| The Trendiest Dogs in America (and the least trendiest, too) |
| Written by Steve Dale | |
 Bulldog (AKC image) They snore, they wheeze, they’re often bow-legged and they’re renowned for flatulence – yet the Bulldog is the trendiest dog in America. For the first time since 1935 the Bulldog has wiggled onto the list of the American Kennel Club’s (AKC) list of the ten most popular dog breeds.  Georgia bulldogs “There’s just something about Bulldogs,” says Lisa Peterson, AKC spokesperson. “They’re great companions and have dependable personalities.” But there must be more to it. Maybe it’s the celebrity factor. George Clooney and Adam Sandler have high profile Bulldogs. Or maybe it’s the sports factor; Fresno State, Yale University and the University of Georgia are all nicknamed the Bulldogs. Their team apparel and gear with Bulldog mugs are walking advertisements for the breed. Bulldogs shot up 62 per cent in popularity, based on AKC breed registrations, over the past ten years, and increased five per cent over last year.  A 'Frenchie' gets in trouble Bulldogs weren’t alone. French Bulldogs shot up 400 per cent in the past 10 years, and up 16 per cent from last year, now settling at number 34 on the AKC popularity chart. Peterson says, “Well, there must be a thing for that pushed in face – it is cute, and they’re wonderfully fun, Frenchies certainly have a sense of humor.” Another trendy breed is the Havanese, a relative of the Bichon Frise, appealing to some because lots of people aren’t allergic to them. The Havanese has increased in popularity an astounding 944 per cent over the past 10 years, and a hike of 10 per cent since last year; they’re now the 37th most popular breed on the AKC list of 157 breeds and varieties.  German Pinscher (AKC image) The German Pinscher, a relatively unknown breed, increased 49 per cent since last year, now number 135 on the AKC list. Smaller than the Doberman Pinscher but larger than the Miniature Pinscher, Peterson notes, “They’re a good compromise in size, around 25 to 35 lbs.” The Belgian Malinois was number 90 in popularity last year; this year they’ve increased to 79 on the AKC chart, up 29 per cent. “People see these dogs (which resemble German Shepherd dogs) used more and more for law enforcement, sometimes in demonstrations by police, and they’ve become appealing,” Peterson says. After reaching number 15 on the AKC list in 1996 following the various 101 Dalmatian movies, the Dalmatian began to wane in popularity. Quality breeders were thrilled, feeling their breed was then being exploited by puppy mills and other unscrupulous breeders. For the first time in 11 years, Dalmatian have now gained, increasing 24 per cent from last year, now number 77 on the AKC chart. (up from number 85 last year). “If you like to run, Dalmatians are an excellent choice,” says Peterson. “They’re also hard-wired to work alongside horses. After all, they were the original carriage dog.”  Dalmatian puppy For several consecutive years in the late 1990’s, the Dalmatian was the breed which tumbled the most in popularity. This year, it’s a four-way tie among those who plummeted the most, the Pug, Miniature Pinscher, Bichon Frise and American Cocker Spaniel all dropped 17 per cent. The Pug is now number 14 on the AKC chart, the Mini-Pin is 26, the Bichon is at 32 and the American Cocker Spaniel is 17. As for the Pug and Miniature Pinscher, Peterson notes a slightly larger similar dog seems to be more favored now. People have upgraded to the Bulldog over the Pug and the German Pinscher over the Mini-Pin. Adding evidence to her theory about the toy dog trend is perhaps moderating into mid-size dogs, the Chihuahua dropped 12 per cent. Peterson is careful to add, “Just because a breed is more or for that matter less popular is no reason to make a choice. Every breed has predictable sizes and personality characteristics, and that’s what you should be considering. For example, the Bulldog doesn’t require much exercise and can be great apartment dogs, that’s not really the case for a Dalmatian.” Here are the top-10 American Kennel Club breeds:
It’s always interesting to note who’s at the bottom of the pack: 157) English Foxhound 156) Otterhound 155) American Foxhound 154) Sussex Spaniel 153) Canaan Dog 152) Skye Terrier 151) Finish Spitz 150) Harrier Check out all the breeds, as well as the most popular breeds listed for each of the top-50 cities, www.akc.org Top Dogs in History The Labrador Retriever has held the title of most popular dog since 1991. Here are the other breeds who have held the title as America’s top dog: 1983 to 1990 - American Cocker Spaniels 1960 to 1982 – Poodles 1953 to 1959 – Beagles 1936 to 1953 – American Cocker Spaniels ©Steve Dale, Tribune Media Services |
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