By JENNIFER PELTZ (Associated Press)
NEW YORK (AP) — French bulldogs. U.S. dog owners. It’s love.
Frenchies remained the most commonly registered purebred dogs in the US last year, according to the American Kennel Club rankings released Wednesday. The club refers to the Frenchie as the most popular breed, although other dog groups may disagree.
Is it a triumph to be celebrated? On the contrary, say long-time fans who regret what popularity is doing to the breed. Nevertheless, after surpassing Labrador retrievers to claim the top spot in 2022, the bat-eared, scaled-down bulldogs maintained their position in the new standings, which include puppies and other dogs added last year to the US' oldest dog registry.
Meanwhile, dachshunds are at an almost two-decade high, the cane corso is making progress, and there’s a new breed in the mix.
Of course, purebred dogs are only a part of the dog population in the US, where animal shelters saw an increase in all kinds of dogs last year. Here’s a snapshot:
Following Frenchies, the most common registered breeds were Labs, golden retrievers, German shepherds, and poodles. Then came dachshunds, bulldogs, beagles, Rottweilers, and German shorthaired pointers.
All were also in the top 10 in 2022. A decade ago, Yorkshire terriers and boxers were in the group. Go back 50 years, and the third most popular breed was the Irish setter — now 76th.
Pooch preferences change due to various reasons such as media exposure (social and otherwise) and evolving lifestyles as more Americans have moved to cities.
The statistics have limitations. Registration is voluntary, the AKC releases few raw numbers, and the popularity rankings only measure the club’s roughly 200 recognized breeds. They don’t include doodles, other deliberate hybrids, or everyday mixed-breed dogs, although those can be registered as “all-American dogs” for activities like agility and obedience.
Nearly 98,500 French bulldogs were added to the AKC pack last year, following a whopping 108,000 in 2022.
The small, sturdy, flat-faced dogs have a tendency for comically thoughtful expressions and often adapt well to city living. “They’re interesting little beings,” says Naneice Bucci, who has owned and shown them for decades.
The breed is now a focal point for dog-related controversies and cultural criticisms.
There are the shortened snouts that can lead to difficult breathing, gagging, exercise issues, and other problems — concerns that led the Netherlands to ban breeding certain individual dogs with muzzles considered too short. There are instances of pet-store thefts and violent robberies, at least one of them fatal. There’s a rise in Frenchies with unusual coat colors and textures, leading to disagreements among Frenchie enthusiasts over traditional standards.
And there’s worry among long-time supporters that the high demand for puppies is encouraging people who are driven by greed rather than a genuine interest in the breed.
To Bucci, “it’s a very worrisome time.”
As a “preservation breeder” who adheres to AKC standards and conducts a series of internationally recommended health tests before her dogs reproduce, she fears that breeders who don’t follow suit may result in crackdowns affecting everyone. And as a founder of Nevada French Bulldog Rescue, she also witnesses “all of the negative aspects of people who breed without consideration.”
"Every time we rescue a French bulldog that's in terrible condition, yes, I get angry," says Bucci, who lives near Reno. "But at the same time, I don't want to be punished for trying to do it right."
Among other types of dogs, the unmistakable, low-slung dachshund is doing well at No. 6, its highest ranking since 2004. The dogs reached as high as third place at times during the 1950s-70s.
Their mix of lively cuteness, small size and determination — they were originally bred to flush out badgers — endear them to many. They also have a full-sized bark and a tendency toward stubbornness.
"Even though they're small, people have to remember: They are hounds," says Carole Krivanich of Milton, Delaware, whose nearly 15-year-old dachshund Mo is an agility and show champion. A longtime Rottweiler owner, she’s found dachshunds to be "very versatile" and good companions.
The cane corso (pronounced CAH'-neh COOR'-soh) is now 16th in the rankings, remarkable for a breed the AKC first started counting as recently as 2010. (Perhaps it helped that owners have included such figures as NBA great LeBron James and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.)
The dogs are praised as protective, trainable and attached to their people. But the strong breed is "not for somebody that doesn't know how to control a dog," AKC spokesperson Brandi Hunter Munden says.
The bracco Italiano makes its first appearance in the standings as the 152nd most popular breed. But the large, long-eared bird-hunters aren’t exactly unknown. Country music power couple Tim McGraw and Faith Hill have shared the antics of their bracchi Italiani (that’s the proper plural) on social media. A bracco co-owned by McGraw won a first-round "best of breed" at last year's Westminster Kennel Club dog show.
The sloughi was the rarest breed among last year’s registrations. Sometimes called Arabian greyhounds, the swift and somewhat shy dogs joined the AKC pack in 2016.
While dogs from affenpinschers to Xoloitzcuintlis were bred last year, U.S. animal shelters were already packed with dogs and cats. Shelters and rescue groups took in about 3.2 million dogs, while 2.2 million dogs were adopted, according to Shelter Animals Count, an organization that collects shelter data.
There’s “a need for a renewed effort to make adoption a priority for the community,” says the group’s executive director, Stephanie Filer. Shelters have a wide variety of dogs to offer, including specific breeds, she notes.
Hunter Munden, the AKC’s spokesperson, has two rescue dogs and a purebred herself.
“Rescue is wonderful,” she said. “However, we do understand that people want specific characteristics to fit their lifestyle, when it comes to dog ownership, and that’s where purebred dogs come in.”
