ArcaMax

For the first time in many years, the Dachshund varieties fell short of the top 10, dropping to No. 11 on the AKC chart.

Another trendy breed is the German Shorthaired Pointer, now at No. 12. While still working in the field doing what they were bred to be (bird hunting dogs), they've become increasingly popular as pets. In 1994, the German Shorthaired Pointer was the 29th most popular breed.

In 2001, the Havanese, a little relative of the Bichon Frise, was the 75th most popular breed, but now for the second year in a row it has settled in at No. 25.

Compared to five years ago. the trend is down for these breeds:

Maltese (today at No. 29, at No. 20 five years ago); Pug (today at No. 32, at No. 17 five years ago); Basset Hound (today at No. 41, at No. 34 five years ago) and Miniature Pincher (today at No. 60, at No. 33 five years ago).

Compared to five years ago, the trend is up for these breeds:

Belgian Malinois (five years ago at No. 81, today at No. 59); Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier (five years ago at No. 62, today at No. 48); Shiba Inu (five years ago at No. 65, today at No. 46); Border Collie (five years ago at No. 52, today at No. 39) and Viszla (at No. 42 five years ago, today at No. 33).

The bottom three breeds on the current list include: No. 176, Cesky Terrier; No. 177, English Foxhound (the American Foxhound doesn't do much better, at No. 174) and in the basement, at No. 178, the Norwegian Lundehund.

========

(c) 2015 DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.