The American Kennel Club (AKC) announced that the French bulldog has replaced the Labrador retriever as the most popular dog breed in the U.S. after 31 years.
Yup. These little, adorable twerps have spiked in popularity recently and have now been dubbed America's most popular breed of 2022.
This is the first time ever that Frenchies have been number one.
They are cute, silly, feisty little things.
Everyone loves an underdog story!
Here are the top 5 dog breeds of 2022:
1. French Bulldogs
2. Labrador Retrievers
3. Golden Retrievers
4. German Shepards
5. Poodles
AKC said in a press release Frenchies have been climbing the charts for many years. They went from 14th on the list in 2012 to 2nd in 2021, and now...
While it may come as a surprise to some that the loveable Lab's 31-year stay at the top has come to an end, the French Bulldog has been quietly climbing the charts for many years. Over the past decade, the Frenchie has gone from 14th in 2012 to number 1 in 2022, and registrations have increased over 1,000% in that time period.
Dethroning the loveable, everybody's-best-friend Lab is no small feat!
The Frenchie's large batlike ears and wide mouth won over the hearts of many.
I mean, come on, look at them – they're literally always smiling at you!
Luis Sosa, a French bulldog breeder in Louisiana and a French Bull Dog Club of America member since 1974, told BuzzFeed that they are a "big dog in a small dog package."
We've known they've been popular for quite some time. I think COVID kind of helped increasing the popularity of smaller breeds that are good for apartments.
They're a big dog in a small dog package. They think they're big dogs. They don't have a lot of fear.
Oh, he's got that right! I can attest... my Golden doodle (55lb) gets bullied by them every time he's at the park.
These guys may be little, but their price tag is not.
French bulldog puppies can go up to $5,000, and the breed has become the target of thieves.
Just last month, an attempted sale in South Carolina went wrong when a thief shot and killed a 76-year-old French bulldog breeder.
As for least popular breeds... sorry, Sloughi, Norwegian Lundehund, and English Foxhound. 💔
