American Pit Bull Terrier is Georgia's most popular dog breed
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Happy National Dog Day to the good boys and girls out there — including the many pitties who call the Peach State home.
Driving the news: The American Pit Bull Terrier is the top dog breed in the Georgia, according to a new U.S. News & World Report analysis.
- The pit bull is followed by the Yorkshire Terrier as No. 2 and the Chihuahua rounds out the top three.
- Pitties are also the top breed in Louisiana (where Kristal's dog Hannah came from), Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio and Tennessee
Zoom out: Nationally, the Labrador Retriever, Chihuahua and Golden Retrievers are the top breeds.
How it works: The annual report relies on pet insurance data, so it doesn't account for all dogs in the country.
- Last year, the Chihuahua was No. 1, but analysts had separated "Labs" (then No. 2) and "black Labs" (then No. 10) into separate categories. This year, the Labrador category includes labs of all colors.
The intrigue: U.S. News' list of popular dog breeds nationally differs from the American Kennel Club, which for the past three years has ranked the French Bulldog, Labrador Retriever and Golden Retriever as the top three dogs in the country, respectively.
Between the lines: It's tricky to track mutt popularity.
- The study counted "mixed breed," "pit bull," and labels like "German shepherd mix" as separate categories. The goldendoodle was the only mixed breed to crack the top 10.
- Additionally, the AKC does not recognize pit bulls or doodles as standalone breads.
What we're watching: Dachshunds have seen a recent rise in popularity: They made their debut on the top 10 list this year after also reaching their highest American Kennel Club breed ranking in 20 years.
Kristal's thought bubble: Pit bulls are the best! Hannah's DNA test results show she's 100% American Pit Bull Terrier, which was surprising because I always assumed that most pitties from shelters were mutts.
- Anyway, I would love to see how the Cane Corso ranks in the next five to 10 years. Those dogs are everywhere now!
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