All dogs are good dogs. They’re loving and loyal, and their companionship brings so much happiness. But what is the very best kind of dog? That’s a question for the experts: the American Kennel Club. Each year, the AKC compiles a popularity ranking of all the recognized dog breeds. They’ve just released their rankings for the best dog breeds of 2024. From rising in popularity to falling further in the polls, this year had a few surprises for several breeds.
The most popular breeds
The most popular dog breed was, drumroll please…the French Bulldog! Small but fierce, these lovable pups have a lot of personality, earning them their spot as the most popular breed for the third year in a row. They’ve grown in popularity over the last decade: In 2012, they were ranked number 14. In 2022, they finally got their chance to shine as number 1, dethroning the Labrador Retriever, which had won for 31 years in a row.
From the smallest dog breeds to the best dog breeds for families, these are the top 5 most popular breeds:
- 1. French Bulldog
- 2. Labrador Retriever
- 3. Golden Retriever
- 4. German Shepherd Dog
- 5. Poodle
These popular pups are the same top 5 as last year.
Some lucky breeds saw a big jump in popularity this year. The Kerry Blue Terrier had the biggest boost, jumping 25 spots from No. 160 to No. 135. Other dogs on the up and up were the Bracco Italiano (up 20 spots), the German Pinscher and the American Staffordshire Terrier (both up 18 spots), the Bedlington Terrier (up 15) and the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever (up 14).
Keep an eye out, and you might see these newly popular pups walking through your neighborhood!
The least popular breeds
The least popular breeds on AKC’s annual list are generally ranked so low because they are rare breeds, so very few people own them.
These are the 5 least popular breeds:
- 197. Sloughi
- 198. Norwegian Lundehund
- 199. Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen
- 200. Bergamasco Sheepdog
- 201. English Foxhound
The least popular dog breed of 2023 was the Sloughi. This year, it enjoyed a jump to No. 197, nearly out of the bottom five.
Other dogs lost some popularity in the rankings. The biggest fall was the Saluki, which dropped 21 spots from No. 120 to No. 141. Other dogs that became less popular are the Black and Tan Coonhound (down 20 spots), the Wirehaired Vizsla (down 17 spots) and the Chinese Shar-Pei and Field Spaniel (both down 13 spots). Better luck next year!
Two new breeds
There were also some new changes to the AKC’s list. This was the first year that the Lancashire Heeler was included in the rankings, it became an AKC-recognized breed in January 2024. The Lancashire Heeler debuted at No. 189 in the popularity rankings. Next year’s rankings will also include the Danish-Swedish Farmdog for the first time, which just became the 202nd AKC recognized breed in January 2025. How popular will they be? We can’t wait to find out.
Sarah Vincent (she/her) covers the latest and greatest in books and all things pets for Good Housekeeping. She double majored in Creative Writing and Criminal Justice at Loyola University Chicago, where she sat in the front row for every basketball game. In her spare time, she loves cooking, crafting, studying Japanese, and, of course, reading.
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