Top Dog Breeds of 2014 – What are the Most Popular Dogs

This year the AKC celebrates its 131st anniversary and for the 24th year in a row, the Labrador retriever is once again America’s favorite purebred dog, according to registration numbers tallied by the American Kennel Club. The AKC released the figures and, as in past years, the Labrador far outstrips the other dogs in the top 10.

Changes in the Top Dog Breeds in 2014

The big change in the top 10 dog list is that the bulldog is working its way up the list and currently resides in the #4 position, its highest ranking ever! The other big change was the Dachshund was knocked out of the top 10 list and now is ranked in the #11 spot for this first time since 1985. New in the top 10 list is the French bulldog, affectionately nicknamed the “Frenchie”.

The Top 10 Dog Breeds of 2014 are:

1. Labrador retrievers
2. German shepherds
3. Golden retrievers
4. Bulldogs
5. Beagles
6. Yorkshire terriers
7. Poodles
8. Boxers
9. French Bulldogs
10. Rottweilers

Changes in the Top Dog Breeds 2008 – 2013

Here are the trends of the past several years:

Last year, there were no changes from 2012 to 2013! The top 10 list stayed exactly the same.

In 2012 – the biggest change was that large breeds bumped out several of the smaller dog breeds.

Here was the rundown of changes in the 2012 numbers. The Bulldog has climbed his way in to #5 dog which bumped the Yorkshire terrier in to #6 spot. The Golden Retriever has also pushed himself into the #3 spot – overtaking the Beagle. The Rottweiler also climbed in to 9th place – displacing the Dachshund.

In 2011, The Beagle jumped into 3rd place from fourth knocking out the Yorkshire Terrier to #5. The Golden Retriever also jumped into 4th place. The Shih Tzu was knocked off the top 10 list and a new breed was added – the Rottweiler.

In 2010, the biggest change was that the Beagle jumped into 4th place from fifth knocking out the Golden Retriever to 5th. The bulldog also jumped into 6th place knocking out the boxer.

In 2009, the biggest change was that the German Shepherd Dog came in at #2 knocking the Yorkshire Terrier down one notch to #2 dog. The was first time the German shepherd ranked #2 in over 30 years. In 2011, the German Shepherd Dog retains it’s second place spot.

If you look at to 2008, it was the first time the bulldog made it into the top ten list since 1935 and has continued to increase and maintained his spot in 6th again this year.

Over the past several years, the top 10 list has been relatively stable. The biggest changes was six years ago, in 2005, one new breed joined the top 10 list and one got bumped off. The Miniature Schnauzer came in at #10 displacing the Chihuahua into the #11 position. In 2007, the Miniature Schnauzer was dropped from the top 10 list. And in 2008, the Bulldog jumped on the top 10 list. In 2010, the Rottweiler jumped on the top 10 list bumping the Shih Tzu off the list.

Popularity of Large Vs. Small Dog Breeds in the Top 10

Six out of the top ten AKC registered breeds are large breed dogs! These include the Labrador retriever, German shepherd, golden retriever, Bulldog, Boxer, and Rottweiler,. The rest are smaller breed dogs which includes the Beagle, Yorkie, Poodle and Frenchie.

The Top 10 Breeds of 2013 were:

1. Labrador retrievers
2. German shepherds
3. Golden retrievers
4. Beagles
5. Bulldogs
6. Yorkshire terriers
7. Boxers
8. Poodles
9. Rottweilers
10. Dachshunds

AKC Dog Categories

The AKC recognizes dogs in seven categories: sporting, hound, working, terrier, toy, non-sporting and herding. The largest breed registration in each group is as follows:

• Sporting – e.g. Labrador retriever
• Hound – e.g. beagle
• Working – e.g. boxers
• Terrier – e.g. miniature schnauzer
• Toy – e.g. Yorkshire terrier
• Non-sporting – e.g. poodles
• Herding – e.g. German shepherd

The Entire Ranking of 2014 AKC Dog Registrations

Rank Breed

1. RETRIEVERS (LABRADOR)
2. GERMAN SHEPHERDS
3. RETRIEVERS (GOLDEN)
4. BULLDOGS
5. BEAGLES
6. YORKSHIRE TERRIERS
7. POODLES
8. BOXERS
9. FRENCH BULLDOGS
10. ROTTWEILERS
11. DACHSHUNDS
12. POINTERS (GERMAN SHORTHAIRED)
13. SIBERIAN HUSKIES
14. DOBERMAN PINSCHERS
15. GREAT DANES
16. MINIATURE SCHNAUZERS
17. SHIH TZU
18. AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERDS
19. CAVALIER KING CHARLES SPANIELS
20. POMERANIANS
21. SHETLAND SHEEPDOGS
22. PEMBROKE WELSH CORGIS
23. BOSTON TERRIERS
24. CHIHUAHUAS
25. HAVANESE
26. MASTIFFS
27. BRITTANYS
28. SPANIELS (ENGLISH SPRINGER)
29. MALTESE
30. SPANIELS (COCKER)
31. BERNESE MOUNTAIN DOGS
32. PUGS
33. VIZSLAS
34. WEIMARANERS
35. COLLIES
36. NEWFOUNDLANDS
37. WEST HIGHLAND WHITE TERRIERS
38. RHODESIAN RIDGEBACKS
39. BORDER COLLIES
40. RETRIEVERS (CHESAPEAKE BAY)
41. BASSET HOUNDS
42. PAPILLONS
43. BICHONS FRISES
44. BULLMASTIFFS
45. AKITAS
46. SHIBA INU
47. CANE CORSO
48. SOFT COATED WHEATEN TERRIERS
49. BLOODHOUNDS
50. ST. BERNARDS
51. PORTUGUESE WATER DOGS
52. BULL TERRIERS
53. ALASKAN MALAMUTES
54. AUSTRALIAN CATTLE DOGS
55. WHIPPETS
56. AIREDALE TERRIERS
57. CHINESE SHAR-PEI
58. SCOTTISH TERRIERS
59. BELGIAN MALINOIS
60. MINIATURE PINSCHER
61. SPANIELS (ENGLISH COCKER)
62. DOGUES DE BORDEAUX
63. CHINESE CRESTED
64. DALMATIANS
65. LHASA APSOS
66. SAMOYEDS
67. CAIRN TERRIERS
68. CHOW CHOWS
69. POINTERS (GERMAN WIREHAIRED)
70. IRISH WOLFHOUNDS
71. SETTERS (IRISH)
72. ITALIAN GREYHOUNDS
73. GREAT PYRENEES
74. WIREHAIRED POINTING GRIFFONS
75. OLD ENGLISH SHEEPDOGS
76. CARDIGAN WELSH CORGIS
77. STAFFORDSHIRE BULL TERRIERS
78. GREATER SWISS MOUNTAIN DOGS
79. BOUVIERS DES FLANDRES
80. PEKINGESE
81. GIANT SCHNAUZERS
82. AMERICAN STAFFORDSHIRE TERRIERS
83. BORDER TERRIERS
84. BASENJIS
85. KEESHONDEN
86. TIBETAN TERRIERS
87. SETTERS (ENGLISH)
88. STANDARD SCHNAUZERS
89. BRUSSELS GRIFFONS
90. RETRIEVERS (FLAT-COATED)
91. JAPANESE CHIN
92. ANATOLIAN SHEPHERD DOGS
93. FOX TERRIERS (WIRE)
94. NORWICH TERRIERS
95. AFGHAN HOUNDS
96. RETRIEVERS (NOVA SCOTIA DUCK TOLLING)
97. SETTERS (GORDON)
98. SILKY TERRIERS
99. BORZOIS
100. NORWEGIAN ELKHOUNDS
101. LEONBERGERS
102. RUSSELL TERRIERS
103. WELSH TERRIERS
104. SPANIELS (BOYKIN)
105. SCHIPPERKES
106. BELGIAN TERVUREN
107. RAT TERRIERS
108. TREEING WALKER COONHOUNDS
109. NEAPOLITAN MASTIFFS
110. TOY FOX TERRIERS
111. PARSON RUSSELL TERRIERS
112. SPINONI ITALIANI
113. POINTERS
114. AMERICAN ESKIMO DOGS
115. BEARDED COLLIES
116. TIBETAN SPANIELS
117. BELGIAN SHEEPDOGS
118. FOX TERRIERS (SMOOTH)
119. IRISH TERRIERS
120. BLACK AND TAN COONHOUNDS
121. BLACK RUSSIAN TERRIERS
122. KERRY BLUE TERRIERS
123. MINIATURE BULL TERRIERS
124. BLUETICK COONHOUNDS
125. NORFOLK TERRIERS
126. BRIARDS
127. SPANIELS (WELSH SPRINGER)
128. SALUKIS
129. TIBETAN MASTIFFS
130. MANCHESTER TERRIERS
131. SPANIELS (FIELD)
132. ENGLISH TOY SPANIELS
133. AUSTRALIAN TERRIERS
134. BEDLINGTON TERRIERS
135. GERMAN PINSCHERS
136. XOLOITZCUINTLI
137. SPANIELS (CLUMBER)
138. AFFENPINSCHERS
139. BEAUCERONS
140. ICELANDIC SHEEPDOGS
141. GREYHOUNDS
142. REDBONE COONHOUNDS
143. LAKELAND TERRIERS
144. PETITS BASSETS GRIFFONS VENDEENS
145. PULIK
146. SPANIELS (IRISH WATER)
147. ENTLEBUCHER MOUNTAIN DOGS
148. PLOTTS
149. SETTERS (IRISH RED AND WHITE)
150. AMERICAN ENGLISH COONHOUNDS
151. SCOTTISH DEERHOUNDS
152. SWEDISH VALLHUNDS
153. IBIZAN HOUNDS
154. SPANIELS (AMERICAN WATER)
155. KUVASZOK
156. GLEN OF IMAAL TERRIERS
157. RETRIEVERS (CURLY-COATED)
158. PHARAOH HOUNDS
159. LOWCHEN
160. PORTUGUESE PODENGO PEQUENOS
161. DANDIE DINMONT TERRIERS
162. KOMONDOROK
163. SEALYHAM TERRIERS
164. POLISH LOWLAND SHEEPDOGS
165. CHINOOKS
166. NORWEGIAN BUHUNDS
167. FINNISH LAPPHUNDS
168. FINNISH SPITZ
169. SPANIELS (SUSSEX)
170. CANAAN DOGS
171. SKYE TERRIERS
172. PYRENEAN SHEPHERDS
173. OTTERHOUNDS
174. AMERICAN FOXHOUNDS
175. HARRIERS
176. CESKY TERRIERS
177. ENGLISH FOXHOUNDS
178. NORWEGIAN LUNDEHUNDS

NOTES:

Data from AKC website: http://www.akc.org