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America’s Four Most Popular Dog Breeds

May 10, 2017 by Mary Telesz

America is a nation of dog-lovers: over 60 million American households have a dog, and pet owners across the nation spent over $66 billion on pet food and supplies in 2016. The breeds listed below are the top four most popular dog breeds, according to the annual survey carried out by the American Kennel Club. They are listed in order of popularity, from number one to number four:

Labrador Retriever

Pet CareThere is often some confusion about the name of this breed: many people think a labrador retriever is a mix between a labrador and a golden retriever. In fact, ‘labrador retriever’ is just the official name for a labrador.

The labrador got its name from its place of origin (the province of Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada), although there some debate about the actual location. Human settlers as early as the 1500s brought working dogs with them to help out with their hunting and fishing tasks. These settler dogs were of different breeds, and popularly thought to originate from Britain and Portugal. The inbreeding that occurred between these different breeds resulted in the creation of a number of Canadian working dog breeds, one of which became known as St. John’s dog.

The St. John’s dog is widely accepted as the breed which resulted in the creation of today’s labrador breed through further in-breeding with other working dogs. Settlers used the St. John’s dog for rope-work, retrieving loose fish, and helping to pull fishing nets from the water. The short hair was beneficial, because longer-haired breeds were more prone to getting large chunks of ice on their coats when conditions were freezing.

In the early 1800s, the St. John’s dog was imported to England, and sparked the interest of the Earl of Malmesbury who asked for some to be imported so he could breed them for duck hunting. He donated some of the offspring to the 5th and 6th Dukes of Buccleuch who continued breeding them. The Buccleuch breeding program is widely considered to be the place of origin for today’s labrador retriever.

The friendly, hard-working, and intelligent labrador has been the number one favorite dog breed in America for twenty-six years. Nowadays, labradors who have an official ‘job’ are a popular choice for assisting the disabled because of their placid nature and keen instincts.

German Shepherd

Pet CareThe German shepherd breed boasts a fascinating history. Max von Stephanitz, a native to Germany who was a member of the Phylax society, is credited with being the creator of the German shepherd. The Phylax society was formed to standardize dog breed in Germany. It only existed for a few years due to internal conflicts about how dogs should be bred. Stephanitz strongly believed that dogs should be bred for working. He continued his quest to find the perfect working dog, and discovered a beautiful dog named Hektor Linksrhein. Hector was the product of a few generations of selective breeding. Stephanitz bought the dog, changed his name to Horand, founded the society for the German shepherd dog, and registered Horand as the first of its kind.

Horand was bred with dogs who had desirable traits. Two of Horand’s puppies were in-bred to create the well-known Beowulf. A male dog, Beowulf fathered more than eighty pups, and inbreeding continued. All German Shepherds today share a genetic link with Beowulf’s offspring.

German shepherds today are excellent companions who are strong, athletic, and fiercely protective. They make excellent guard dogs and are also popular choices for police and military dogs.

Golden Retriever

The golden retriever make a wonderful family pet, and also have a lot of desirable traits: they are excellent trackers, sniffers, and hunters.

However, golden retrievers are best known for their wonderfully friendly personalities and beautiful long, golden coat. They are excellent companions who are affectionate towards children and strangers. They may not be a particularly guard dog, but there is little to no fear of them being hostile towards a friend you invite over for dinner.

For many years it was thought that golden retrievers were created by breeding Russian circus dogs with bloodhounds. The breeding was carried out by Lord Tweedmouth, a member of the English gentry. However, after researching his handwritten studbooks, Elma Stonex found that Tweedmouth created golden retrievers when he purchased an unregistered yellow retriever and bred it with a tweed water spaniel (a now extinct Scottish breed). This is the currently accepted theory regarding the origin of the golden retriever breed.

Bulldogs

Pet CareBulldogs have a long and complicated history, and experts debate about the specifics of the origin. Some believe the bulldog to be the parent of the mastiff, others believe it to be created by breeding a mastiff and pug, and others still argue that both the mastiff and the bulldog are descendants of the alaunt; a now-extinct breed. There is one thing they agree about, however — bulldogs got their name from their traditional job of guarding, baiting, and chasing bulls. For the dog in question, bull baiting involves seizing the bull by its nose and holding it there. Despite the large size of the bull, its nose is its sensitive spot, so it is rendered helpless. Bull baiting was a form of amusement, but it was also a superstitious method of preparing a bull for slaughter: it was believed that a baited bull produced meat that was more tender and flavorsome.

Bulldogs have a very unique appearance that differentiate them from other dog breeds. Their body is heavy, low to the ground, and stocky. They are medium-sized and have a distinctive wrinkly, crumpled-up face, meaning that even people who know little to nothing about dog breeds can pick out a bulldog from a mile away.

Often mistaken as an aggressive breed because of their appearance, and the history of their origin, bulldogs are actually very laidback and only need a moderate amount of exercise. They love to lounge around and snooze, and are known for possessing a sweet and gentle disposition.

Filed Under: Pet Care

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Paw Pals specializes in professional dog walking, dog sitting, and pet sitting services. One of our reliable, adult staff members will keep your pet safe, while providing your pet the love and care they need when you are away. Contact us to learn more!

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Paw Pals Pet Sitting, LLC
14001-C Saint Germain Drive #213
Centreville, VA 20121
(703) 345-1695

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Monday
9am - 5pm
Tuesday
9am - 5pm
Wednesday
9am - 5pm
Thursday
9am - 5pm
Friday
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Centreville – 20120, 20121
Chantilly – 20151
Clifton – 20124
Fairfax – 22030, 22033
Fairfax Station – 22039
Manassas – 20109, 20110, 20111
Reston – 20191, 20190

Google Rating
4.9
Paw Pals Pet Sitting
Paw Pals Pet Sitting
4.9
Taylor Smith
Taylor Smith
21:22 03 Oct 21
I never worry when Mary and team take care of my dog!
Michæl Silva
Michæl Silva
21:38 01 Jul 22
Mary at Paw Pals Pet Sitting is the greatest! She has helped me train my pooch Chico how play nice with other dogs and for that I am extremely grateful! A+A+A+A+A+A
Kwi Kim
Kwi Kim
22:37 17 Jun 22
I hired Paw Pals based on my sister’s referral. Meet & greet was very thorough and detailed. I was surprised that my finicky cat came to check the sitter out. Subsequently, a sitter watched my cat over several separate visits, and it was clear through the visit reports that my cat loved the sitter. All the visits were completed having followed my directions & with professionalism.I would highly recommend Paw Pals to anyone who’s looking for a dependable, personable, & professional sitter.
Joseph Walter
Joseph Walter
19:55 13 Jun 22
Paw Pals provided a large number of photos of our pets along with a personalized message on how our pets were doing with every single visit. I would highly recommend using Paw Pals, we'll be continuing to use them whenever we go on vacation.
Ashley Manning
Ashley Manning
09:50 11 Jun 22
Highly recommend as pet sitters!Initially, a sitter from the company will visit the house to meet the pets and learn where everything is. Tatiana took careful notes and we got her some spare keys.While we are away, Paw Pals sends sitters to come and look after our boys. They feed them, scoop litter, bring in mail and packages, and they will even manage trash, recycling, blinds and lights so that everything is comfortable for our kitties. Each time they check in, we receive an email message with updates and pictures, which is so comforting when we are on the road.Also, if you don’t let Paw Pals know when you are home, they assume something has happened and will continue to care for your babies. If something were to happen, I know they would be okay.Five stars for Paw Pals!
Brian Wood
Brian Wood
04:08 22 May 22
We have used Paw Pals for a number of years now and would highly recommend to anyone looking for help with their pets. Great communication from owner Mary and flexibility to make adjustments in schedule as life changes over time. Have had a consistent set of walkers who have gotten to know our pup and the various walking routes around our neighborhood quite well.
Lesley Bush
Lesley Bush
13:58 18 Mar 22
We can't rave enough about Paw Pals. They took care of our 18 year old Cat and 20 year old Chinchilla while we were away and when our flight got cancelled, they were so accommodating and available last minute for an extra day. We worked with Jen to coordinate visits from Miko and Danny. I loved the pictures and updates on how our Lil geriatric guys were doing. Thanks a million, Paw Pals!! Our special pets were so well cared for.
Sebastian Barnes
Sebastian Barnes
01:06 17 Jan 22
I have used Paw Pals for several trips over the last few months, and they have been phenomenal every time! Mary is extremely kind and responsive, and she makes sure that my cat and dog have the care that they need every time I am out of town. All of the pet sitters that I've had have been incredibly sweet to my pets, and they treat them like their own! Will gladly continue using Paw Pals every time I need a sitter.
Julie Shildt
Julie Shildt
17:45 14 Nov 21
It has been a pleasure doing business with paw pals. We have used this company for several trips we have taken over the past 6 months. They have been wonderful caretakers for our 2 cats. Anytime there is ever a question they don't hesitate to give us a call and they leave the best notes and pictures in the emailed report of each visit. We are so glad have found such a great company.
Andrea Hall
Andrea Hall
22:45 03 Oct 20
I wasn't sure about hiring a new doggie walker service... after all they are our kiddos... my babies were in great hands and I felt relaxed having them in their care. Thank you for everything!
Katie McCune
Katie McCune
19:19 15 Jul 21
I honestly cannot recommend Mary and her whole crew enough! We started using Mary originally about 7 years ago to stop by occasionally when our Aussie Lana was younger. Over the next couple years Lana stayed with Mary and her family for a couple weekends when we went on vacation. When we moved to our new house in Manassas, Lana stayed with Sam, who lives in Manassas, overnight for moving day, and did great. Right before the pandemic, we adopted our second Aussie, Goose, and Mary recommended a fantastic trainer for him.We now have weekly walks for the dogs, and they love all of their walkers! Trevor, Paul, Hazel, Sofie, and probably a couple others have helped Goose get used to more people, and have helped my husband and me when our schedules are crazy.Paw Pals is our go-to for any help with our dogs, so I highly recommend them!
Alexandra Hill
Alexandra Hill
22:43 23 May 21
I was a nervous mommy to leave my cats with a sitter service for the first time. Paw Pals went above and beyond to care for my cats and ease a nervous mommy. I already made a reservation to use them again!
Cindy Welgoss
Cindy Welgoss
13:12 27 Nov 20
We have been using Paw Pals for several years, and through a variety of pets that we have loved. Mary and her team have always been *exceptional* in every way. They are professional, courteous, and truly love our fur family! Mary herself is an organized and stellar administrator of her pet care business, keeping detailed records of our pet’s needs, scheduled pet visits, payments, and balance due easy to keep track of as the pet owner. The pet caretaking team is reliable and trustworthy. When our dogs see any of their Paw Pal friends, they get SO excited to see them! Follow up comments are left via text to keep the pet owner informed of the visit and how the pets are faring. Paw Pals has allowed our family the peace of mind to leave our pets at home, for work, weekend getaways and longer times away when necessary, where they are the most comfortable and familiar. We are grateful to Mary and her team for giving us the ability to enjoy pet ownership without feeling tied down. The responsibility of having pets comes with the need to keep them safe and comfortable at all times, and Mary and her team affords us this when our family has to be away.
Dr Tammy Cashion
Dr Tammy Cashion
21:11 12 Mar 19
We have used Paw pals pet sitting on multiple occasions for our bunnies while we are away. Many pet sitters are not interested in small pets however; Mary and her team, are amazing and we trust her implicitly! We are very happy with the outstanding service we have received from her team including texts and photos of our pets when we are out of town. They always go the extra mile and we highly recommend them!
Kristin Conrad
Kristin Conrad
16:00 16 Nov 19
We are so grateful we found Mary and her team at Paw Pals. They are exceptionally responsive, amazingly organized and detail-oriented.We have such peace of mind when we travel knowing our home and pets are so well cared for. Paw Pals is the best pet sitting service we’ve used, and we’re so happy we found them.
Katie Russell
Katie Russell
15:01 17 May 20
Paw Pals is fantastic! I have had a great experience with Mary! Compassionate, professional, responsive, and prompt! Thank you!
Phillip Evans
Phillip Evans
14:38 11 Jul 20
When we adopted our new dog in January, Paw Pals agreed to walk her and give her some outside time so she wasn't in the crate all day. She loved her dog walker and you could see her excitement every time the walker showed up. We moved out of the area but would recommend Paw Pals to anyone needing someone to care for their pets.
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