The American Kennel Club (AKC), the largest registry of purebred dogs, has released its statistics for 2025, confirming that the French Bulldog remains the most popular breed for the fourth consecutive year. This breed has held the top position since surpassing the Labrador Retriever, which had dominated for 31 years.
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In total, the AKC recognized 202 dog breeds in its 2025 rankings, having acknowledged 205 breeds since its establishment in 1884. New breeds set to debut in 2026 will be included in next year's statistics, with ongoing efforts to recognize other breeds through the AKC Foundation Stock Service and the Miscellaneous Class.
Registration with the AKC supports dog welfare as it involves rigorous inspections and compliance checks to ensure the health and safety of dogs in the United States.
Notably, popularity dynamics are evident within the top breeds. The French Bulldog's rise in popularity can be attributed to its adaptability to urban living. From a ranking of 14 in 2012, it soared to the second spot by 2021 before claiming the top rank in 2022.
This year, significant shifts occurred within the top ranks. The Dachshund moved from sixth to fifth place, while the Poodle was pushed out of the top five. The complete top ten for 2025 includes:
1. French Bulldog
2. Labrador Retriever
3. Golden Retriever
4. German Shepherd Dog
5. Dachshund
6. Poodle
7. Beagle
8. Rottweiler
9. German Shorthaired Pointer
10. Bulldog
Additionally, the German Shorthaired Pointer rose from tenth to ninth place, swapping places with the Bulldog. Other breeds such as the Rottweiler, Beagle, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, and French Bulldog maintained the same ranks as in the previous year.
The rankings for 2025 exhibited notable movements among various breeds. For instance, the Bergamasco Sheepdog made a remarkable jump, moving up 17 spots to rank 183. Factors influencing these shifts often reflect trends in breed popularity rather than a decline in interest for the breeds that slipped.
Conversely, breeds like the Greyhound saw a significant drop, falling 33 spots to rank 151, while the Miniature American Shepherd and Siberian Husky also saw decreases. Breeds that held steady included the Boston Terrier at 23 and the Havanese at 25.
New to the rankings in 2025 is the Danish-Swedish Farmdog, recognized as the 202nd breed by the AKC, debuting at 170. The upcoming year will introduce three additional breeds into the rankings as well.
The overall landscape of breed popularity shows vibrant shifts that reflect changing preferences among dog owners across the United States.