Top Dog Breeds of 2012
Larger dog breeds move up the ranks of the American Kennel Club's annual “Most Popular Dogs” list for 2012.
Posted: Feb 4, 2013, 10 a.m. EDT
While the top 10 dog breeds are the same as they were on the 2011 list, large dog breeds have gained popularity overall.
“Bigger breeds are making their move,” says AKC spokesperson Lisa Peterson.
The Labrador Retriever retained its position as top dog for the 22nd consecutive year, tying with the poodle for most popular breed of all time.
The popularity of “portable pooches” appears to be waning, Peterson reports. There were no toy breeds in the top five for the first time since 2003, which was the last time Yorkshire Terriers were not in the top five. In 2012, Yorkshire Terriers swapped places with Bulldogs, falling to sixth.
Chihuahuas, Pugs and Pomeranians all dropped some notches on the popularity roster last year.
Here are the AKC’s top 25 U.S. breeds for 2012:
- Labrador Retriever
- German Shepherd Dog
- Golden Retriever
- Beagle
- Bulldog
- Yorkshire Terrier
- Boxer
- Poodle
- Rottweiler
- Dachshund
- Shih Tzu
- Doberman Pinscher
- Miniature Schnauzer
- French Bulldog
- German Shorthaired Pointer
- Siberian Husky
- Great Dane
- Chihuahua
- Pomeranian
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
- Shetland Sheepdog
- Australian Shepherd
- Boston Terrier
- Permbroke Welsh Corgi
- Maltese
And the least popular breed in 2012, drum roll, please: English Foxhounds, which finished in 175.
In related news, New York City-based AKC expanded its roster of recognized breeds to 177 in January with the inclusion of the Chinook and Portuguese Podengo Pequeno breeds.
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