Hi davidjryan,
Agree with Ms. Spiegel but here?s some additional info:
Herzog study:
http://www.bio.indiana.edu/~hahnlab/MediaFiles/Dog%20Breeds/News-Observer.html
And from an article in Slate:
?According to Herzog's model, the Labrador has another decade or so
atop the AKC's list before it yields to a new No. 1 hound. But
already, a backlash against large dogs seems to be taking shape.
According to the AKC, the oft-maligned Toy group is making a comeback
of sorts: The registration list's biggest climbers these days are the
Chinese Crested and the Brussels Griffon. An AKC spokeswoman opined
that this might have to do with all those celebrities who walk around
with teensy pooches in their purses, but Herzog's analysis suggests
otherwise. More likely it's just another inexplicable product of
cultural drift: Twenty years hence, the Yorkshire terrier could be the
most popular. And people will think Yorkies are tough as nails, while
Labs will be dismissed as chew-happy slobs.?
(?)
?But the trend toward jumbo dogs doesn't quite explain why the
Labrador retriever is far more popular than other big breeds. The
simple answer is that dog owners are mimics: Instead of studying up on
breeds that might meet their particular needs, they tend to copy the
dog-buying habits of the people down the street.?
http://www.slate.com/id/2122298/
Besides the 25-year pet popularity cyle, celebrity pooches, media
exposure, and neighbor-mimicry, there?s the Westminster influence:
?A study to determine whether winning best in show at the annual
Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is associated with a subsequent
increase in popularity was published recently in the Journal of the
American Veterinary Medical Association. The study used numbers of
purebred puppies registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC). The
results did not support the view that there is a surge in popularity
of winning breeds. It is suggested however, that in the future,
high-profile televised dog shows may have a significant influence on
breed popularity.?
http://www.vet.upenn.edu/schoolresources/communications/publications/bellwether/60/animal_crackers.html
Again, difficult to predict.
However, the ones I?ve seen consistently mentioned are (in no particular order):
1. Burnese Mountain dog
2. Ibizan Hound.
3. Havanese or the alternative low-allergy model hybreed, the Labradoodle
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/01/0115_040115_tvdesignerdogs_2.html
4. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
5. ?Designer dog? breeds
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/09/29/earlyshow/contributors/debbyeturner/main646223.shtml
6. Brussels Griffon
7. Chinese Crested
8. Anatolian Shepherd
9. Yorkshire Terrier
10. French Bulldog
Shih Tzus, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, and Papillons are also
frequently mentioned, although Labs, Goldens, German Shepherds, and
Poodles will likely remain high on the popularity chart every year.
Some AKC stats you?ve probably seen:
French Bulldog (+53%), Havanese (+37%) and Cavalier King Charles
Spaniel (+34%) Anatolian Shepherd (+83%), Spinone Italiano (+36%) and
the Curly-Coated Retriever (+44%).
http://www.akc.org/news/index.cfm?article_id=2389
And some interesting (well, to me at least!) stats about the British
pet population:
?Exotic reptiles such as lizards, snakes and iguanas have become so
popular as pets that, in two years, they will outnumber dogs in
Britain. A study by the British Federation of Herpetologists, the
breeders' association, has found that 5 million reptiles are kept as
pets.
If the trend continues, their numbers will outstrip the dog population
of 6 million by 2006, and could threaten the supremacy of cats, of
which there are 7.5 million.?
http://www.petsalley.com/newsdogeatdog.html
That?s all I could find and hope some of it?s useful.
Lost in the cultural drift,
? V ? |
