The American Kennel Club just released its yearly ranking of the top dog breeds in the US. For the 26th consecutive year, the title goes to the Labrador Retriever.

Why makes this breed so great? The American Kennel Club says,

The Lab's eager to please temperament is just one of many reasons why this ideal family dog takes top honors year after year. They also excel at dog sports (like dock diving), make fantastic K-9 partners, and have even been known to save lives. On top of all that, they're also pretty cute."

Here is the full top 10 list:

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

There you have it. A strong list to say the least. I am down to one dog in the house: my morbidly obese rottweiler (the 8th most popular dog breed) named Karma. Rottweilers can be a bit intimidating, and she has great guard dog qualities. She has a very loud bark, but in the handful of instances where she actually sensed a threat, she took things to a different level. She'll sit at the front door growling under her breath, hardly audible. The hair on her back sticks up as she just waits. Once I assure her there is no threat, she goes back to acting like an excited puppy again who just wants you to give her attention.

I lost my boxer Bubbles in October. The 10th most popular dog breed, which in my opinion, is way too low. I have never owned a dog that had as much personality as Bubbles did. Most boxers I have come across have been nothing but hysterical and hyper, and they expect you to adhere to every request - whether it be to pet them, give them food scraps, or take them for a walk.

And finally, my sister's dog Chief is represented highest on this list. Coming in at #3 is the Golden Retriever. Chief was originally supposed to be a therapy dog for my sister, who has type 1 diabetes. He was supposed to undergo training to learn how to sense when her blood sugar got too low. It didn't take long to realize this particular golden retriever was a dope, and I mean that in the most loving way.

Did your dog make the list of the top dog breeds in America? Let us know in the comment section below.

— Joe Votruba

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