American Kennel Club Reveals the Top Dogs in Los Angeles and Long Beach

-- Nationally, Labrador Retriever Remains America's Most Popular Breed As German Shepherd Dog Makes A Move For The Top Spot --

NEW YORK, Jan. 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Kennel Club^® (AKC) announced today the "Top 5" most popular AKC-registered dog breeds in Los Angeles and Long Beach for 2009.* This year, the Bulldog took L.A.'s top spot while the Labrador Retriever continued its reign in Long Beach.

"Angelenos pride themselves on their uniqueness and originality, and they lived up to that by making L.A. the only city to have the Bulldog rank as most popular dog," said AKC Spokesperson Lisa Peterson. "Despite the top four dogs being large breeds, a number of smaller pooches fill out the Top 10, including the Yorkie, Maltese, French Bulldog and Poodle, perhaps due to their prevalence as companions to the stars."

Los Angeles' Top 5 breeds for 2009 compared to 2008:

* Registration data pulled from Los Angeles zip codes as specified by U.S. Postal Service

"The French Bulldog is an unusual favorite of Long Beach residents, ranked fourth in Long Beach but only twenty-fourth nationally," said AKC Spokesperson Lisa Peterson. "The German Shepherd Dog rose to second in the city for 2009, however, mirroring the national rankings."

Long Beach's Top 5 breeds for 2009 compared to 2008:

* Registration data pulled from Long Beach zip codes as specified by U.S. Postal Service

The AKC also announced their nationwide registration statistics today, revealing that for the 19th consecutive year the Labrador Retriever is the most popular purebred dog in America.  But, the AKC notes that this year the German Shepherd Dog made a move for the top spot by overtaking the Yorkshire Terrier and is now ranked second most popular in the nation for the first time in more than three decades.    

Dog lovers can see and learn more about all of their favorite breeds on Saturday, February 6, 2010, 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, 8-11 p.m. (ET/PT). You can also catch the AKC Humane Fund Awards for Canine Excellence honorees, which include the Golden Retriever "Robin" in the Law Enforcement category.    

The American Kennel Club, founded in 1884, is a not-for-profit organization which maintains 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