Canadian Kennel Club Reveals Canada’s Top 10 Dogs

Labrador Retriever is Canada’s Top Dog for the 20th Consecutive Year and French Bulldog Makes its Debut

The Canadian Kennel Club (CKC), the primary registry for purebred dogs in Canada, is proud to announce the most popular CKC-registered dog breeds in Canada for 2014. Canadian dog lovers have spoken and once again, the family-friendly, Canadian breed, the Labrador Retriever takes the top spot for the 20th consecutive year! Labs originated in Newfoundland and Labrador and are renowned for their intelligence, adaptability and trainability.

“I’m thrilled to see the Lab at the top of the list once again. This versatile breed continues to be a big hit with families year after year and remains one of the most in-demand breeds for service, rescue and therapy work,” said Andrew Patton, CKC Manager of Communications.

Not to be outdone by the leader of pack, the German Shepherd Dog stands proud at number two on the list. This versatile and talented breed, once bred for herding sheep, is now a preferred breed for many types of work, including search-and-rescue, police and security roles and supporting actors in films and television.

Number three on the list is the Labrador’s cousin the Golden Retriever. Bred in Scotland and utilized for hunting waterfowl, the breed is recognized for their love of the water. The Golden’s innate intelligence and gentle temperament are defining reasons why they are so popular as a service dog and beloved family pet.

Following in a trend toward larger breeds, the elegant Poodle – originally bred to retrieve game from water – takes the number four spot, followed by the ever-loyal and highly-intelligent Shetland Sheepdog at number five.

Coming in at number six is the spirited, lap loving and most popular of the toy breeds, the Yorkshire Terrier – once employed as a fierce and highly effective rat catcher in British fabric mills in the late 19th century.

Originally bred to pull carts and drive cattle, the family-friendly and protective Bernese Mountain Dog sits at number seven, with the lively and affectionate Havanese, coming in at number eight.

Rounding out the top ten list are competing cousins, the gentle, yet determined Bulldog and the affectionate, lap-warming French Bulldog – a breed that has muscled its way into the top ten list for the first time on record, claiming the number nine and number ten positions as the most popular breeds in Canada.

At www.ckc.ca, you will find all the information and support you need to help you find a dog that best suits your needs and lifestyle. To find your new best friend, be sure to check out available purebred puppies from CKC member breeders at thepuppylist.ca.