The American Kennel Club releases the most popular dog breeds each year based on registration statistics. This also happened on March 16, 2021. Thanks to this, we can easily find out what the order was for the nearly two hundred breeds.
But for now, let’s look at the top 10 dog breeds in the infographic below:
Ranking of AKC dog breeds in the last 5 years
The table below shows how the popularity of different dog breeds has changed in recent years.
| Breed | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Labrador Retriever | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| French Bulldog | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 |
| German Shepherd | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Golden Retriever | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Bulldog | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Poodle | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Beagle | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 |
| Rottweiler | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| German Shorthaired Pointer | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| Dachshunds | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 |
| Pembroke Welsh Corgis | 11 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 18 |
| Australian Shepherds | 12 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 16 |
| Yorkshire Terrier | 13 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Boxer | 14 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 10 |
| Great Danes | 15 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 14 |
Let’s see how the rankings have changed compared to the previous year (2019):
The first place in the line is now dominated by the Labrador Retriever for the 30th time. Changes have been made to the other members of the top 10.
Such is the case with the French Bulldog, which came in second. This is how it managed to overtake the German Shepherd and the Golden Retriever. As a result, the GSD moved from second to third and the Goldy from third to fourth.
The Dachshunds came in 10th this year. This, in turn, unfortunately, meant Pembroke Welsh Corgi slipped to 11th place.
The other breeds in the top 10 (Bulldog, Poodle, Beagle, Rottweiler, German Shorthaired Pointer) have not changed from the previous year.
Changes among breeds in recent years
There are breeds where certain trends can be observed in the longer term.
For example, French Bulldogs, German Shorthaired Pointers, Dachshunds, Corgis, and Australian Shepherds have become increasingly popular over the past 5 years.
However, the opposite has happened with the Beagles, Yorkshire Terriers, and Boxers, for example.
Interestingly, the Labradors have been in first place for decades, and the Rottweilers have been in 8th place for years.
The question is probably in your head:
What causes the constant change in popularity among breeds?
Well, it’s all like fashion or baby names. Pop culture (especially movies) can play a huge role in determining which dog breeds are popular.
According to some research, in the twentieth century, for example, people did not choose a breed based on breed personality, temperament, health, and so on. Much more important to them was the connection with certain films.
Of course, the experiences of relatives, friends, and close acquaintances also play an important role in the breed choice.
Full list of the Most Popular AKC Dog Breeds in 2020
If you haven’t found your dog in the top 10 or top 15, don’t worry. Below you can find the best 195 breeds based on AKC registration statistics.
- Labrador Retrievers
- French Bulldogs
- German Shepherd
- Golden Retrievers
- Bulldogs
- Poodles
- Beagles
- Rottweilers
- Pointers (German Shorthaired)
- Dachshunds
- Pembroke Welsh Corgis
- Australian Shepherds
- Yorkshire Terriers
- Boxers
- Great Danes
- Siberian Huskies
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniels
- Doberman Pinschers
- Miniature Schnauzers
- Shih Tzu
- Boston Terriers
- Bernese Mountain Dogs
- Pomeranians
- Havanese
- Cane Corso
- English Springer Spaniels
- Shetland Sheepdogs
- Brittanys
- Pugs
- Cocker Spaniels
- Miniature American Shepherds
- Border Collies
- Mastiffs
- Chihuahuas
- Vizslas
- Basset Hounds
- Belgian Malinois
- Maltese
- Weimaraners
- Collies
- Newfoundlands
- Rhodesian Ridgebacks
- Shiba Inu
- West Highland White Terriers
- Bichons Frises
- Bloodhounds
- English Cocker Spaniels
- Akitas
- Portuguese Water Dogs
- Chesapeake Bay Retrievers
- Dalmatians
- St. Bernards
- Papillons
- Australian Cattle Dogs
- Bullmastiffs
- Samoyeds
- Scottish Terriers
- Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers
- Whippets
- Pointers (German Wirehaired)
- Chinese Shar-Pei
- Airedale Terriers
- Wirehaired Pointing Griffons
- Bull Terriers
- Alaskan Malamutes
- Cardigan Welsh Corgis
- Giant Schnauzers
- Old English Sheepdogs
- Italian Greyhounds
- Great Pyrenees
- Dogues de Bordeaux
- Russell Terriers
- Cairn Terriers
- Irish Wolfhounds
- Setters (Irish)
- Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs
- Miniature Pinschers
- Lhasa Apsos
- Chinese Crested
- Coton de Tulear
- Staffordshire Bull Terriers
- American Staffordshire Terriers
- Rat Terriers
- Chow Chows
- Anatolian Shepherd Dogs
- Basenjis
- Boykin Spaniels
- Lagotti Romagnoli
- Brussels Griffons
- Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers
- Norwegian Elkhounds
- Standard Schnauzers
- Dogo Argentinos
- Bouviers des Flandres
- Pekingese
- Keeshonden
- Border Terriers
- Leonbergers
- Tibetan Terriers
- Neapolitan Mastiffs
- English Setters
- Flat-Coated Retrievers
- Borzois
- Wire Fox Terriers
- Miniature Bull Terriers
- Belgian Tervuren
- Gordon Setters
- Silky Terriers
- Norwich Terriers
- Spinoni Italiani
- Japanese Chin
- Welsh Terriers
- Toy Fox Terriers
- Schipperkes
- Parson Russell Terriers
- Pointers
- Belgian Sheepdogs
- Tibetan Spaniels
- American Eskimo Dogs
- Irish Terriers
- Beaucerons
- Afghan Hounds
- Boerboels
- Smooth Fox Terriers
- Bearded Collies
- Black Russian Terriers
- Black and Tan Coonhounds
- Welsh Springer Spaniels
- American Hairless Terriers
- Norfolk Terriers
- Xoloitzcuintli
- Manchester Terriers
- Kerry Blue Terriers
- Australian Terriers
- Clumber Spaniels
- Lakeland Terriers
- Bluetick Coonhounds
- English Toy Spaniels
- German Pinschers
- Tibetan Mastiffs
- Bedlington Terriers
- Greyhounds
- Pulik
- Salukis
- Barbets
- Redbone Coonhounds
- Swedish Vallhunds
- Sealyham Terriers
- Spanish Water Dogs
- Briards
- Berger Picards
- Entlebucher Mountain Dogs
- Treeing Walker Coonhounds
- Icelandic Sheepdogs
- Wirehaired Vizslas
- Pumik
- Portuguese Podengo Pequenos
- American Water Spaniels
- Curly-Coated Retrievers
- Field Spaniels
- Lowchen
- Nederlandse Kooikerhondjes
- Affenpinschers
- Petits Bassets Griffons Vendeens
- Finnish Lapphunds
- Scottish Deerhounds
- Plott Hounds
- Norwegian Buhunds
- Glen of Imaal Terriers
- Irish Red and White Setters
- Ibizan Hounds
- Sussex Spaniels
- Bergamasco Sheepdogs
- Irish Water Spaniels
- Polish Lowland Sheepdogs
- Otterhounds
- Kuvaszok
- Komondorok
- Cirnechi dell’Etna
- Pharaoh Hounds
- Dandie Dinmont Terriers
- Pyrenean Shepherds
- Skye Terriers
- Canaan Dogs
- American English Coonhounds
- Chinooks
- Finnish Spitz
- Grand Basset Griffon Vendeens
- Sloughis
- Harriers
- Cesky Terriers
- American Foxhounds
- Azawakhs
- English Foxhounds
- Norwegian Lundehunds
