French Bulldogs are the most popular dog breed in the U.S. for the second year in a row, according to the list released by the American Kennel Club (AKC) on March 20.
Before 2022, the Labrador Retriever was the most popular dog breed in the U.S. for an impressively long time — 31 years.
“The French Bulldog’s popularity shows no signs of slowing down,” AKC writes.
AKC Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo said in a press release, “Their long list of fabulous traits makes them wonderful companions for a variety of people, but that doesn’t mean they’re for everyone.”
“It’s extremely important to do your research to not only find the right breed for your lifestyle, but to ensure that you’re getting a well-bred dog from a responsible breeder,” she continued.
This petite dog breed has steadily grown in popularity and in AKC’s registration rankings before making it to the top.
In 2012, the breed ranked 14 and in 2021, they took the second spot before finally snatching the coveted title in 2022.
Furthermore, for the second year in a row, the top 5 dog breeds remain unchanged. The Labrador Retriever takes the No. 2 spot, followed by the Golden Retriever, German Shepherd, and then Poodle.
The AKC also mentioned three breeds that have seen the biggest jump in rankings — the Finnish Lapphund, the Basenji, and the Papillion.
AKC reveals, “the Finnish Lapphund went from No. 167 to No. 135, a total of 32 spots. The Basenji jumped 10 spots from No. 91 to No. 81, and the The Papillion went up six ranks from No. 51 to No. 45.”
There are also a number of breeds that are slowly climbing up the ranks.
AKC reveals that breeds like the Cane Corso, Belgian Malinois, Giant Schnauzer, and English Cocker Spaniel have seen a significant jump in popularity over the last decade.
Furthermore, some of social media’s favorite breeds made it to the Top 50 this year. The Pembroke Welsh Corgi (#11), Yorkshire Terrier (#13), Siberian Husky (#24) and Pug (#36).
Meanwhile, the Lancashire Heeler, which is the newest breed recognized by AKC this year has yet to make its debut in the list.
See the full list by AKC here!