Top Dogs in America

This is the list for 2008:

AKC Top Ten Dog Breeds

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

Of particular for me, as a breeder of Standard Schnauzers, is the Miniature Schnauzer not being on the list. I always thought they were up there in the top ten list, but no, they're not. I looked further and found them, at number eleven.

The Standard Schnauzer is somewhere lower on the list, and that's fine with me. When a dog breed gets too popular, people start breeding for the wrong reason- money rather than for the betterment of the breed.

That is what registered dog breeders are supposed to be breeding dogs for, 'For the betterment of the breed'. The reason you pay top dollar for a puppy from a registered breeder should be to get a top quality dog, a fine example of its breed. If you're not buying from a dog breeder whose main focus is breeding for the betterment of the breed, you're just getting a dog that cost lots of money, no indication of quality.

If you are going to get a particular breed of dog, you owe it to the breed to get one from a breeder who is breeding for the breed, not themselves.