Every year, the American Kennel Club set up a list of the most popular dog breeds. You will be surprised by some of them but you may be taken aback by others.
As you know, the American Kennel Club is all things dog. This is the organization that recognizes particular breeds and also sets breed standards.
Getting a puppy who has pedigree papers will allow you to apply for AKC status for your dog. Sending in the application may feel a bit like participating in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show because you will be asked to provide a formal name as well as a nickname.
For instance, one of our staff members has a Golden retriever named Brinkley. Yes, he was named after the dog in the movie You’ve Got Mail. Because his parents both had AKC papers, so did Brinkley.
His formal name is Brinkley Cottam Lucy of Mahockney. Quite a mouthful, isn’t it? The first name is obvious but the second name is the town in which his mother, Lucy, was born. And Mahockney? That was the name of the homestead where Brinkley was born in Virginia.
Back to our popular breeds list.
Top 10 Breeds of 2014
- Labrador retriever – This is no surprise as the Lab has held the number one spot in the AKC for the last 24 years. Labs come in three colors … black, chocolate and yellow … and their short coat makes them easy to care for. They are a large breed so their lifespan is between nine and 12 years but they are the quintessential family dog.
- German shepherds – These dogs have also held the number two spot for quite some time. Also a large breed dog, they require a bit more coat maintenance than a Labrador retriever but not significantly more.
- Golden retrievers – Here’s Brinkley’s category and it has risen from number four back in 2009 up to number three in 2014. Like Labs, the Golden is a perfect family dog who loves to do whatever her family enjoys. She’s a great companion on walks, runs and loves to participate in agility as well as therapy.
- Bulldogs – This is one of the surprising categories because this breed has risen steadily from number seven in 2009 up to number four just behind the Golden retriever in 2014. They are known for their gentleness and being a wonderful family companion.
- Beagles – Snoopy’s breed still reigns strong in the number five slot. Not only are they good family dogs but they are excellent hunters and love to chase just about any kind of wildlife.
- Yorkshire terriers – These little bundles of energy were number three on the list in 2009 but they’ve slipped three spots to number six.
- Poodles – Maybe it is the success of a poodle winning the Westminster show recently but poodles have risen two spots since 2009 to number seven.
- Boxers – These gentle dogs are number eight on our list for 2014 and retain their top ten status.
- French bulldogs – This is another of those surprising breeds that have risen in the ranks to top 10 status over the past six years. In 2009, this breed sat at number 24.
- Rottweilers – Contrary to the belief that they are fighting dogs, these dogs are great family pets and round out our list of top 10 breeds.
Image credit: istockphoto.com
