American Kennel Club announces top dog breeds of 2022

The American Kennel Club (AKC) shared the top dog breeds of 2022. The most shocking ranking of all was the Labrador retriever was bumped to the number 2 spot, after spending the last 31 years as the top dog breed, and replaced by the French bulldog.

According to the AKC,¹ the French bulldog was ranked number 14 in 2012 and then jumped to the number 2 spot in 2021, with registration for the Frenchies increasing by over 1,000%. The French bulldog was first recognized by the AKC in 1898 and has increased in popularity across the United States due to their small size and generally quiet demeanor.

The rest of the top 5 breeds for 2022 are Labrador retriever, golden retriever, German shepherd dog, and poodle. Some major jumps later in the list were Rottweilers moving from number 8 to 7 and the dachshund bumping the German shorthaired pointer from spot number 9 in 2021 to number 10 this year.

Other major jumps in the listing from last year to this year are the American hairless terrier, gordon setter, Italian greyhound, and Anatolian shepherd dog. Breeds that are playing the long game and have made their way up the rankings within the last 10 years are the Belgian Malinois, cane corso, English cocker spaniel, and giant schnauzers.¹

AKC newly recognized 2 breeds in 2022, mudi and Russian toy, who debuted in spot number 150 and 144. In July 2022, the Bracco Italiano became the 200th dog breed recognized by the AKC and will debut in the registration rankings in 2023.

Among the top dogs, the AKC also shared the dogs at the bottom of its list. According to the AKC, their least popular dog breeds in 2022 were the sloughi, Norwegian lundehund, and the English foxhound.

Visit the AKC website to learn more about their ranking and see the full list.

Reference

The Most Popular Dog Breeds of 2022. News release. American Kennel Club. March 15, 2023. Accessed March 17, 2023. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/most-popular-dog-breeds-2022/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_org&utm_campaign=20230315_posting&fbclid=IwAR2we7BfFvrdT02VTFp6HbWheOjXj3beKSREBicSLf2SBvrRCiVMvtW41aE