Our Top Ten Tuesday post this week focused on questions you should ask a breeder before picking out a dog, which got me to wondering, where do my readers get their dogs? Whether you plan on getting your next dog in a week or in ten years, what’s your plan for choosing the best dog for your family?
In addition to the national list of breed popularity, the AKC also publishes lists of the most popular dog breeds in 50 of the largest cities in the United States. According to their press release, some trends they noticed include:
The ever-popular Lab is slowly losing ground in some towns – more U.S. cities featured a breed other than the Labrador Retriever in its top spot this year than in 2008. The breeds responsible for ousting the 19 year national favorite? The German Shepherd ranked first in Columbus, Detroit, Honolulu, Memphis, Miami Providence and West Palm Beach; the Yorkshire Terrier triumphed in Oakland, Tampa, NYC, and Philadelphia; the Bulldog rose to the top in L.A.; and the Bull Terrier was a favorite in Newark, NJ.
The Bulldog is a favorite in California, perhaps due to celeb owners such as Adam Sandler, Kelly Osborne and John Legend. The breed reached the top spot in Los Angeles, the only city where it currently reigns as number one. The wrinkled pooch nearly reached the top in San Diego as well, coming in at the 2nd spot.
South Florida loves its German Shepherd Dog. The breed ranks first in West Palm Beach as well as Miami, where it has held the top spot since 2002, the first year the American Kennel Club started tracking city registration statistics.
Providence is the only U.S. city where the Labrador Retriever does not factor into the Top 5. Despite ranking second in 2008, the breed dropped off the list, making room for the German Shepherd in first place, along with the Yorkshire Terrier, Golden Retriever, Boxer and Poodle.
Unusual breeds on local top five lists include the Bull Terrier (1st in Newark), the Mastiff (4th in Des Moines), the Miniature Pinscher and Shetland Sheepdog (3rd and 5th, respectively, in Richmond) and the Chihuahua (3rd in Honolulu).
What breed do you see the most of where you live?
Until next time,
Good day, and good dog!
All Dog, all the time! News, photos, reviews, guides and more.