Labrador is America's top dog, bulldogs make headway
Purchase this article for republication
Buy SPH photos
NEW YORK (REUTERS) - The Labrador retriever held its 22-year reign as America's top dog, but a determined bulldog is gaining ground in the popularity stakes.
The American Kennel Club's annual ranking of most popular dog breeds on Wednesday showed Labradors in the lead, with other large dogs moving up and once-popular smaller breeds such as the Yorkshire terrier and the miniature poodle losing some ground.
"Bigger breeds are making their move," said AKC spokesman Lisa Peterson. "The bulldog has muscled his way into the top five," she said, displacing the popular Yorkie, which dropped to sixth.
The No. 2 in popularity was the German shepherd, followed by the golden retriever and the beagle, which swapped the third and fourth spots from last year's rankings, "adding insult to injury for smaller breeds," Ms Peterson joked.
