American Kennel Club announces most popular dogs

There were 98,500 Frenchies registered in 2023. The year before there were 108,000 French bulldogs listed on the AKC.

It had knocked off the king of the dog breeds, Labrador retrievers, in 2022. Labs had been No. 1 for 31 years, the AKC said.

Dachshunds are almost at their highest popularity in nearly two decades, hitting No. 6, the highest since 2004, while the cane corso is moving up the ranks making it to No. 16, the AP reported.

Here are the top 10 dog pure-bred dog breeds in the U.S. last year:

1. French bulldog
2. Labrador retriever
3. Golden retriever
4. German shepherd
5. Poodle
6. Dachshund
7. Bulldog
8. Beagle
9. Rottweiler
10. German shorthaired pointer

Missing from the Top 10 were Yorkshire terriers and boxers which were prominent 10 years ago.

But what makes Frenchies so popular?

Experts said that some of the reasons are media exposure, lifestyle and people moving to cities.

Keep in mind, the numbers are based on registered animals and that registration is voluntary. It also only recognizes about 200 breeds, no doodles, hybrids or the standard mutts. They can all be generically registered as “all-American dogs.”

While French bulldogs wear the AKC crown, but not all people are fond of the breed. They have foreshortened noses that can cause health issues such as labored breathing, gagging and trouble exercising.

They’re also the subject of crime, with the dogs being stolen from pet shops and robberies.

We know what the most popular breeds are but what are the most rare ones?

The sloughi, or Arabian greyhound, was the least registered in 2023, the AP reported.

If you'd like to see how if these breeds made the grade in Seattle, here is the list of favorites for that city.