America continues its love affair with the Labrador Retriever which tops the list for the 30th year in a row. Just below the Lab, the Frenchie takes the No.2 ranking above the German Shepherd Dog and Golden Retriever for the first time.

The Labrador Retriever or Labrador is a British breed of retriever gun dog. It was developed in the United Kingdom from fishing dogs imported from the independent colony of Newfoundland (now part of Canada), and was named for the Labrador region of that colony. It is among the most commonly kept dogs in several countries, particularly in the Western world.

Labrador is loyal, obedient, and playful. It was bred as a sporting and hunting dog, but is widely kept as a companion dog. It may also be trained as a guide or assistance dog, or for rescue or therapy work.

During the 1880s, the 3rd Earl of Malmesbury, the 6th Duke of Buccleuch, and the 12th Earl of Home collaborated to develop and establish the Labrador Retriever breed. The dogs Buccleuch Avon and Buccleuch Ned, given by Malmesbury to Buccleuch, were mated with bitches carrying blood from those originally imported by the 5th Duke and the 10th Earl of Home. The offspring are the ancestors of all modern Labradors.

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