| Every year the American Kennel Club releases the | | | | Looking at the United States AKC top ten dog list |
| number of dogs registered for each dog breed, and | | | | the Yorkshire Terrier has moved up to third place, it's |
| that information is used to discover the favorite dog | | | | highest point since it became recognized by the AKC |
| breeds in the United States for that year. Here are | | | | in 1885. With their spirited, loving yet willful |
| the AKC favorites for 2006: | | | | personality, they deserve to be among the top ten |
| - Labrador Retriever (137,867) | | | | popular dog breeds. Their only drawback is the daily |
| - Golden Retriever (48,509) | | | | grooming required, but that's little inconvenience |
| - Yorkshire Terrier (47,238) | | | | compared to the love they give. |
| - German Shepherd Dog (45,014) | | | | While the Labrador Retriever has been number one |
| - Beagle (42,592) | | | | since 1991, the breed that held the number one |
| - Dachshund (38,566) | | | | position the longest is the Cocker Spaniel, from 1936 |
| - Boxer (37,268) | | | | to 1952 and again from 1983 to 1990 for a total of |
| - Poodle (31,638) | | | | 23 years. Watch for the Labrador Retriever to beat |
| - Shih Tzu (28,087) | | | | that record. |
| - Miniature Schnauzer (24,144) | | | | The Poodle comes in a very close second for the |
| Compare this list with the top ten dogs from the | | | | number of years as America's favorite breed; 1960 |
| United Kingdom's list: | | | | to 1982, a total of 22 years. It was in 1972 that the |
| - Labrador Retriever | | | | large breeds took over as America's favorites when |
| - English Cocker Spaniel | | | | the Doberman Pinschers, Rottweilers and Chow |
| - English Springer Spaniel | | | | Chows rose in popularity throughout the 1980s and |
| - German Shepherd Dog | | | | 1990s. |
| - Staffordshire Bull Terrier | | | | By comparison, small dogs held anywhere from one |
| - Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | | | | to four slots in the top ten at that time. However, as |
| - Golden Retriever | | | | we entered into the new millennium small dogs have |
| - West Highland Terrier | | | | increased in popularity among Americans, perhaps due |
| - Boxer | | | | to their portability or perhaps because celebrities are |
| - Border Terrier | | | | making these smaller breeds more visible. |
| Interesting that there are several dog breeds in the | | | | Notice all the small dogs that are in the list of the |
| U.K. top ten list that are not near the top ten in the | | | | 11-20 most popular: |
| United States. | | | | - Chihuahua (23,575) |
| In the United States the Labrador Retriever has been | | | | - Pug (22,064) |
| in the number one position for 16 years in a row. | | | | - Bulldog (20,556) |
| Meanwhile the Chihuahua slipped from 10th place to | | | | - Pomeranian (19,511) |
| number 11th, replaced by the Miniature Schnauzer. | | | | - Cocker Spaniel (16,343) |
| It's not surprising that the two most popular dog | | | | - Rottweiler (15,916) |
| breeds in the United States and Canada are the | | | | - Boston Terrier (15,852) |
| Labrador Retriever and the Golden Retriever. Both | | | | - Shetland Sheepdog (14,278) |
| are such wonderful dogs to own with their | | | | - Maltese (13,676) |
| easy-going nature and high intelligence. | | | | - German Shorthaired Pointer (13,273) |
| These two dog breeds, along with the German | | | | Four of these dogs are from the AKCs Toy group |
| Shepherd Dog, made the top ten dog list in the U.S., | | | | and another, the Boston Terrier, is a small dog from |
| Canada, and the U.K. The Labrador Retriever and | | | | the Terrier group. Add the five small dogs from the |
| Golden Retriever make great dogs for families and | | | | top ten list and that's why the new millennium seems |
| are listed in a top ten list of dogs for children. | | | | to belong to the small dog. |
| In the same list of "child-friendly dogs" are the | | | | Whatever your favorite breed, we can all agree that |
| Beagle, Poodle, French Bulldog, Pug, Cairn Terrier, Old | | | | dogs continue to hold a very special place in the |
| English Sheepdog, King Charles Spaniel and Cocker | | | | hearts of millions of Americans, and this is a bond |
| Spaniel, several of which made the AKC top ten dog | | | | that needs no special breed at all. |
| list. | | | | |