Every year, The American Kennel Club (AKC) rates the most popular dog breeds from 1 to 197. That’s a lot of breeds! The thing is my two dogs, Fancy, our long-haired Chihuahua, and Lacy, our English Springer Spaniel, both rate number one in my book. These are the breeds we’ve been rescuing for nearly 30 years. They’re smart, affectionate, and beautiful. But aren’t most dogs? Even those loveable mutts.
But the AKC takes a more scientific approach. The nonprofit organization uses statistics to compile an annual popularity list, a benefit of dog registration. They are the only purebred dog registry in the United States that maintains systematic inspections and investigations each year to ensure compliance with standards that support the welfare, safety, and health of dogs throughout the country. Additionally, the American Kennel Club and its affiliates have donated over $38 million to canine health research and $7 million to pet disaster relief.
Top Dog
Back to the popularity contest… as usual, the Labrador Retriever tops the list, as it has for the last 31 years. Why? According to the AKC, longtime devotees say the Lab’s full toolbox of attractions offers up something for everyone – first of all, versatility and temperament.
They may not be the smartest breed, but they are one of the most intuitive breeds and possess a wonderful temperament. If you own a Labrador Retriever, we need not say more.
Jumping to the bottom of the list, we introduce the intriguing Norwegian Lundehund, which the AKC claims, is “one of the rarest breeds of dogs, which ranks 197 of 197 breeds. Literally, the ‘puffin dog’ – would scale sheer-faced cliffs to raid puffin nests, bringing the still-live birds back to their masters.”
AKC states that in a time when there are more families with dogs than children, it’s no surprise that the breeds vary widely, from large guard dogs to agile herders, to tiny toy breeds and everything in between. Some breeds even increase in popularity based on TV shows and movies. The pandemic has been an especially favorable time for new dog owners to decide to bring home a puppy or a rescue.
Here are 2021’s most popular dog breeds:
- Labrador retriever
- French bulldog
- Golden retriever
- German shepherd
- Poodle
- Bulldog
- Beagle
- Rottweiler
- German shorthaired pointer
- Dachshund
To see a complete list of AKC’s top popular breeds in 2021 with links to their personality traits, CLICK HERE.
Feel free to comment and post your dog as a popular breed (or mixed breed) for all of us dog lovers to appreciate!
