Over the past few years, the top 10 most popular dog and cat breeds have remained fairly consistent. However, there have been obvious trends over the years, with certain breeds gaining popularity and others falling in the rankings. Compared to the American Kennel Club’s (AKC) 2012 dog registration statistics, the Pets Best top 10 list offers several unexpected findings.
First, the No. 1 most popular dog breed enrolled with Pets Best not only in 2013 but throughout the agency’s history is a mixed or designer breed. The AKC, however, only recognizes purebred dogs, without highlighting the popularity of mixed breeds. Pets Best found mixed-breed dogs solidly hold the No. 1 spot. In 2013, mixed breeds made up nearly 30 percent of all canines enrolled with the agency.
The AKC list also does not include pit bulls, and the Pets Best rankings show pit bulls as the seventh most popular dog of 2013. Based on data from Pets Best, this category includes the American pit bull terrier and the American Staffordshire terrier. The category climbed has from 10th place in 2007.
In addition to these rankings, the ever-popular Labrador retriever held second place for most popular dog breeds. Among the top cat breeds, the domestic shorthair ranked first, followed by mixed-breed cats and the American shorthair.
"Several years ago, French bulldogs started popping up in television commercials and print ads," said Dr. Jack L. Stephens, President of Pets Best Insurance Services, LLC. "When a relatively unknown dog breed begins to enter the mainstream, it creates a buzz among prospective pet owners and begins to affect ownership trends."
The full lists are as follows :
>Top 10 Dog Breeds of 2013
- Mixed breed
- Labrador retriever
- Yorkshire terrier
- Golden retriever
- Chihuahua
- Shih Tzu
- Pit bull
- Dachshund
- German shepherd
- Maltese and English bulldog (tie)
>Top 10 Cat Breeds of 2013
- Domestic shorthair
- Mixed breed
- American shorthair
- Domestic longhair
- Domestic medium hair
- Siamese
- Maine coon
- Ragdoll
- Bengal
- Persian
Source : Pets Best