Most Popular Dog Breeds: French Bulldog Makes Top 10 List For First Time In Almost 100 Years
The American Kennel Club (AKC) has released its list of 2014’s most popular dog breeds in America. And for a record 24th year in a row, the Labrador retriever claimed the top spot. However, there is one dog breed that made the list that has been absent from the top 10 for almost a century.
According to a press release, the French bulldog made its way into the number nine spot, which was where the Rottweiler placed on 2013’s list. The Rottweiler was the 10th most popular dog breed for 2014, and the Dachsund came in at number 11, which marked the first time in 30 years the breed failed to make the top 10.
The German shepherd and golden retriever reclaimed their respective spots of second and third place of most popular dog breeds, and the bulldog took fourth – the highest it has even been on the list. While the Labrador may currently hold the record for longest streak of topping AKC’s list of most popular dog breeds, Vice President Gina DiNardo said the rising popularity of the bulldog may change that.
“The Lab truly is America’s dog, but the lovable bulldog breeds are clamoring to dominate. Watch out for an upset next year.”
The bulldog claimed the spot that the beagle had for 2013’s list of most popular dog breeds. The Yorkshire terrier remained at number six for a second consecutive year, while the poodle took seventh and the boxer took eighth.
Annette Noble, who serves as the communications chairwoman for the Bulldog Club of America, told the Associated Press that she is not surprised by how popular the breed has become over the years.
“They just have such character.”
The most popular dog breed in the US is also LI’s most registered, @akcdoglovers says http://t.co/HAoiNB86Lc pic.twitter.com/piKtJsfHn3
— Newsday (@Newsday) February 26, 2015
While the French bulldog has slowly made its way back into the top 10 list of America’s most popular dog breeds, there is one city that thinks otherwise. According to CBS New York, New York City named the French bulldog its most popular breed. The rest of rankings by New Yorkers are almost similar to that of the national list. Labradors, German shepherds, and golden retrievers all placed in the top five. The city’s previous winner, the bulldog, came in second.
Even though the Labrador retriever may be the most popular dog in America, journalist David McCandless came up with a study that showed the breed doesn’t quite have the qualifications to be given the title of man’s best friend. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, the study concluded that the title belongs to the Border Collie, a breed that didn’t place on AKC’s top 10 list. And while the bulldog is making its way to the top of AKC’s most popular dog breeds list, McCadnless’ study claims it is the most overrated in terms of being named man’s best friend.
[Photo by Gary Gershoff/Getty Images for the American Kennel Club]
