The American Kennel Club announced earlier today the most popular 10 dogs in the United States, with the Labrador Retrievers leading the pack for their 18th straight year.

The statistics presented by the club point out that more than twice as many Labs were registered last year than any other breed, with their popularity showing no sign of decrease.

The surprise came from the bulldog, which appeared in the top ten for the first time in 70 years.

The list starts with the the Labrador Retriever and continues with the Yorkshire Terrier, the German Shepherd, the Golden Retriever, the Beagle, the Boxer, the Dachshund, the Bulldog, the Poodle and ends with the Shih Tzu. 

This year, the AKC celebrates 125 years of activity. It was founded in 1884 and at the time, it only registered nine breeds: the Pointer, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, the English Setter, the Gordon Setter, the Irish Setter, the Clumber Spaniel, the Cocker Spaniel, the Irish Water Spaniel and the Sussex Spaniel. Over the years, many more were added, bringing today’s total to 161 breeds.

“I think the comparison of our original nine to the current top 10 illustrates the different needs that dogs fill today,” explained AKC’s spokesperson Lisa Peterson, adding that “In the 1880’s most breeds served a specific purpose or function. Today dogs still serve man and in even more diverse roles — from guide dog to bomb detection K-9 — but most of all, dogs are now companions that ground us to nature in a busy and increasingly technological world.”