United States | The still most popular Labrador

(New York) The Labrador is still the top choice of American dog owners, but the poodle cracks the top five spots on the American Kennel Club charts for the first time in nearly twenty-five years.

The ranking released Tuesday is compiled from the nearly 800,000 purebred puppies that were registered last year with the AKC, the oldest registry of its kind in the United States.

With 197 recognized breeds, the list lists hairy faces as well known as that of the Labrador – which comes in first place for a 31^and consecutive year, unheard of — but also a newcomer like the Biewer terrier (82^and) and somewhat special dogs like the hairless xoloitzcuintli (119^and).

In order, we find behind the Labrador: the French bulldog, the golden retriever, the German shepherd, the poodle, the bulldog, the beagle, the rottweiler, the German shorthaired pointer and the dachshund.

The poodle

The poodle reigned supreme between 1960 and 1982, before its popularity slipped. The new list sees him in fifth place for the first time since 1997 (the large, the medium and the dwarf are grouped into a single breed).

Traditionally, the poodle was a water dog and it is an athletic animal known for its intelligence, not to mention its hypoallergenic coat. It is frequently used in pet therapy and participates in obedience competitions. Other poodles are used as guide dogs, in agility trials or in other canine sports.

His intelligence, however, is a double-edged sword, as he will remember being treated unfairly or not being entitled to the deserved reward.

And all the doodles?

The poodle is also mated with other breeds to give dogs like the labradoodle, the maltipoo and the sheepadoodle. The AKC does not recognize these breeds at this time, but spokesperson Brandi Hunter says discussions are beginning to consider licensing.

It will first be necessary to start by agreeing on the ideal appearance of the dog, so as to obtain a certain constancy.

“Predictability is one of the things people appreciate about purebreds,” Ms.^me Hunter.

Scarcity

The rarest breed in the United States last year was the Norwegian puffin dog (or lundehund). This little dog has extra toes and exceptional flexibility, which once helped him climb the Norwegian cliffs to catch puffins in their nests.

Rising popularity

The charts often don’t change much from year to year, but it does occasionally. Eight breeds, from the little Welsh Corgi Pembroke (Queen Elizabeth II’s favourite, in 11^and place) to the majestic Great Dane (Scooby-Doo, 17^and), have cracked the top 25 since the turn of the century.

The popularity of some has skyrocketed. The French bulldog, the star of several advertisements and a favorite of the upper echelons of society, comes in second place, when he was just 71^and in 2000. The cane corso, recognized only since 2010, went from the 51^and at the 21^and square.

Imposing and intimidating, the cane corso’s history dates back centuries to the Italian countryside, where it guarded farms, pulled carts and hunted wild boar. Today, he participates in agility competitions, but also in television shows or music videos.

If the dog is protective, “he’s not mean — you have to understand his role,” said breeder Anthony Simonski.

He is, however, concerned about its growing popularity, fearing that it will attract unscrupulous breeders.

“On the one hand I’m like, ‘That’s it, the cat is out of the bag,'” he said. But the real issue is what people are going to do with this cat now that he’s out of the bag. »

Controversial breeding

Some animal rights activists consider dog breeding to be inherently problematic. They argue that people are more interested in the aesthetics of dogs than their health, and that the promotion of purebreds drives puppy mills and consigns other dogs to shelters.

The AKC counters that it and its affiliated clubs advocate and invest in dog health. Breeding well also helps, the AKC adds, by producing dogs whose characteristics match human needs, whether it’s their sense of smell, size or agility.

Registrations of new purebreds, which are voluntary, are up 45% over the past year, according to the AKC.