Beagles Have Their Year! Curious and Comedic Breed Overtakes Yorkies to Place Third on Most Popular List

Look out Lab, the American Kennel Club^® (AKC) hasannounced that the Beagle has overtaken the beloved Yorkshire Terrier to becomethe third most popular dog breed in the U.S., according to AKC registrationstatistics released today. The Golden Retriever also made a strong push intothe top ranks " advancing from the fifth to the fourth most popular dog breed "and the Rottweiler made news by unseating the Shih Tzu " which had been in thetop 10 since 2000. But fans of the Labrador Retrieverneed not fear: the beloved Lab remains the champ " a spot it has now held for21 consecutive years " thanks to its well-earned reputation for playfulness andloyalty and its use as a police and search-and-rescue dog.

“While the Labrador Retriever has proven once againto be a family favorite, this year clearly belongs to the Beagle,” said AKCSpokesperson Lisa Peterson. “The Beagle’s merry personality combined with his love of outdoor activities make him such awonderful family pet that I wouldn’t be surprised to see this spunky breedsniff his way to the top of the list next year.”