Top 10 Dog Breeds for 2007
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Today, the American Kennel Club announced their top ten dog breeds for 2007 based on registration statistics of its members...
2007 Most Popular Dogs in the U.S.
1. Labrador Retriever
2. Yorkshire Terrier
3. German Shepherd Dog
4. Golden Retriever
5. Beagle
6. Boxer
7. Dachshund
8. Poodle
9. Shih Tzu
10. Bulldog
For the first time since 1935, the Bulldog has broken into the top 10. The organization says that this breed has recently gained appeal to a very wide range of dog lovers. The Bulldog is both docile and adaptive, and can thrive in small or large homes. It's also one of the few dog breeds to be adopted as a mascot for some sports teams.
The Bulldog was first recognized by the AKC in 1886, just two years after the organization's founding, and was most popular in 1915 when it peaked in 5th place. The breed's popularity ebbed and flowed throughout the mid-20th century, but since hitting a low of 41st place in 1973, its ranking has steadily increased.
The AKC published statistics by cities...
- The Bulldog is most popular in Los Angeles where is it currently ranked 2nd right after the Lab.
- Atlanta, GA did not include the Bulldog in its top 10, despite being the home to University of Georgia's "Bulldogs".
- The Poodle and Dachshund, who each once enjoyed the top spot in Manhattan (2006, 2005 for the Poodle and 2004 for the Dachshund) now share a tie for 3rd place, ousted by America's top choice, the Labrador Retriever.
- Detroit, Knoxville, Miami, Honolulu and Orlando are the only cities that do not have the Labrador Retriever in the top spot. Detroit and Miami favor the German Shepherd, Orlando puts the Yorkie in 1st place, Honolulu the Golden Retriever and Knoxville the Boxer.
- Salt Lake City is the only city to place the Shih Tzu in one of its top two spots. It moved from 3rd in 2006 to 2nd in 2007.
- The only cities to not have the Yorkie on their lists are Buffalo, Milwaukee and Des Moines.
- Des Moines had the most unique list of all 50 cities, considering that it shared only four dogs with the national Top 10.
- The Miniature Schnauzer, which was displaced on the national list this year by the Bulldog, still claims top dog status in Oklahoma City where it ranks 3rd, higher than in any other U.S. city.
- San Francisco and Los Angeles were the only cities in the nation to include the French Bulldog in their Top 10 lists.
Other interesting dog breed preference facts...
- The Miniature Schnauzer was bumped off the Top 10 list in 2007 to make room for the Bulldog.
- The Yorkshire Terrier held steady in 2nd place, after making news last year by displacing the Golden Retriever and German Shepherd.
- The Havanese, a small dog with a coat type that is a good choice for people with allergies, has enjoyed the greatest surge in popularity since 1997, increasing 994%. It now ranks as the 37th most popular breed.
- Other small dogs (under 20 lbs.) that have gained popularity in the past decade include the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (+406%), the French Bulldog (+404%) and the Brussels Griffon (+157%).
- Large dogs with notable increases are two Swiss breeds -- the Bernese Mountain Dog (+74%) and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog (+127%) -- as well as the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon (+130%).
- Breeds on the decline include the Rottweiler (-81%) and the Dalmatian (-96%). Many breeds of Asian origins are also waning in popularity: Chow Chows (-84%), Pekingese (-79%), Akitas (-76%), Lhasa Apso (-75%), Chinese Shar-Pei (-73%) and Shiba Inu (-38%).
- The Beagle is the only breed that has consistently been included in the Top 10 list since 1915. It reigned as the most popular breed from 1954 to 1959.
- Poodles enjoyed a long reign as the most popular dog for 23 years (1960–1982), the longest any breed has held that position consecutively.
- Cocker Spaniels ranked number one from 1936-1953 (replaced by the Beagle in 1954). Cocker Spaniels made a comeback and were number one again from 1983-1990, making them the dog with the longest total reign in the top spot at 25 years.
- The Toy group has been steadily on the rise since the 1970s, when it made up only 12% of the registry versus 23% today.
- The Working group peaked in the 1990's at 17%, most notably due to the Rottweiler being in the Top 10 at that time, including several years in 2nd place.
You can read more about the AKC's top ten dog breeds here...
http://www.akc.org/news/index.cfm?article_id=3408Labels: American-Kennel-Club, Bulldogs
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Virginia Asked to Classify PETA as a Slaughterhouse
Thursday, January 17, 2008
The Center for Consumer Freedom, a non-profit trade group representing the interests of manufacturers and retailers, formally petitioned the Commonwealth of Virginia to reclassify
PETA as a "slaughterhouse".
An official report filed by PETA itself shows that the animal rights group put to death nearly every dog, cat, and other pet it took in for adoption in 2006. During that year, the well-known animal rights group managed to find adoptive homes for just 12 animals. The organization killed 2,981 of the 3,061 "companion animals" it took in.
According to David Martosko, Research Director for CCF...
"It is absurd to classify PETA as a 'humane society' when its employees are slaughtering nearly every companion animal they bring in. PETA has killed over 17,000 pets since 1998. Given the group's astonishing habit of killing adoptable dogs and cats with such ruthless efficiency, it's only fair that the state of Virginia refer to PETA as a slaughterhouse."
CCF's petition was directed to Virginia's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. If approved, the new classification would force PETA to abide an entirely new set of laws and regulations.
The Center of Consumer Freedom has set PETA in its sights because PETA has targeted the companies that CCF represents, such as food makers, department stores, and textile companies.
PETA's most successful publicity campaigns have been those against the fur industry, arguing that killing animals for fur is akin to cruelty. Yet ironically, PETA itself is killing thousands perfectly healthy and adoptable animals for no better reason than just ideology.
Labels: PETA
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Cesar Millan versus Ian Dunbar
Friday, January 11, 2008
I guess what the television world needs now is an "Iron Dog Trainer" show, similar to the Food Network's, "Iron Chef".
Dogtime ran an article that compares
Cesar Millan with Ian Dunbar, and paints Millan as the bad guy, with Dunbar as the good guy, as if Dunbar is the sigh of relief in a world of shock dog trainers.
Most of us don't know Millan, or Dunbar for that matter. All we know about Millan is what we see on television.
What gets missed in all the Millan debates is that dog training is an art, not a science. There is no "best" way to train dogs. Each trainer has their own beliefs and methods on what works best. Just like in healthcare, whether you're talking about allopathic or holistic, each practitioner has their beliefs, and you as the consumer take responsibility on whom you hire.
So why does Millan continue to take his knocks? Because he has a successful television show, period. It's not about his beliefs or methods. In fact, there are other trainers who share similar beliefs and methods as him, yet they never become the subject of debate. If not for Millan's television show, we wouldn't be talking about him.
That means only one thing. Some people out there can't stand it when someone else with differing viewpoints, get so much media attention. Had Ian Dunbar gotten the nod as "Dog Whisperer" instead of Millan, then he too would be criticized by those with differing viewpoints.
Labels: Cesar-Millan, Dog-Training, Ian-Dunbar
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PETA Killed 97% of Companion Animals
Thursday, January 10, 2008
In 2006, PETA apparently took in 3,061 companion animals, of which it killed 2,981. This information supposedly comes from the Commonwealth of Virginia's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS).
The Center for Consumer Freedom, an advocacy group representing the interests of manufacturers and retailers, issued a press release today that made light of this figure.
The press release goes on to report that the average euthanasia rate for humane societies in the state was just 34.7 percent in 2006, compared to PETA's kill rate of 97.4 percent.
Apparently, the Commonwealth ordered PETA to submit a report of its operations for all of 2006, and PETA finally complied 9 months after the deadline.
You can read the rest of the alarming details here...
http://www.prnewswire.com/..../www/story/01-10-2008/0004734363&EDATE=Those of you who have followed this blog for a long time know that I've been a big critic of PETA, charging them to be hypocrites in the most vile kind of way.
They campaign for our donations on the grounds that they're going to take care of these animals, love them, and protect them, and yet it appears they use that money to buy syringes, plastic bags, and pentobarbital.
They're opportunists. When an animal tragedy occurs, such as the Michael Vick story, they capitalize on the situation with their, "I told you so" advertisements, and leverage donations from our emotions.
What's worse, PETA, or Michael Vick?
No one who calls themselves an animal lover can stick a needle into a perfectly healthy and adoptable dog, and tell it that they're doing this for love.
If you're going to argue that a "kinder, gentler death" is better than a cruel one, then you're just as clueless as Michael Vick.
Labels: PETA
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Seattle to Ban Pit Bulls?
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
The Seattle Times ran an article about a local woman who started an organization called, "
Families and Dogs Against Fighting Breeds". She wants the city to either ban pit bulls or at least a mandatory sterilization of them.
Colleen Lynn, who was attacked by a pit bull, said the following...
"I have to prepare myself to be massively intimidated. But we need to recognize the problem. Our community is suffering."
Are we looking at another
Denver, another
Windsor, another fascist state where hundreds of well-tempered dogs are ripped from their homes and put down like Jews in a concentration camp, just because a few dog owners weren't acting responsibly?
Like I've said countless times here, we already have laws and remedies against irresponsible dog owners, the problem is that local governments don't want to go after the bad apples. It costs money. They'd rather take the easy road by burdening everyone.
The irony of that approach is that only the law-abiding citizen abide by laws. The irresponsible citizens, who don't abide by laws, are the problem.
How will another law address the people who don't abide by laws?You've heard the old saying, "If you outlaw guns, only outlaws will have guns". It's the same principle.
Read the full article...
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/..../2004112928_brodeur08m.htmlLabels: Pit Bull Bans
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Dog Sniffing Butt
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
This is why people shake hands and say "hello"...
Labels: Photos
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Dog Hospitalized for Too Much Pastry
Monday, January 07, 2008
A labrador named "Dingo" in Vienna, Austria was drunken with alcohol without having consumed any alcohol.
The culprit was mass quantities of pastries. The dog managed to sneak half a kilogram of fresh yeast dough from its owner's kitchen. The yeast in the dough fermented in the dog's belly and produced alcohol...
Drunk Dingo presented a pitiful sight, Carl Hofbauer, the vet looking after the intoxicated labrador was quoted as saying in reports. His charge had been barely able to stand on its own four paws and needed to be held up when walking. Moreover, the dog smelled like a beer hall, the vet said.
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/170132.htmlLabels: Strange Stuff
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Bizarre Dog-Napping Case
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Here's a sad story about a man who lost his dog last Halloween, only be called on the phone by some kids threatening to kill his dog unless he paid $600.00. And then apparently, they killed the dog anyways...
http://news.yahoo.com/..../missing_dog_extortionPolice have arrested at least one 15-year old boy in the case, but the whereabouts of the dog is unknown.
The judicial system needs to come down much more hard on low-life scum such as this. If you read the article above, it's clear these kids are not just playing games, and will certainly grow up to commit bigger crimes.
I'm tired of compassionate courts.
People like these are beyond rehabilitation, and the courts need to excise these little tumors before they metastasize into cancers, and send a message to rest of America's youth.
Labels: Dog Cruelty
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Exploding Dog at Crematory
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Here's a weird story, a frozen dog, kept at a pet crematory, exploded as it was put into an incinerator.
As
ABC News reports...
"He revealed that a frozen dead dog in the furnace was the cause of the overheating chimney, as frozen dogs sometimes explode when cremated."
I wouldn't want to be the one to clean up that mess.
According to another report, this happens occasionally at this crematory.
Labels: Strange Stuff
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Shower With Your Dog
Monday, December 31, 2007
Do you like to take a shower with your dog? Or, at least have it there with you?
One couple in Bremerton, WA fought over this issue, as they prepared to take a shower together. According to the
Associated Press...
The woman told her boyfriend that if the dog doesn't stay out, she didn't want to be his girlfriend anymore. He replied that maybe his next girlfriend would appreciate the dog more, and called her a name.
The police report said the woman punched him in the face several times and the man dislocated his shoulder after the naked couple grappled. He told police his girlfriend threw a picture frame, which broke and cut him.
Now she's in jail.
My wife and I never close the bathroom door when we shower, but for whatever reasons, Max doesn't seem to want to watch. Mia, however, follows me around everywhere, and will lay down on the bathroom floor and wait for me to finish showering.
Labels: Strange Stuff
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Dogs Inherit $800,000
Saturday, December 29, 2007
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Pup-Peroni 50 Calorie Packs
Friday, December 28, 2007
Del Monte Pet Products announced today the release of their new Pup-Peroni 50 Calorie Packs.
Just like what the 100-calorie packs have done for people snacks, Del Monte hopes that 50-calorie snack packs will do for dogs.
And it's no coincidence that they released this at this time, with New Year's Day just a few days away. It allows you to add your dog into your New Year's weight loss resolution.
Though, I'm not sure 50-calorie packs is what is needed to trim your dog down. In my opinion it's really about getting your dog on a feeding schedule with measured proportions.
Del Monte says that one 50 calorie pack is an ideal daily serving for a small dog (5-10 pounds), while medium to larger-sized dogs, ranging from 45-70 pounds, can enjoy more than four or five of the new Pup-Peroni snack packs.
The new 50-calorie packs will be available at all major pet stores.
Labels: Dog Snacks
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Nazi Saluting Dog Looks for New Owner
Friday, December 21, 2007
In Germany, a dog named "Adolph" is now searching for a new owner, after his previous owner was sent to jail for teaching him how to salute like a Nazi.
The dog's owner, Roland T, a Nazi sympathizer, was ordered to cease his public expression of Nazi sympathism, but the man, who apparently suffers from brain damage due to an accident, has not done so. So now he's in jail.
The Daily Mail, a UK-based newspaper reports that if Adolph's new owners don't train him to forget the offensive trick, Adolph may end up being put down...
But new owners could land in the same fate if the German Sheppard crossbreed continues to raise his paw to hail his namesake, dictator Adolf Hitler.
So the nine-year-old dog – now renamed Adi – will have to learn a new trick – and quick - if he is to avoid more trouble from the country's ardently anti-fascist authorities.
OpinionI guess it just goes to show that Germany is still a fascist state, if you can't be free to express your political beliefs, regardless of how perverse they might be.
If Roland T truly is brain damaged from an accident then this is just a sad, SAD story all around. Here's a man who has no other companion than his faithful dog, and being punished for expressing his beliefs, and not totally understanding what the State wants from him.
And now a dog that may ultimately face death because he too doesn't understand what the State wants from him.
Labels: Strange Stuff
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Why Microchips Don't Always Work
Thursday, December 20, 2007
It appears one reason why microchips don't always work is because shelters don't always scan!
An article in
The Flint Journal says that the Genesee County Animal Control failed to scan a golden retriever, which could have ended up in the incinerator if a good samaritan hadn't intervened...
Gerhardt said his initial remarks were misunderstood but agreed Murphy was not checked for a microchip because he acted aggressively.
"Nothing says you have to scan," he said Monday, noting the state law only requires the shelter to attempt to identify animals through license tags.
On Wednesday, Gerhardt said the shelter actually scans most every incoming animal for microchips unless animals are especially difficult or aggressive.
I'm upset to hear that a shelter isn't doing everything it can to return a dog back to its owner. County shelters, and the employees who work there, are paid for by taxpayers. They have a
duty to the taxpayers.
This is still the fault of the owner, relying on an invisible fence to contain a large dog, and then apparently not having a license tag hanging on the dog's collar.
Also, microchips are not a fail-safe measure.
Labels: Microchips
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Animal Rights versus Human Rights
Thursday, December 20, 2007
The San Francisco Chronicle published an article complaining that America seems to be more intersted in animal rights than the rights of African Americans, in light of the recent 23 month prison sentence for Michael Vick.
Here's an interesting quote from the article...
In American culture, ethnic groups external to African Americans appear to have become more upset over dog fighting than African Americans are. If we were to look at animal welfare rights versus the rights of African Americans, one might conclude the welfare of animals gets more attention in some circles than the welfare of black people in this country. There are more groups fighting for the rights of animals than for the rights of African Americans.
Here are my observations on this.
Animal rights is not a big issue in the United States; only a teeny-tiny percentage of Americans really give a damn. Across the country, people don't really care. Dog fighting rings get busted all the time, and they may only get a few sentences of mention buried in the back of the local fish wrap.
In this case, Michael Vick was a football star, and he was indeed one of the big stars of the NFL, not just a rank-and-file player. That's why his crimes were given so much attention. Had he been any other black guy, or guy in general, his dog fighting operation might not have even been mentioned.
You don't hear Barack Obama putting chicken rights on his POTUS platform, and you don't see Hillary shaking her fist over the problem of dog fighting in America. If animal rights were more important than human rights, it would stand to reason that Presidential hopefuls would crawl over each other to get PETA's endorsement. But they don't.
So the person writing the article in the San Francisco Chronicle seems to have the same "selective vision" as the animal rights activists have, choosing to view the world's problems through their own set of eyes, instead of looking at the big picture.
The media coverage on Michael Vick
was never about the dogs. It was about a celebrity that got busted by the cops. It was about tabloid journalism.
Dog bloggers tried to capitalize and bring attention to the problem of dog fighting, but they accomplished no more than just preaching to the flock. This was a tabloid matter from the beginning, and our nation saw it as that.
Labels: Animal Rights, Michael Vick
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