And the Most Popular Pooch is…..

Flashback to High School and think about the popular kids.  Yeah, you remember them, the hunky quarterback who’s also student body president and the bubbly, head cheerleader who’s also the valedictorian.  They defined “cool” while the rest of us just wandered through the hallways being regular teenagers.  Popularity, however, is redefined over time.  What is cool in one generation might be lame in the next. 

Apparently, the same division of coolness occurs in the dog world.  Some dog breeds are “in” while others are just regular dogs.  The upside to this altered definition of popularity is that there is always an off-chance that your clique (or dog breed) will one day become the cool one.

The most popular dog breed for the last few years has been the French Bulldog.  Just google French bulldog and you get a long list of celebrity owners proudly posing with their French Bulldog bestie.  Tik tok and Instagram are loaded with French Bulldog superstars.  The breed has become extremely popular for a variety of reasons including small to moderate size, friendly and outgoing nature, and adorableness factor. The breed’s compact but sturdy build makes it ideal for both apartment living and dog park roughhousing.

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The Labrador Retriever held the title of most popular for over 20 years… throughout the 2000s and 2010s.  I mean, what isn’t there to like?  Labs are smart, handsome, outgoing, friendly, loyal to the family, playful, trainable AND they make great service and rescue dogs.  Talk about over achievers!  Marley from the film  Marley & Me, Superman’s dog Krypto, Brian from the Family Guy TV series and Clifford the Big Red Dog children’s books were all popular labradors who energized the trend.

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Between the 1960s and 1970s, Poodles were the height of coolness.  The breed comes in an array of colors and sizes from tinyToy to tall Standard.  Known for their hypoallergenic coat, athleticism, and high intelligence, the Mid Century Poodle was classy, nonchalant, and hip.  Elegant Hollywood starlets such as Princess Grace, Elizabeth Taylor, and Natalie Wood were often photographed with their beloved poodles.  If you’ve never seen the Beverly Hillbillies sitcom, just YouTube Mrs. Drysdale and her poodle Clyde.  You’ll understand the vibe.

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The Snoopy comic made its debut in October 1950, so it comes as no surprise that the most popular pooch of the ‘50s was the Beagle.  An excellent hunting dog, beagles are also known for their easy going nature, friendly demeanor with both people and other dogs, and their sweet faces.  In the early 1960s a superhero cartoon featuring Underdog, a beagle, was very popular with the kiddies.  President/VP Lyndon Johnson’s beagles were also regularly featured in White House photo ops.

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Rin Tin Tin was a German Shepherd dog rescued by an American soldier from a battlefield during World War I.  After being trained by the soldier, Rin Tin Tin became a movie star, starring in over 27 Depression Era films.  With Rin’s star-power, it's easy to see why the breed was the “cat’s pajamas” in the 1920s.  German Shepherds are known for their courage, loyalty,strength, and high intellect.  They are generally ranked as the top military, working and rescue dogs.

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Popularity is fleeting.  What’s in today is out tomorrow for anything from  fashion to celebrity to pet breed.  Embrace the choice.  After all, it's not really a surprise when the high school nerd one day becomes a Tech CEO or the multi-breed rescue becomes your best friend.