10 Most Popular Dog Breeds: Three Cities Pick Golden Retrievers, but French Bulldogs Keep the US Crown

The 10 most popular dog breeds can look very different depending on whether you measure the nation as a whole or zoom in on individual cities. In the American Kennel Club’s (AKC) 2025 ranking of the most popular AKC-recognized dog breeds in the U. S., French Bulldogs held the No. 1 spot nationwide for the fourth year in a row. Yet in key city snapshots, the Golden Retriever rose to the top in Raleigh—also leading in Seattle and Austin—highlighting how local lifestyles and long-standing preferences can diverge from national registration momentum.

AKC’s 2025 rankings: What changed, and what stayed dominant

At the national level, the headline remains unchanged: the French Bulldog claimed the top spot nationwide again, making it four consecutive years at No. 1 based on AKC registration statistics. The broader top tier shows movement beneath that stable peak. In the top five, French Bulldogs held at No. 1, followed by Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and German Shepherds. The fifth position shifted as Dachshunds climbed from No. 6 to No. 5, nudging the Poodle down.

Outside the very top, there were additional signposts of churn. The German Shorthaired Pointer traded places with the Bulldog, moving from No. 10 to No. 9. The rankings also captured sharp risers and steep drops: the Wirehaired Vizsla leapt 29 spots from 159 to 130, while the American Hairless Terrier surged 17 spots. The Greyhound saw the biggest fall, dropping 33 spots, and the Briard and Black Russian Terrier each declined by 27 places.

Even amid these shifts, several breeds held steady positions: Boston Terriers at No. 23, Havanese at No. 25, and the Basset Hound at No. 34. The Pug and Collie remained fixed at 38 and 39. The Danish-Swedish Farmdog entered the list at No. 170, and the Lancashire Heeler returned at No. 190. The AKC counted 202 breeds in 2025.

Why local winners matter: Raleigh’s Golden Retriever surge versus the national Frenchie era

Raleigh’s story complicates any simple reading of the 10 most popular dog breeds as a single, national shopping list. The Golden Retriever took the top spot in Raleigh, and the same breed also led in Seattle and Austin, Texas. That three-city sweep suggests something structural: while French Bulldogs are dominant nationwide, retrievers remain deeply competitive in places where local preferences align with a particular kind of dog ownership culture.

Gina M. Dinardo, President and CEO of the American Kennel Club, framed the retriever appeal in Raleigh as durable rather than sudden. “Retrievers have been staples in Raleigh for many years, both Goldens and Labs are excellent dog for families and for those with active lifestyles, ” Dinardo said. Within the boundaries of what AKC rankings measure—registrations—this points to a key interpretive distinction: national popularity can be driven by broad, consistent demand, while city-level popularity can reflect long-standing local patterns that persist even when the national No. 1 remains unchanged.

This split also helps explain how a national four-year run at No. 1 can coexist with city-level outcomes that look like a reversal. French Bulldogs can be “king of the American pup pack” nationally while Golden Retrievers still top individual metros. In editorial terms, it is less a contradiction than a sign that breed popularity operates on multiple tracks—one national, one local—each capable of producing a different winner at the same time.

What the rankings reveal beneath the headline: momentum, stability, and volatility

The 10 most popular dog breeds conversation often focuses on the No. 1 spot, but the 2025 picture is more revealing in its middle movements and outliers. The climb of Dachshunds into the top five is one example of how a breed can gain ground without dislodging the national leader. Similarly, the German Shorthaired Pointer’s move to No. 9 signals a competitive pressure near the edge of the top 10, where small changes can reshuffle the narrative.

At the same time, the ranking’s biggest movers highlight how quickly attention and registrations can swing. A 29-spot leap for Wirehaired Vizsla and a 33-spot drop for Greyhounds are not incremental shifts; they indicate volatility in segments of the list that most casual readers never watch—yet those movements can foreshadow what might break into wider awareness later.

Meanwhile, the “steady through the chaos” group—Boston Terriers, Havanese, Basset Hound, Pug, and Collie holding positions—underscores a separate dynamic: stability can be its own form of popularity. Not every breed needs a surge to remain entrenched in public preference year after year.

Consumer caution from the AKC: popularity is not a purchase checklist

While the annual list feeds public curiosity about the 10 most popular dog breeds, the AKC’s leadership offered a clear warning against treating the rankings like a buying guide. Dinardo emphasized that the AKC encourages people to do their research before selecting a dog and not to base the selection on popularity.

That guidance matters because the rankings can amplify demand, and demand can change the stakes for owners, breeders, and shelters—especially when a breed’s rise is fast. The editorial takeaway is straightforward: the list is a snapshot of registrations, not a guarantee of fit for every household.

National implications: a stable No. 1 and a shifting pack heading into 2026

The AKC announced its nationwide rankings on March 18 (ET), locking in the fourth consecutive year of French Bulldog dominance. Yet the same dataset contains signals of a changing pack: a reshuffled top five, notable climbers, and steep fallers. The broader direction is less about a single breed’s reign and more about how quickly preferences can evolve beneath it.

For readers tracking the 10 most popular dog breeds as a cultural indicator, the 2025 list delivers a clear, two-speed story: national continuity at No. 1, paired with city-level variation and mid-list turbulence. With breeds debuting and returning deeper in the rankings, the only certainty is that next year’s conversation will not be limited to the top spot—will the local Golden Retriever wave expand beyond Raleigh, Seattle, and Austin, or will the national pattern continue to overpower city-by-city surprises?