Labrador Retriever is the AKC’s most popular dog breed once again

America’s most popular dog once again is the Labrador Retriever according to the American Kennel Club. The rankings reflect popularity of different breeds among the 589,868 purebred dogs, mostly puppies, that joined the nation’s oldest dog registry last year.

“The list includes the 193 breeds that the AKC recognizes — no Labradoodles, puggles, Yorkipoos or other “designer” hybrids, at least for now. Breeds sometimes get added over time. The chart also doesn’t reflect the everyday mixed-breed dogs that make up a vast share of the estimated 77 million or more canines in U.S. homes.”

Rankings were released on May 1, 2020 which is also National Purebred Dog Day and are based on 2019 AKC registration statistics. The Labrador Retriever has topped the annual list every year since 1991 when it ended the Cocker Spaniel’s 23 years reign in the top position. “As the No. 1 breed of the 1940s, the Cocker Spaniel, enjoyed a renaissance in the ’80s, climbing back into the top spot from 1983–1990.”

The Pembroke Welsh Corgi joined the Top 10 this year for the first time ever. The Icelandic Sheepdog was the biggest mover up the rankings jumping 24 spots from #156 to #132. While the Ibizan Hlound saw the biggest drop in rankins going from #153 in 2018 to #171 this year. Over a 10 year period from 2009 to 2019, the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon increased 46 slots on the popularity rankings from #108 to #62. And the Redbone Coonhound slid 102 positions from #41 10 years ago to #143 in 2019.

And last, though maybe not least, in the rankings at #193 is the English Foxhound which is described as a “substantial galloping hound of great stamina. His long legs are straight as a gatepost, and just as sturdy.”

QUICK HITS

• The Labrador Retriever has been the most popular dog in the U.S. for the past 29 years.
• The Ibizan Hlound took the biggest drop in the rankings (down 18 spots) from 153 to 171
• The Icelandic Sheepdog increased 24 spots from 156 to 132
• The Redbone Coonhound dropped 102 spots in the past 10 years from 41 in 2009 to 143 in 2019
• The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon jumped 46 spots in the past 10 years from 108 to 62
• The most popular dog in large cities is the French Bulldog for the sixth year in a row
• As of 2020, the AKC recognizes 195 dog breeds. Its stated goal is to protect the health and well-being of all dogs

AKC MOST POPULAR BREED RANKED FOR 2019

Retrievers (Labrador) German Shepherd Dogs Retrievers (Golden) French Bulldogs Bulldogs Poodles Beagles Rottweilers Pointers (German Shorthaired) Pembroke Welsh Corgis Dachshunds Yorkshire Terriers Australian Shepherds Boxers Siberian Huskies Cavalier King Charles Spaniels Great Danes Miniature Schnauzers Doberman Pinschers Shih Tzu Boston Terriers Havanese Bernese Mountain Dogs Pomeranians Shetland Sheepdogs Brittanys Spaniels (English Springer) Spaniels (Cocker) Miniature American Shepherds Cane Corso Pugs Mastiffs Border Collies Vizslas Chihuahuas Maltese Basset Hounds Collies Weimaraners Newfoundlands Belgian Malinois Rhodesian Ridgebacks Bichons Frises West Highland White Terriers Shiba Inu Retrievers (Chesapeake Bay) Akitas St. Bernards Portuguese Water Dogs Spaniels (English Cocker) Bloodhounds Bullmastiffs Papillons Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers Australian Cattle Dogs Scottish Terriers Whippets Samoyeds Dalmatians Airedale Terriers Bull Terriers Wirehaired Pointing Griffons Pointers (German Wirehaired) Alaskan Malamutes Chinese Shar-Pei

Cardigan Welsh Corgis Italian Greyhounds Dogues de Bordeaux Great Pyrenees Old English Sheepdogs Giant Schnauzers Cairn Terriers Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs Miniature Pinschers Russell Terriers Irish Wolfhounds Chow Chows Lhasa Apsos Setters (Irish) Chinese Crested Coton de Tulear Staffordshire Bull Terriers Pekingese Border Terriers American Staffordshire Terriers Retrievers (Nova Scotia Duck Tolling) Basenjis Keeshonden Spaniels (Boykin) Lagotti Romagnoli Rat Terriers Bouviers des Flandres Norwegian Elkhounds Anatolian Shepherd Dogs Leonbergers Brussels Griffons Standard Schnauzers Setters (English) Fox Terriers (Wire) Neapolitan Mastiffs Tibetan Terriers Norwich Terriers Belgian Tervuren Retrievers (Flat-Coated) Borzois Schipperkes Toy Fox Terriers Japanese Chin Silky Terriers Welsh Terriers Afghan Hounds Miniature Bull Terriers Setters (Gordon) Black Russian Terriers Pointers Spinoni Italiani Tibetan Spaniels Parson Russell Terriers Irish Terriers American Eskimo Dogs Beaucerons Fox Terriers (Smooth) German Pinschers American Hairless Terriers Salukis Belgian Sheepdogs Boerboels Tibetan Mastiffs Treeing Walker Coonhounds Spaniels (Welsh Springer)

Norfolk Terriers Icelandic Sheepdogs Kerry Blue Terriers Spaniels (Clumber) Briards Bearded Collies Xoloitzcuintli Bluetick Coonhounds English Toy Spaniels Manchester Terriers Black and Tan Coonhounds Australian Terriers Redbone Coonhounds Spanish Water Dogs Wirehaired Vizslas Berger Picards Portuguese Podengo Pequenos Lakeland Terriers Scottish Deerhounds Affenpinschers Bedlington Terriers Petits Bassets Griffons Vendeens Spaniels (Field) Sealyham Terriers Setters (Irish Red and White) Pumik Nederlandse Kooikerhondjes Lowchen Swedish Vallhunds Pulik Pharaoh Hounds Greyhounds Retrievers (Curly-Coated) Spaniels (American Water) Finnish Lapphunds Kuvaszok Entlebucher Mountain Dogs Glen of Imaal Terriers Norwegian Buhunds Spaniels (Irish Water) Ibizan Hounds Otterhounds Polish Lowland Sheepdogs Dandie Dinmont Terriers American English Coonhounds Spaniels (Sussex) Plott Hounds Grand Basset Griffon Vendeens Canaan Dogs Bergamasco Sheepdogs Komondorok Pyrenean Shepherds Finnish Spitz Chinooks Cirnechi dell’Etna Harriers Skye Terriers Cesky Terriers American Foxhounds Azawakhs Sloughis Norwegian Lundehunds English Foxhounds

RESOURCES:
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/numbers-most-and-least-popular-dog-breeds/
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/2020-popular-breeds-2019/
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/top-10-dog-breeds-america-155753555.html
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us-now-puppy-love-labs-120547223.html
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/english-foxhound/
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/icelandic-sheepdog/
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/labrador-retriever/
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/ibizan-hound/