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No surprise here: For the twenty-second consecutive year, the Labrador retriever is the most popular dog in the United States, according to American Kennel Club (AKC) registration statistics. Here's the breakdown of 2012's most popular breeds and how that compares to 2011:
| 2012 Most Popular Dogs in the U.S. | 2011 Ranking |
| 1. Labrador Retriever | 1. Labrador Retriever |
| 2. German Shepherd Dog | 2. German Shepherd Dog |
| 3. Golden Retriever | 3. Beagle |
| 4. Beagle | 4. Golden Retriever |
| 5. Bulldog | 5. Yorkshire Terrier |
| 6. Yorkshire Terrier | 6. Bulldog |
| 7. Boxer | 7. Boxer |
| 8. Poodle | 8. Poodle |
| 9. Rottweiler | 9. Dachshund |
| 10. Dachshund | 10. Rottweiler |
In its press release, AKC makes note of trends in the sporting group:
Dog owners are showing their love for Sporting Breeds over this past year as the Spinone Italiano (123 to 114), Boykin Spaniel (138 to 116), and Welsh Springer Spaniel (130 to 125) have all made their way up the list.
Will the Lab ever be unseated? What do you think makes it so popular even with those who don't hunt?
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