French bulldogs. U.S. dog owners. C害羞草研究所檈st l害羞草研究所檃mour.

Frenchies remained the United States害羞草研究所� most commonly registered purebred dogs last year, according to American Kennel Club rankings released Wednesday. The club calls the Frenchie the most popular breed, though other canine constituencies may beg to differ.

Is it a coup to be celebrated? Au contraire, say longtime fans who rue what popularity is doing to the breed. Nevertheless, after lapping Labrador retrievers to , the bat-eared, scaled-down bulldogs held on in the new standings, which reflect puppies and other dogs that were added last year to the United States害羞草研究所� oldest dog registry.

Meanwhile, dachshunds are at a nearly two-decade peak, the cane corso is making moves, and there害羞草研究所檚 a new breed in the mix.

Of course, purebreds are only part of the canine population in the U.S., where animal of all sorts of dogs last year. Here害羞草研究所檚 a snapshot:

TOP 10

After Frenchies, the most common breeds registered 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 a half-century, and the third most popular breed was the Irish setter 害羞草研究所� now 76th.

Pooch preferences shift for reasons ranging from (social and otherwise) to changing lifestyles as more Americans have moved to cities.

The statistics have limits. Registration is voluntary, the AKC releases few raw numbers, and the popularity rankings measure only the club害羞草研究所檚 roughly 200 recognized breeds. They don害羞草研究所檛 include doodles, other deliberate hybrids or everyday mixed-breed dogs, though those can be registered as 害羞草研究所渁ll-American dogs害羞草研究所� for such sports as and .

THE FRENCHIE MALAISE

Nearly 98,500 French bulldogs joined the AKC pack last year, after a whopping 108,000 in 2022.

The small, solidly built, push-faced dogs have a penchant for comically pensive expressions and often take city living in stride. 害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e interesting little beings,害羞草研究所� says Naneice Bucci, who has owned and shown them for decades.

The breed is now are a lightning rod for .

There are the foreshortened snouts that can result in labored breathing, gagging, difficulty with exercise and other ills 害羞草研究所� concerns that prompted the Netherlands to ban breeding certain individual dogs with muzzles deemed too short. There are pet-store heists and violent robberies, at least . There害羞草研究所檚 a proliferation of Frenchies with unusual coat colors and textures, which have over longtime standards.

And there害羞草研究所檚 concern among long-timers that the hot market for puppies is incentivizing people who are in it for greed, not the breed.

To Bucci, 害羞草研究所渋t害羞草研究所檚 a very scary time.害羞草研究所�

As a 害羞草研究所減reservation breeder害羞草研究所� who follows AKC standards and conducts a battery of internationally recommended health tests before her dogs reproduce, she dreads that breeders who don害羞草研究所檛 do likewise may lead to crackdowns on everyone. And as a founder of Nevada French Bulldog Rescue, she also sees 害羞草研究所渁ll of the underbelly of the people who breed indiscriminately.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淓very time we take in a Frenchie that害羞草研究所檚 in terrible condition, yes, I get angry,害羞草研究所� says Bucci, who lives near Reno. 害羞草研究所淏ut at the same time, I don害羞草研究所檛 want to be punished for trying to do it right.害羞草研究所�

DACHSHUND REDUX

Among other breeds, the unmistakable, low-slung dachshund is riding high at No. 6, its highest ranking since 2004. The dogs ranked as high as third at times in the 1950s-70s.

Their combination of sprightly cuteness, small size and determination 害羞草研究所� they were originally bred to roust badgers 害羞草研究所� . They also have a full-sized bark and a tendency toward stubbornness.

害羞草研究所淓ven though they害羞草研究所檙e small, people have to remember: They are hounds,害羞草研究所� says Carole Krivanich of Milton, Delaware, whose nearly 15-year-old dachshund Mo is an agility and show champion. A longtime Rottweiler owner, she害羞草研究所檚 found dachshunds to be 害羞草研究所渧ery versatile害羞草研究所� and good companions.

ON A COURSE FOR PUP-ULARITY

The cane corso (pronounced CAH害羞草研究所�-neh COOR害羞草研究所�-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 .)

The dogs are praised as protective, trainable and attached to their people. But the strong breed is 害羞草研究所渘ot for somebody that doesn害羞草研究所檛 know how to control a dog,害羞草研究所� AKC spokesperson Brandi Hunter Munden says.

WHO害羞草研究所橲 NEW?

The debuts in the standings at 152nd most popular. But the large, long-eared bird-hunters aren害羞草研究所檛 exactly obscure. Country music power couple Tim McGraw and Faith Hill have shared the antics of their bracchi Italiani (that害羞草研究所檚 the proper plural) on social media. A notched a first-round 害羞草研究所渂est of breed害羞草研究所� win at the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club dog show last year.

WHO害羞草研究所橲 FEW?

The was rarest among last year害羞草研究所檚 registrations. Sometimes called Arabian greyhounds, the fleet, somewhat shy dogs .

GIMME SHELTER

While dogs from affenpinschers to Xoloitzcuintlis were bred last year, U.S. animal shelters were already . Shelters and rescue groups took in about 3.2 million dogs, while 2.2 million dogs were adopted, according to Shelter Animals Count, a nonprofit that gathers shelter data.

There害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所渁 need for a renewed effort to make adoption a priority for the community,害羞草研究所� says the group害羞草研究所檚 executive director, Stephanie Filer. Shelters have a wide variety of dogs to offer, including specific breeds, she notes.

Hunter Munden, the AKC害羞草研究所檚 spokesperson, has two rescue dogs and a purebred herself.

害羞草研究所淩escue is wonderful,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淗owever, we do understand that people want specific characteristics to fit their lifestyle, when it comes to dog ownership, and that害羞草研究所檚 where purebred dogs come in.害羞草研究所�

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