AKC Reveals Most Popular Dog Breeds for 2024

For the third consecutive year, the French Bulldog retains the No. 1 position. Since taking over the top spot from the Labrador Retriever in 2022, the French Bulldog has enjoyed a rise in popularity, particularly in urban settings, due to its compact size and playful demeanor.

Over the past twelve years, the French Bulldog has shown significant growth in popularity, climbing from No. 14 in 2012 to No. 2 in 2021 before reaching No. 1 in 2022.

The continued popularity of the top five breeds remains largely stable, with the French Bulldog leading, followed by the Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, German Shepherd Dog, and Poodle.

In the top ten, several breeds have shifted positions. Beagles moved up from No. 8 to No. 7, displacing Bulldogs, which fell from No. 7 to No. 9. Rottweilers also swapped places with Bulldogs, now at No. 8, while the German Shorthaired Pointer held steady at No. 10.

The year 2024 saw notable movements in the rankings, with some breeds rising significantly while others fell. The Danish-Swedish Farmdog, recognized in January 2024, ranked No. 189, and the Lancashire Heeler, added the same month, debuted in the rankings.

Among the breeds climbing the rankings, the Kerry Blue Terrier saw the largest increase, rising 25 spots from No. 160 to No. 135. The Bracco Italiano also made a strong move, advancing 20 spots to No. 132. Other breeds like the German Pinscher and American Staffordshire Terrier both gained 18 ranks.

Conversely, several breeds fell in the rankings. The Saluki dropped 21 spots to No. 141, while the Black and Tan Coonhound fell 20 places to No. 151. The Wirehaired Vizsla dropped 17 spots to No. 159.

Notably, the top five breeds and several others retained their positions from the previous year, including the Shih Tzu at No. 20 and the Pomeranian at No. 22.

On the lower end of the spectrum, the bottom 20 breeds are characterized by low registration numbers. The Sloughi improved from No. 200 in 2023 to No. 197, followed by the Norwegian Lundehund at No. 198 and the Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen at No. 199. The English Foxhound, previously ranked No. 199, fell to No. 201.

The AKC has recognized a total of 202 breeds as of now, with an ongoing commitment to maintaining standards for canine welfare through systematic inspections.