The Labrador Retriever remains the most popular dog in metro Atlanta, according to the American Kennel Club's latest ranking, with the German Shepherd Dog taking over the No. 2 spot from the Golden Retriever.

The Shepherd and the Retriever swapped places in the 2011 ranking of most popular breeds, with the Retriever falling to No. 3, according to AKC spokeswoman Lisa Peterson.

Rounding out the top breeds locally are (4) Cavalier King Charles Spaniel,  (5) Yorkshire Terrier,  (6) Rottweiler,  (7) Boxer,  (8) French Bulldog,  and (tied for 9) Bulldog/Miniature Schnauzer/English Springer Spaniel.

The top breed nationally also remained the Labrador Retriever, followed by (2) German Shepherd, (3) Beagle, (4) Golden Retriever, (5) Yorkshire Terrier, (6) Bulldog, (7) Boxer, (8) Poodle, (9) Dachshund and (10) Rottweiler.

Among the other highlights both locally and nationally:

* The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, which ranked 21st nationally, jumped five places to No. 4 in metro Atlanta, while the English Spaniel rose 18 spots locally to land in the No. 9 spot.

* The Yorkie dropped a spot in this year’s local ranking, and the Boxer fell two places, while the Beagle is becoming more popular in metro Atlanta, the AKC said.

* Nationally, the Beagle overtook the Yorkshire Terrier to become the third most popular breed, and the Rottweiler bumped the Shih Tzu out of the top 10.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Blooper celebrates the Atlanta Brave’s 5-0 win over the New York Mets during a MLB game Wednesday, June 18, 2025 at Truist Park. This year, the venue is a first-time host of the MLB All-Star game. (Daniel Varnado for the AJC)

Credit: Daniel Varnado for the AJC

Featured

Braves first baseman Matt Olson (left) is greeted by Ronald Acuña Jr. after batting during the MLB Home Run Derby as part of the All-Star Game festivities on Monday, July 14, 2025, at Truist Park in Atlanta. (Jason Getz/AJC)

Credit: Jason Getz/AJC