The Frenchie invasion of New York City continues.
The American Kennel Club has named the French bulldog the city’s most popular breed in its annual rankings for the fifth year in a row.
The adorable, compact dogs are a favorite of city dwellers, as well as celebs like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Martha Stewart, who feature the pups on their social media feeds.
“Having lived in the city, I can tell you they are great apartment dogs,” said Kristy Hodolitz, of Rockville Centre, who owns a 6-month-old French bulldog named Moxie. “They have great, calm personalities. You don’t need a ton of space for them and they are just adorable.”
Hodolitz joined a group of owners and adorable pooches as the AKC officially unveiled its top 10 list with an event at the AKC’s Museum of the Dog in Manhattan on Wednesday morning.
The list is based on 2,618 owner registrations with the AKC from dog owners across the five boroughs. The national list is culled from 580,900 registrations.
Labrador retrievers, Golden retrievers, bulldogs and German shepherds rounded out the top five in New York City.
Brandi Hunter, vice president of public relations and communications at the American Kennel Club, said the organization generates the list every year to create awareness and foster education.
“People may be looking for a dog for their family but they are not quite sure where to start,” said Hunter. “You should look at breeds that might work for your family and then research further and find out what fits your lifestyle.”
Despite their larger size, Labrador retrievers and golden retrievers remain two of the most popular breeds in the city.
“They are very easygoing and very adaptable,” said Angela Viesto of Connecticut, as she stood with 2-1/2-year-old Lincoln, a yellow lab. “They are perfectly fine going out for a walk a couple of times a day and then they can be a couch potato at home.”
Hunter said size is not always a determining factor when figuring out if a dog can live happily in the city.
“You can have a smaller dog that’s pinging all over your house because it has a very high activity level,” she said. “And there are Great Danes that don’t require that much activity. Moderate walks all day are enough.”
The AKC also looked at trends by city neighborhood and found French bulldogs received the most owner registrations in the East Village, the Financial District and TriBeCa, while the regal Cavalier King Charles Spaniel topped registrations in Murray Hill and the Upper East Side.
Registrations with the AKC only represent a small portion of purebred companion dogs in the city, As of 2017, the city Health Department said more than 87,000 dogs were licensed in New York City, but that only represents the owners who have voluntarily licensed their four-legged best friends.
Nonprofit animal shelters, such as Animal Care Centers of NYC and the ASPCA, also encouraged New Yorkers to consider adopting one of the thousands of homeless dogs they care for every year.
