26 and the Bullmastiff from 47 to 39 over the past decade, and the Cane Corso (67 to 60), Neapolitan Mastiff (116 to 112), and Dogue de Bordeaux (69 to 67) all making gains since the year they became recognized.
- "Bully" breeds have pawed their way into people's hearts over the past decade with the Bull Terrier (79 to 51), Staffordshire Bull Terrier (91 to 76), and Miniature Bull Terrier (132 to 126) all making strong gains.
- Dog owners are showing their love for Sporting Breeds over this past year as the Spinone Italiano (123 to 114), Boykin Spaniel (138 to 116), and Welsh Springer Spaniel (130 to 125) have all made their way up the list.
Here is the full list:
2012 Most Popular Dogs in the U.S. 1. Labrador Retriever 2. German Shepherd Dog 3. Golden Retriever 4. Beagle 5. Bulldog 6. Yorkshire Terrier 7. Boxer 8. Poodle 9. Rottweiler 10. DachshundHere is the AKC's ranking of all 177 breeds that it recognizes.
