WestPalmBeach.com Visitors Guide to West Palm Beach, FL
The Labrador Retriever may be America’s most popular breed, but the French Bulldog is most popular in West Palm Beach for the fifth year in a row, according to the American Kennel Club’s (AKC®) 2020 ranking of the most popular AKC-recognized dog breeds in the United States.
The French Bulldog came into existence in the mid-19th century when English workers traveled to France for employment with their English Bulldogs and cross-bred them with smaller local French breeds such as the French Terrier. This diminutive new breed was known as the Boule-Dog Francais and became quite popular.
The first club devoted to the French Bulldog was created by the Americans in 1897. Their members were wealthy men of prominent social standing, which helped to further popularize the breed. In 1912, a French Bulldog traveled aboard the doomed Titanic and was insured for $750 – an astronomical amount of money at the time. After the ship sank, the dog was seen paddling around in the freezing water, but did not survive.
Rounding out the top five West Palm Beach breeds are the Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, German Shepherd Dog and the Poodle.
The top United States’ breeds for 2020 are the Labrador Retriever (30th year in a row!), French Bulldog, German Shepherd Dog, Golden Retriever and Bulldog.
Previously at #3 in the United States, the French Bulldog overtook the German Shepherd Dog who had previously held the #2 national position since 2009.
WestPalmBeach.com and Kennel.com’s official mascot, Sophia, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, was unavailable for comment.
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