RALEIGH, N.C. (NCN News) – While French Bulldogs may be the most popular breed in the U.S., other breeds are more popular in some parts of North Carolina. That from a new report by the American Kennel Club.
The Club announced 2025’s most popular dog breeds based on AKC registration numbers. For the fourth year in a row, the French Bulldog is the No. 1 most popular dog in the United States. Before 2022, the Labrador Retriever held the No. 1 spot for 31 years.
These may be the top breeds overall, but when you look at major cities in the United States, the rankings aren’t always the same. In some cities, the Frenchie has been No. 1 long before the rest of the U.S. caught on – in other places, they aren’t even in the top five.
In Raleigh, the top five is led by the Labrador was first followed by the Golden Retriever, French Bulldog, German Shepherd and Poodle.
But in Charlotte, the Frenchie was first followed by the Goldie, Lab, German Shepherd and Poodle.
The American Kennel Club, the world’s largest registry of purebred dogs, uses registration statistics to rank the most popular breeds of the past year. More information can be found at akc.org.