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Most Popular Dog Breeds

Submitted by Michael Adams on March 11, 2010

Dogs have become popular not just among the general populace, but also on the celebrity circuit. Every year, kennel clubs of various nations in the world compile data and make lists of the most popular dog breeds. This not only helps kennel clubs in aggregating the number of families who have registered their dogs but is also a great way to find out the trends of sale of puppies.

Earlier, when the demand for dogs was not very huge, Kennel clubs took statistics of only once in five years. However, the growing number of dog owners and the increased demand for breeding pure bred dogs has encouraged kennel clubs to make this a yearly event.

After 1940s, the American Kennel Club started keeping track of the statistics every year.

There have been varying trends of preference of dog breeds. Though there are many popular breeds all over the world, in specific regions, the demand for specific breeds can vary. For instance, in the United States of America, the Boston terrier was the most popular breed for the entire period from 1905 to 1925. However, around the end of 1925, the German Shepherd surpassed the popularity of the Boston Terrier, becoming one of the most famous dog breeds of all times. Other dogs which have enjoyed the prestige of being most popular in the USA are Beagles, Poodles, American Cocker spaniels and Labrador Retrievers.

It has been seen that from the year 1991, the Labrador retriever kept gaining popularity, becoming the most popular dog and till date, the Labrador retriever continues to rise in popularity.

The Kennel Clubs have been able to make a list of attributes which are instrumental in making a dog popular amongst pet owners. Some of these attributes include temperament, size and breed type. Families usually prefer keeping a dog that has an easy temperament and is therefore easy to handle. Apart from the dog’s individual temperament, the dog’s overall personality is also considered. Families also prefer sporting breeds like Labradors and Golden Retrievers since they are great for play and are extremely active all the time.

In the year 2009, the Labrador Retriever was number one in the US, followed by German Shepherd on the number two spot and the Yorkshire Terrier on the number three spot. Other popular breeds are Golden Retrievers, Beagles, Boxers, Poodles, Dachshunds and Shih Tzus. Every year there is tough competition between breeds to become more popular than the others.

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