American Kennel Club Reveals Las Vegas’ Top Dogs

- Nationally, Labrador Retriever Holds Firm in Top Spot While the Bulldog Continues Its Ascent -

NEW YORK, Jan. 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The American Kennel Club(R) announced today the “Top 10″ most popular AKC(R) registered breeds in Las Vegas, Nevada for 2008.*

The AKC also announced their nationwide registration statistics which revealed that for the 18th consecutive year, the Labrador Retriever is the most popular purebred in America. But, while more than twice as many Labs were registered last year than any other breed, making it a likely leader for many years to come, the Bulldog continues to amble its way up the list. It made news last year by returning to the AKC’s Top 10 for the first time in over 70 years and now has jumped 6 percent, advancing two spots to land in 8th place.

Here’s a look at Las Vegas’ Top 10 breeds as compared to the rest of the country:

          LAS VEGAS 2008              NATIONWIDE 2008

    1. Labrador Retriever         1. Labrador Retriever
    2. Bulldog                    2. Yorkshire Terrier
    3. German Shepherd Dog        3. German Shepherd Dog
    4. Yorkshire Terrier          4. Golden Retriever
    5. Poodle                     5. Beagle
    6. Golden Retriever           6. Boxer
    7. Shih Tzu                   7. Dachshund
    8. Dachshund                  8. Bulldog
    9. Rottweiler                 9. Poodle
    10. Boxer                     10. Shih Tzu

* Registration data pulled from Las Vegas zip codes as specified by U.S. Postal Service

“The Bulldog and German Shepherd rose from the fifth and seventh most popular breeds last year in Las Vegas and now rank second and third,” said AKC Spokesperson Lisa Peterson. “The popularity of the Bulldog also increased on the national scale, showing that what happens in Vegas, might not always stay in Vegas.”

Dog lovers can see and learn more about all of their favorite breeds on Saturday, January 31, 2009 when the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship — where the country’s top dogs compete for $225,000 in prize money and the title of “National Champion” — airs on Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel from 8-11 p.m. (ET/PT). Highlights from the AKC Agility Invitational will air on Animal Planet on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009 at 8 p.m. (ET/PT).

Visit http://www.akc.org/reg/dogreg_stats.cfm for information on other cities and the complete list of national rankings.

The American Kennel Club proudly celebrates its 125th Anniversary in 2009. Since 1884 the not-for-profit organization has maintained the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees the sport of purebred dogs in the United States. The AKC is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function. Along with its nearly 5,000 licensed and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog ownership. More than 20,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred dogs are held under AKC rules and regulations each year including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure coursing, coonhound events, hunt tests, field and earthdog tests. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Humane Fund, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Companion Animal Recovery and the AKC Museum of the Dog. For more information, visit www.akc.org.

AKC, American Kennel Club, the American Kennel Club seal and design, and all associated marks and logos are trademarks, registered trademarks and service marks of The American Kennel Club, Inc.

SOURCE American Kennel Club