Labrador Retriever voted as America's favorite breed

Raleigh, N.C.

--With almost two decades in the American Kennel Club's (AKC) top spot, the Labrador Retriever has once again clinched the title of most popular purebred dog in America.

The 2009 list of the most popular breeds, released in late January by the AKC, places the Labs at the top for the 19th year, followed by the German Shepherd, which bumped the Yorkshire Terrier from the second most-popular spot. This is the first time German Shepherds have earned the number two position on the favorite breed list in more than 30 years, says AKC. Shepherds were the No. 1 breed in the 1920s, but their popularity began to wane after World War II. AKC says the breed's resurgence in popularity may be linked to increased attention for the German Shepherd's security duties at home and abroard in police, guard and military dog work.

Other top breeds include the Yorkshire Terrier in third place, the Golden Retriever in fourth, the Beagle in fifth place, Boxers in sixth, Bulldogs in seventh, Dachshunds in eighth, Poodles in ninth and Shih Tzus rounding out the list in 10th place.

• German Shepherds replaced Labrador Retrievers as the favorite breed in Columbus, Detroit, Honolulu, Memphis, Miami, Providence and West Palm Beach.

• Yorkshire Terriers topped the list of favorites in Oakland, Tampa, New York City and Philadelphia.

• Bulldogs rose to the top of the list in Los Angeles.

• Bull Terriers are the favorite breed in Newark, N.J.

• Providence is the only city in which the Labrador Retriever doesn’t even break into the top five favorites.

• Some cities have other unusual top breeds like the Mastiff in Des Moines, the Miniature Pinscher and Shetland Sheepdog in Richmond and the Chihuahua in Honolulu.

Modest gains have been seen in the popularity of working breeds like German Shepherds, while Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Havanese have made the biggest leaps in the last decade. Easy-to-groom breeds like the Mastiff and Rhodesian Ridgeback have increased in popularity, while high-maintenance and rare breeds have been in the decline, adds AKC.