The American Kennel Club (AKC) released registration figures today showing that the Labrador Retriever is the most popular breed of dog in America. Three times as many labs were registered by the AKC than any other breed.

The top ten most popular breeds:

• 1. Labrador Retriever (146,692)
• 2. Golden Retriever (52,550)
• 3. German Shepherd Dog (46,046)
• 4. Beagle (44,555)
• 5. Yorkshire Terrier (43,522)
• 6. Dachshund (40,770)
• 7. Boxer (37,741)
• 8. Poodle (32,671)
• 9. Shih Tzu (28,958)
• 10. Chihuahua (24,850)

The least registered of the breeds are:

• 150. Harrier (53)
• 151. Sussex Spaniel (45)
• 152. Anerican Foxhound (42)
• 153. Otterhound (23)
• 154. English Foxhound (17)

Keep in mind that there are many breeds that the AKC does not recognize and therefore does not have statistics. Rat Terriers, which are enjoying a rise in popularity are not recognized by the AKC as a breed, but are recognized in other organizations.

Visit the AKC website to see the full listing by popularity.