Alpha Dog: The Labrador Retriever Reigns Supreme as Nation’s Top Dog

I recently found this most interesting article entitled “Alpha Dog: The Labrador Retriever Reigns Supreme as the Nations Top Dog.” It’s very informative so I thought I would share it with you. It will also give me an opportunity to try out my new Apture plug-in. While reading the article just mouse over the appropriate dog breeds and you should see a pop-up photo of that breed.

NEW YORK – The Labrador Retriever has claimed the title of America’s top dog for the 19th consecutive year, according to a recent announcement from the American Kennel Club. But this year’s ranking of the nation’s most popular pooches also included some surprising upsets.

The German Shepherd unseated the Yorkshire Terrier for the title of the runner-up, attaining a level of popularity the breed hasn’t seen in more than 30 years.

“Labs have been America’s top dog for nearly two decades due to their loyal and gentle nature,” said Lisa Peterson, a spokesperson for the AKC. “But the German Shepherd dog has gained ground recently, quite possibly due to the increased attention they receive for their security efforts at home and abroad.”

Based on 2009 registration statistics, the AKC ranks five small-breed dogs among its top 10 list, which includes the Yorkshire Terrier at No. 3, the Beagle at No. 5, the Bulldog and Dachshund trailing at No. 7 and No. 8 respectively, and the Shih Tzu rounding out the list at No. 10.

With even more detailed demographics, smaller dogs emerge as a popular trend, especially in urban areas.

In New York, Philadelphia, Oakland, and Tampa, the Yorkshire Terrier reigned as the coolest canine in the city, but star power might have influenced the rise of the bulldog in Los Angeles. Celebrities such as Adam Sandler, Kelly Osborne and John Legend owning the wrinkled pooch may have triggered the breed’s popularity in the region, speculates the AKC, which also placed the bulldog as No. 2 in San Diego.

Interestingly, the Bull Terrier ranked No. 1 in Newark, NJ, where the overall violent crime rate is 1.64 times the national average per capita, according to CityRating.com. While Bull Terriers are known for being great guard dogs, this same spirit of “protecting” contributed to high rankings for service dogs, who garnered four of the top 10 breed spots.

German Shepherds, Labradors, Beagles, and Golden Retrievers, ranked No. 4, are breeds used by law enforcement, military, and homeland security personnel for tasks ranging from border patrol, bomb, and narcotics detection, to searching for missing persons and tracking down fugitives.

“The loyalty, intelligence, and hardworking nature which make these breeds desirable as K-9 partners in the field also contribute to their status as valuable companions in the hearts of dog owners around the nation,” Peterson said.

For the German Shepherd, this desirability meant that the faithful dog turned up in more families’ homes than any other breed in many cities, including Detroit, Memphis, Honolulu, Miami, and Providence.

“Hailed as the world’s leading police, guard and military dog, this energetic and fun-loving breed is a loyal family pet, ideal companion, and dependable K-9 partner when duty calls,” Peterson said of the German Shepherd.

Also making the 2009 AKC’s list of the most popular dogs in the U.S. was the Poodle, which ranked No. 9.

Play our “Meet the Breeds” game to test your breed knowledge: www.zootoo.com

And to learn more about your favorite breeds, or these top 10, tune into the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship on Saturday, February 6 on Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel, 8 to 11 p.m. ET/PT.

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Reigns Supreme as Nation’s Top Dog”.

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Yes, everyone loves Labs, don’t they? Sweet, gentle, and loyal as they are beautiful. Feel free to leave a comment since this is a “Do-Follow” blog. Let everyone know about your dog and get a backlink at the same time. All the best. (By the way, where was the Chihuahua in all these calculations?