American Kennel Club: Labrador Retriever America's No. 1 Dog « CBS New York


Full rankings list for 2011:

#1 Labrador Retrievers
#2 German Shepherd Dogs
#3 Beagles
#4 Golden Retrievers
#5 Yorkshire Terriers
#6 Bulldogs
#7 Boxers
#8 Poodles
#9 Dachshunds
#10 Rottweilers

Great dogs, my daughter has a chocolate labrador retriever, very mellow & easy to get along with. I kinda' like Beagles myself, even if they do constantly dig.

Chocolate labs are adorable, but labs in general tend to have quite a few health problems, but nowhere near the amount Golden Retrievers have. Labs are great with people and they're so versatile - I wouldn't be against the idea of one day owning a Lab, but I doubt that day will ever come.

Almost all big and popular breeds have health problems, because there are so many unknowledgeable breeders breeding those breeds (funny sentence).

Funny you should mention that, her Lab just had a surgery on one hind leg and as soon as it heals, will have another surgery on the other. I hear you about the unknowledgeable breeders though, that's part of the reason I've only ever had mixed breeds/mutts. Never had any kind of health problems with those!

Yeah, there are numerous problems with pure breed dogs, and more so with those that are hugely popular, because that popularity attracts breeders who don't really care about the breed itself, but about the money they can rake in. This is why there exist such things as "puppy mills."

There's not that much of a risk in getting a pure breed versus a mix breed if you get the dog from responsible and knowledgeable breeders who take immense steps to do what is best for both the breed and the individual dogs.

All big dogs have a higher risk of experiencing hip dysplasia than smaller breeds, but all pure breeds have also certain health risks that are more likely to surface, and that is why responsible breeders have documents to show the potential buyer on both the parents' and the puppy's health history concerning those particular health risks.

But if you are aware of those risks, monitor the health of the dog, and have a good insurance for your dog - it shouldn't be any different owning a pure breed than a mix breed.

I like mix breeds and I wouldn't be against getting a mix breed somewhere down the line, but the advantage of getting a pure breed is that you know exactly what you are getting. Pure breeds have certain qualities and needs for which you can prepare yourself beforehand, but with mix breeds there can be some surprises that may not be that enjoyable to the owner and can clash with their lifestyles.