American Kennel Club Reveals Knoxville's Top Dogs.

-- Nationally, Bulldog Breaks Into "Top 10" for First Time in Nearly 75 Years --

NEW YORK -- The American Kennel Club([R]) announced today the "Top 10" most popular AKC([R]) registered breeds in Knoxville 2007.*

The AKC also announced their nationwide registration statistics which revealed that the Bulldog - a popular sporting mascot and one of the most recognizable and iconic purebred dogs - has muscled its way into the 10th spot on the organization's annual list of the most popular purebred dogs in America. For the 17th consecutive year, the Labrador Retriever is still the most popular breed in the country.

Here's a look at Knoxville's Top 10 breeds as compared to the rest of the country:

KNOXVILLE 2007           NATIONWIDE 2007  >  >       >



                 1.                Boxer  >  >       >
1.

Labrador Retriever
                 2.   Labrador Retriever  >  >       >
2.

Yorkshire Terrier
                 3.    Yorkshire Terrier  >  >       >
3.

German Shepherd
                 4.     Golden Retriever  >  >       >
4.

Golden Retriever
                 5.  Miniature Schnauzer  >  >       >
5.

Beagle
                 6.            Dachshund  >  >       >
6.

Boxer
                 7.             Shih Tzu  >  >       >
7.

Dachshund
                 8.      German Shepherd  >  >       >
8.

Poodle
                 9.               Poodle  >  >       >
9.

Shih Tzu
                10.              Bulldog  >  >       >
10.

Bulldog

* Registration data pulled from Knoxville zip codes as specified by U.S. Postal Service

Local Statistical Snapshot

* The Boxer dominated the 2007 Top 10 list by moving into 1st place and ousting the nationally favored Labrador Retriever. Knoxville is one of only five U.S. cities not to place the Lab in its top spot (Detroit and Miami favor the German Shepherd, Honolulu the Lab and Orlando the Yorkie).

* Knoxville residents are right in line with the national preferences when it comes to the Bulldog, which placed 10th in 2007.

* Despite falling off the national Top 10 list in 2007, the Miniature Schnauzer made great gains locally rising from 8th in 2006 to 5th in 2007. The Golden Retriever also made a huge leap in Knoxville, 5 spots to 4th place, in line with its national ranking.

* The Beagle dropped out of favor in Knoxville dropping three slots to 13th place in 2007.

* Some of the least common breeds in Knoxville include the American Eskimo Dog, Bearded Collie and Whippet.

* Knoxville residents can see and learn more about their favorite breeds on February 2 when the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship -- where the world's top dogs compete for $225,000 in prize money and the title of "National Champion" -- airs on Animal Planet from 8-11pm.

"While preserving historical traditions is commonplace in Knoxville, city residents seem to enjoy making their own history as the only major U.S. city with the Boxer in its top slot," says AKC spokesperson Lisa Peterson. "The Boxer's dominance over the Labrador Retriever is a good example of the city's slogan 'Uniquely Knoxville.'"

Visit http://www.akc.org/reg/dogreg_stats.cfm for information on other cities and the complete list of national rankings.

The American Kennel Club, founded in 1884, is a not-for-profit organization which maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees the sport of purebred dogs in the United States. The AKC is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function. Along with its nearly 5,000 licensed and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog ownership. More than 20,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred dogs are held under AKC rules and regulations each year including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure coursing, coonhound events, hunt tests, field and earthdog tests. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Companion Animal Recovery and the AKC Museum of the Dog. For more information, visit www.akc.org.

AKC, American Kennel Club, the American Kennel Club seal and design, and all associated marks and logos are trademarks, registered trademarks and service marks of The American Kennel Club, Inc.