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Labradors remain most popular dogs in the US but French bulldogs are on their tails

NEW YORK (AP) – Americans still love Labrador retrievers, but the nation’s flirtation with French bulldogs has reached new heights.

Labs remain the country’s most popular purebred dog for a 27th year, while German shepherds and golden retrievers have hung onto the second and third spots in new American Kennel Club rankings released Wednesday.

But Frenchies hit a highest-ever No. 4, and German shorthaired pointers cracked the top 10 for the first time.

THE REST OF THE TOP 10

The bulldog is fifth, after notching a record No. 4 ranking last year. Sixth through 10th are the beagle, the poodle, the Rottweiler, the Yorkshire terrier and the German shorthaired pointer.

Initially bred for hunting, the handsome, athletic “GSP” is increasingly visible as a bomb-sniffing dog and in agility and other canine sports. A GSP also won the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club dog show in 2016.

“They’re a dog that will do anything you want, except lay around,” says Jeffrey Drogin, a longtime owner in New York.

The versatile, sociable Lab has had the longest-ever reign as top dog. It broke the record in 2013.

But you can’t beat the beagle for consistency. It’s the only breed to make the top 10 for every decade since the AKC’s 1884 founding.