The French invaded America.
French bulldog, that is.
In a move that Napoleon himself would not resent, the small breed officially dethroned the Labrador retriever, which has spent more than three decades as America’s largest dog.
The Frenchie was crowned No. 1 on Wednesday when the American Kennel Club announced its annual breed rankings. The bottom ten reflects the AKC’s top 2022 purebred dog records.
The French bulldog — a “bat” breed native to France and England — is the most popular dog breed in the United States and New Jersey.
Labs has held the number one spot for 31 years. They are now in second place.
A breed from the AKC’s Non-Sporting Group, the French Bulldog has risen steadily through the ranks over the past decade. In 2012, it was the 14th-ranked breed in the country, but it is ranked 2nd in 2021.
In 2022, they’ve finally done what seemed impossible — outnumber the winning Labs (who also hail from England… via Newfoundland ancestry).
“The French have gone through the roof,” AKC spokeswoman Brandi Hunter Munden told NJ Advance Media. “There is a demand for them…People are really excited about this reinvigorated breed – let’s be clear, this breed has been recognized since the 19th century.”
The AKC welcomed the French Bulldog in 1898, just 14 years after the founding of the Fancy Dog Group. The Labrador Retriever was introduced by The Kennel Club in 1917.
Raised as smaller versions of the English bulldog to be canine companions, French Bulldogs became best friends with the lacemakers who lived in Nottingham, England.
These artisans moved to France during the Industrial Revolution, looking for work after machinery replaced their jobs in England. There, breeders crossed their dogs with terrier dogs.
The French, with their adorable expressions and affectionate attitude, have been a huge success in the United States
But for a long time, the French Bulldog was a real freak.
By World War II, the total number of Frenchies had dwindled to the point where they became a “rare” breed.
Decades later, the AKC reported that Frenchie registrations increased by more than 1,000% from 2012 to 2022.
“They’re not the dog that’s going to walk with you or swim with you,” says Hunter Munden, although some Frenchies have been known to compete in canine agility trials. “But a lot of people who acquire this breed don’t do it for fun. They cuddle with it on the couch. They make it cute. They get it to spend time with their kids.”
Frenchies are a particularly popular choice for apartment dwellers.
“It’s a really fun breed. They’re very smart. They need training because they have such a stubborn personality…but they’re so friendly,” says Hunter Munden. “They love being with their owners. They love having that human-canine bond, and they are so cute to look at. »
The AKC standard requires French Bulldogs to be white, cream, fawn, or any combination of these colors. They can also have dark markings, be piebald (black and white spots), and have black “masks”, white markings, and black undertail coverts.
Other coat colors, such as “blue” (gray), “purple” (grey-brown), and merle (a mottled mixture of different colors), while common, are not accepted by the AKC.
A cream-colored French bulldog named Winston, owned by Oklahoma dog breeder Perry Payson and NFL player Morgan Fox of the Los Angeles Chargers, won the 2022 National Dog Show.
The English bulldog, officially known as a bulldog in the AKC breed standard, is ranked #6 in the country and #7 in New Jersey. Nationally, the Bulldogs held their spot, also ranking sixth in 2021. Statewide, the Bulldogs fell one spot to sixth in 2021.
Nationally, the 2022 AKC Breed Rankings only showed differences at the bottom of the list. The Rottweiler and Beagle swapped places — the Rottweiler went up a notch — as did the Dachshund and Dachshund Pointer (The Pink Dachshund).
For the most part, New Jersey is a mirror of the nation when it comes to dogs registered with the AKC.
But there are two breeds that made the Jersey top 10 that didn’t make the same list nationally: the Doberman Pinscher (No. 8), which rose from No. 9 in 2021 (to replace the German Shorthaired Pointer), and the Yorkshire Terrier (No. 10). ). .
The Havanese, who finished 10th in the jersey last year, dropped out of the top ten for 2022.
Dachshunds and Beagles, who were in the top 10 in the United States, didn’t make the first group at the Garden State in 2021 or 2022.
Below is the AKC’s ranking of the best breeds in the United States and New Jersey.
1. The French Bulldog
2. The Labrador Retriever
3. Golden Retriever
4. German Shepherd
5. Poodles
6. Bulldog
7. Rottweiler
8. Beagle
9. Dachshund
10. German Shorthaired Pointer
1. The French Bulldog
2. The Labrador Retriever
3. Golden Retriever
4. German Shepherd
5. Poodles
6. Rottweiler
7. Bulldog
8. Doberman Pinscher
9. German Shorthaired Pointer
10. Yorkshire Terrier
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Amy Kuperinsky can be reached at the address akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com I followed to @employee on Twitter.
