Poodles are back in style. Labradors are still No. 1. The American Kennel Club’s annual dog breed popularity rankings are out. With 197 recognized breeds, the list ranges from familiar furry faces to new and unusual breeds. Here are the highlights.
in the U.S. The smallish dogs boast extra toes and unusual flexibility that once helped them climb Norwegian cliffs to hunt puffins nesting in narrow crevices.The standings often don’t change a lot from year to year, but they do over time. Eight breeds, from the low-lying Pembroke Welsh corgi to the towering great Dane , have entered the top 25 since the start of the century.now #2 and a common sight from TV commercials to cosmopolitan streets, ranked a distant 71st in 2000.
While the dogs are protective, “it’s not about being mean — it’s about understanding its job,” says Simonski, of Acworth, Georgia.