The Labrador Retriever Reigns Supreme Once Again in Atlanta

Nationally, Labrador Retriever Also Remains America's Most Popular Breed As the Bulldog Quietly Creeps Up the List

NEW YORK, Jan. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Once again, the Labrador Retriever took Atlanta's top spot in the American Kennel Club's (AKC®) 2010 ranking of the most popular AKC-registered dog breeds in U.S.

"Atlanta's love of large dogs may be changing," said AKC Spokesperson Lisa Peterson.  "While Atlanta's top five breeds have remained constant over the past two years, the Yorkshire Terrier did manage to edge out the Boxer for Atlanta's forth spot in 2010."

Atlanta's top 5 breeds for 2010 compared to 2009:

* Registration data pulled from Atlanta's zip codes as specified by U.S. Postal Service

Among the Changes in Atlanta's Rankings:

• The French Bulldog looked like it was poised to enter Atlanta's top 10, being ranked 11th in 2009, but slipped nine spots, to 20th most popular breed this year.
• It was a three-way tie for ninth most popular breed, with the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Dachshund and Rottweiler splitting the honor for Atlanta.
• Mirroring the national rankings, the Bulldog proved to be Atlanta's 6th most popular breed.

The AKC also announced its nationwide registration statistics today, revealing that for the 20th consecutive year the Labrador Retriever is the most popular purebred dog in America.  However, this year's list includes some shakeups in the top 10 - the Beagle overtook the Golden Retriever for the 4th spot, and the Bulldog took 6th place away from the Boxer, who dropped to 7th in 2010.

The Bulldog has been steadily rising up the list over the past decade, going from 21st to 6th.  While impressive, it is not the biggest mover – that distinction goes to the French Bulldog.  The Frenchie jumped 50 spots (from 71st to 21st) over the past 10 years.

In addition, the AKC expanded its litter of registered breeds on January 1 to welcome the Norwegian Lundehund, the Xoloitzcuintli and the Entlebucher Mountain Dog - growing next year's list of Most Popular Breeds to 170 dogs.  

Additional information on the AKC's ranking of the Most Popular Breeds in the U.S. can be found online at www.akc.org.

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The American Kennel Club, founded in 1884, is a not-for-profit organization which maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees the sport of purebred dogs in the United States. The AKC is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function.  Along with its nearly 5,000 licensed and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog ownership. More than 20,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred dogs are held under AKC rules and regulations each year including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure coursing, coonhound events, hunt tests, field and earthdog tests. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Humane Fund, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Companion Animal Recovery and the AKC Museum of the Dog.  For more information, visit www.akc.org.

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SOURCE American Kennel Club