As the AKC celebrates its 125th anniversary, the Labrador Retriever is once again (and for the 18th year in a row) America's favorite purebred dog according to registration numbers collected by the AKC. The major changes for 2008 compared to 2007 are that the Bulldog went two positions up to claim the 8th position, and the Poodle moved down from the 8th position to the 9th position. Shih Tzus also dropped one spot down, from the 9th to the 10th position.

The Top 10 Breeds of 2008:

1. Labrador Retriever
2. Yorkshire Terrier
3. German Shepherd
4. Golden Retriever
5. Beagle
6. Boxer
7. Dachshund
8. Bulldog
9. Poodle
10. Shih Tzu

The Top 10 Breeds of 2007:

1. Labrador Retriever
2. Yorkshire Terrier
3. German Shepherd
4. Golden Retriever
5. Beagle
6. Boxer
7. Dachshund
8. Poodle
9. Shih Tzu
10. Bulldog

The Top 10 Breeds of 2006:

1. Labrador Retriever
2. Yorkshire Terrier
3. German Shepherd
4. Golden Retriever
5. Beagle
6. Dachshund
7. Boxer
8. Poodle
9. Shih Tzu
10. Miniature Schnauzer

"The American Kennel Club® is pleased to welcome the Irish Red and White Setter, the Pyrenean Shepherd and the Norwegian Buhund as the 159th, 160th, and the 161st AKC® registered breeds. The Irish Red and White Setter will join the Sporting Group while both the Pyrenean Shepherd and the Norwegian Buhund will join the Herding Group. They will be eligible for full AKC registration and competition in their respective groups at conformation shows held on and after January 1, 2009." - AKC.org

The Irish Red and White Setter, a member of the Sporting Group, is both a multi-talented gun dog and a loving, loyal companion, best suited for an active family.

  Irish Red and White Setter; Photographer; Jim Dillon - akc.org

The Pyrenean Shepherd, a member of the Herding Group, has herded sheep in Southern France for centuries, and today excels at canine sports such as Agility.

  Pyrenean Shepherd; Photographer; Christian Janes - akc.org

The Norwegian Buhund, also assigned to the Herding Group, was bred to herd, hunt, and guard, and has an innate desire to please and quick aptitude to learn.

 
  Norwegian Buhund; Photographer; Else Turner - akc.org

PETA has requested USA Network not to air Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show this February despite of its tradition to air the show every February. Daphna Nachminovitch, the Vice President of PETA, says in the letter to the president of USA Network:

"Since dog breeders routinely use incestuous inbreeding and genetic manipulation to achieve a certain “desired” trait like a slanted back or a concertina face, it’s not surprising that as many as one in four purebred dogs is plagued with a serious genetic problem."

She applauds the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), which has recently announced that it will no longer televise Britain’s Crufts Dog Show. BBC decided to go with this decison because of the British Kennel Club’s refusal to exclude from the dog show’s main competitions at least 12 breeds such as the Basset Hound, Mastiff, Rottweiler, and the German Shepherd. These breeds are classified as “at risk” by the British Kennel Club itself for dangerous, often painful physical conditions attributed to overbreeding according to PETA. PETA claims that these dogs are bred purely for looks and not for temperament and good health. Daphna Nachminovitch also adds that "the American Kennel Club (AKC), has done nothing to help reduce the physical problems that plague “purebreds,” despite the American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA) public release of its new policy against cropping the ears and docking the tails of dogs for cosmetic purposes." As a result, she is asking the president of USA Network to follow the footsteps of BBC and pressure AKC to change their rules and standards. Here is the link to the full letter: http://blog.peta.org/archives/usa_letter.pdf

What are your thoughts on this subject and do you think PETA is going to the extreme? Also, are you going to be watching the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show this year? Let us know in the comments.