Labs Rule--Top Dog in America

For the 18th consecutive year, the lovable labrador retriever captured the number one position on American Kennel Club's (AKC) annual List of Most Popular Dogs in America. The bulldog continues to lumber up the list, returning to the top 10 and advancing to slot number eight.

This year marks the AKC's 125th year anniversary. Back in 1884, the AKC only registered nine breeds, compared with the 161 breeds that are registered today. With the exception of the cocker spaniel, none of the original nine came even close to Top 10 status in 2008. Just for fun, here's a quick comparison of the top 10 now and 125 years ago:

1. Labrador Retriever [Pointer, now at #111]
2. Yorkshire Terrier [Chesapeake Bay Retriever, now at #48]
3. German Shepherd Dog [English Setter, now at #86]
4. Golden Retriever [Gordon Setter, now at #92]
5. Beagle [Irish Setter, now at #69]
6. Boxer [Clumber Spaniel, now at #117]
7. Dachshund [Cocker Spaniel, now at #21]
8. Bulldog [Irish Water Spaniel, now at #144]
9. Poodle [Sussex Spaniel, now at #147]
10. Shih Tzu

Amazing how things change in just over a century! Visit the AKC site for more fun historical facts and see where your dog ranks on AKC's list. Have a great weekend and remember to keep your pets inside if you're experiencing this artic blast! Ellen
PHOTO CREDIT: istock image
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