Did you know? Who's in?

There are 161 AKC (American Kennel Club) recognized  breeds of dogs.

175 recognized by the CKC (Canadian Kennel Club.)

The UKC (United Kennel club) recognizes over 300 different breeds.

That is a whole lot of different breeds.

The Labrador Retriever has been named the most popular breed once again in 2013.  This is the 22nd straight year for this breed to receive the title.

The German Shepherd is number 2.

The Golden Retriever 3 and the Beagle 4; and my breed, the Standard Poodle is #8, really?

But from where I stand and walk I'd have a very different list.  Yes the Labrador would be up there but it would be battling it out with the Golden Retriever.  A clear second would be the ever popular Doodle, not a breed unto itself but very, very popular indeed.  The Doodle as I refer to is a mix of anything and a poodle.  There is just about every combination you could think of these days and they come in small, medium and large sizes.

The next would have to be the Puggle (mix of a Pug and Beagle) ; oh yes, these little guys are everywhere.

Hmmmmmm...........let me think.  I see a lot of Jack Russell's still, quite a few Lhasa Apso's and actually quite a few Rhodesian Ridgebacks.  I'm not sure if there is a local breeder of Ridgeback's around here but there are an awful lot of them.  I am surprised that I don't see more PWDs (Portuguese Water Dogs) or the President's dog around.  Typically when a dog breed is in the spotlight it is a doomed sentence for the breed.  Bad breeders jump on the band wagon and pump those babies out as fast as they can but the Doodle seems to at the top of the millers list right now.  Sad, very sad.

I see lots and lots of Pit Bulls and Pit mixes.  This is most definitely due to a high volume of Pit Bull rescues and rescuers.

What happens to a breed or mix of breeds that becomes popular is just what I said, doom.  No, I do not want my breed to become the "in" breed.  I see far too many breeds completely ruined by the bad breeders out there.  What becomes popular also fills up the rescues and shelters.  It is a life sentence to become the "in" breed.

Not only can a breed or mix become the "dog to have" at the moment.  But color and or style can become very popular.  I am seeing quite a few breeds with new colors becoming a problem.  I see it in my own breed and I worry.  Red has become the "in" color and now that is all we are seeing.  Is this going to become a health issue?  It most certainly could.  What happens when people are looking for something very particular is that they stay within a small genetic circle; never, ever good.  But if the "good" breeders put the focus on breeding healthy dogs then hopefully the new "in" color will thrive instead of weaken.

It happened with the Goldens; everyone wanted a Platinum color or dark red.  So yep, they were pumped out in numbers to meet the demand.  The prices also go up for those "high demand" colors.  As far as I am concerned, color is way down at the bottom of the list as far as importance.  Health, structure and temperament is important, more extremely important.  But color, no.

Being the "in" dog is not a good thing.  But as we humans do we ride a wave of popularity until it is saturated.  Then we toss push the past aside; making room for the next wave of "in."  Sad but true.