Labrador retrievers enjoy record 23rd year as most popular US dog; top 10 steady
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}It's puppy love for the record books. The Labrador retriever was the nation's most popular dog breed last year for a 23rd year in a row.
The American Kennel Club said Friday that's the longest that any breed has been top dog since the organization's founding in 1884.
German shepherds, golden retrievers, beagles and bulldogs are holding steady in the top-five pack. Yorkshire terriers, boxers, poodles, Rottweilers and dachshunds round out the leading 10. It's the same as last year.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}But the French bulldog is newly on their heels. It's now the 11th most popular purebred. That's up from 14th last year — and 58th in 2002.
The poodle had a 22-year reign as number 1 some decades ago.
The rankings reflect newly registered dogs, mostly puppies.