Ah, promoting BYB and puppy mills.... lovely.

I'm going to take a wild guess and say Poodles or Yorshire Terriers. I see them everywhere!

What's wrong with a Rat Terrier or a Decker Terrier (Zena is the latter)?

AKC doesn't promote BYB or pupy mills, their website is full of information on finding reputable breeders and such. I guess you could mean that now these top 10 dogs will be the most back yard breeded. I kind of get that. REgardless, I got the best guy at the pound
I have a special spot in my heart for doxies. If I ever bought a purebred that's what it'd be.
And Ellenora - Rat Terrier is what we think B-Bop is mixed with. He's got ears just like Zena!

How about mutts??? Not really a breed per say, but there are plenty of them and adoption should be promoted!

Promoting, hyping, and popularizing purebreds DOES encourage BYB/PM, regardless of AKC's "official stance."

I think Shiba Inus got an end of the year surge in popularity because of the puppy cam. I've liked them for years, but now I'm afraid they could be over bred. I'll stick to shelters and rescue groups when I get my next dog.

I'm thinking beagles, just because of the best in show win. Plus, I see a lot of people with them. I'll stick with my doxie though

I voted Boxer only b/c I think it SHOULD be the most popular.

....but I didn't realize I was getting in a political debate.

We got our girl from a pastor & his wife who let their boxer pair have a litter once a year. So we met her parents and picked her from a litter of 4 puppies at the pastor's home. I'm glad I know for a fact our girl wasn't part of a mill.

BTW, a completely fascinating and horrifying article about breeding in Japan:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/28/business/28dogs.html?fta=y

I'm going with Lab, since last year there were still nearly twice as many Labs registered as Yorkies (the number two breed).

I love my yorkie

Don't know how popular they ACTUALLY are, but I loooove my doxies!

Purebreds are just that. A specific type of breed. I am very against puppy mills. I have a purebred myself, a Boston Terrier. He came from a breeder who finds good homes for the very few puppies she has each year. I think if you keep the health of the dogs and welfare in mind, there is nothing wrong with a dog being purebred.

There's nothing wrong with the dog itself being purebred, but when you buy purebreds, you're leaving a mutt in a shelter. You're also contributing to the demand for purebreds, which means more and more dogs (mutts AND purebreds) will be homeless. All this for the sake of having a trendy pup? Yeah, to me there's a lot wrong with that.

If everyone in my family got their own dog...it would be a Bulldog, a Yorkshire Terrier, a golden retriever and a beagle. We're a loving, low-key family that loves parks...can you tell?

I agree with foxie. I think we're just using the purebred as a basis to demonstrate the nature, personality and overall look of dog we like.

I voted doxie like Renee/Bethina.

Hollywood promotes BYB/PM more than the AKC or the Westminster Dog Show does.

"Buddy" movies - surge in Goldens
Lassie - Collies (and Shelties to an extent)
101 Dalmatians - Dals

You get the point.

Besides, its not just the demand for purebreds that promote puppy mills. Trendy hybrids like Goldipoos/Labradoodles/Puggles are the worst offenders. Breeders do not give the mothers adequate time to heal between litters so they can fill the demand.

Point of amusement: I groom dogs and customers regularly come in asking that their "purebred" Goldipoo receive a hair cut. I'm sorry, your dog is a mutt. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against mutts (I own one).

Excuse me, but WHAT is a "doxie"? Never heard of it...but apparently everyone else here has.

and foxie, you do make a good point about dogs left in shelters. I get all my cats from the SPCA. That said, with a 60 pound animal living in my house it is reassuring to know what temperament / health issues to expect rather than rolling the dice.

Shibas are my favorite dog - I have one and she is amazing!

I love them all, but can't stand Yorkies and sh*t Zhus. As someone has already mentioned, I'd think Goldenoodles (sp?) would be popular.

By the way, my dog is a purebred with a rather distinguished family tree. She's the smartest dog I've ever had, and I love her to death. I do agree the need to rescue homeless dogs, but it's up to individuals to decide where they'd want to get their dogs. I got my dog as a gift as a child.
If I happen to get another dog, I'd definitely go for Chow Chows or Beagles. They are just irresistible.

doxie = dachshund

I'm not buying it plus2. Purebreds tend to be plagued with many more ailments than mixed breeds are, which causes purebreds to typically require more veterinary care and not live as long. As far as temperament, many mixed breeds in pounds are mixes of very docile breeds, so to worry that they might be aggressive is a little silly.

foxie's right - mixed breeds to tend to have fewer health issues than purebreds. This is particularly true for Cocker Spaniels and Golden Retrievers as they are two breeds that have been the most over bred in the past.

That being said, I think that it is truly up to the pet owner/perspective pet owner to do his or her research to ensure that, if he/she chooses a purebred, the dog comes from a quality breeder. This is where I do place some value in AKC registered dogs - in most cases (though certainly not all) you'll find some of the most responsible breeders. In my experience AKC breeders take the time to check out potential dog owners: they'll survey your home, family environment, etc. Don't get me wrong though, I'm not naive enough to assume that all AKC breeders are responsible breeders - there are jerks out there, just as there are with mixed-breed breeders.

I truly believe that puppy mills exist because of lazy and ignorant pet owners. If people were willing to do their research you wouldn't find dogs for sale at your local pet shop (which almost always come from puppy mills). Pet shops will buy cheap dogs and then jack the price up. It should be noted that they do this for mixed breeds as well. I saw a Shih-poo (Shih Tzu/Poodle mix) with a $900 price tag.

True story - I was in a pet store at my local mall and I heard the employees chatting about how the new dogs that they'd received all came in covered in fleas. You don't find that with reputable breeders.

"I think Shiba Inus got an end of the year surge in popularity because of the puppy cam. I've liked them for years, but now I'm afraid they could be over bred."

you are right! and it scares me, because I've already got my hands full of shiba rescues that are taken as adorable pups (just like the Cam pups) then dumped as adults because their owners couldn't handle them.

There are already many, many disreputable shiba breeders in the US alone. If you want a reputable breeder or rescue referral, send me a message! I'll be happy to hook you up!

I care deeply about helping to curb the overpopulation of companion animals by educating the public in the selection, care and training of dogs. Please do yourself and all you know a favor and really THINK before bringing a dog into your life, and if feasible, don't SHOP, ADOPT!

Wakupandora, good for you! I also wish people would research better before deciding on a dog. I did tons of research on shibas before getting one and spent a lot of time training my dog. Are the rescue dogs adopted out??

DOXIE'S! Doxie's rule the roost! Just ask them.

I foster for a great rescue group and I pull some shibas from high kill shelters when I can. My two resident dogs are Tsuki and Kitsune, and all others get adopted out when the right family comes along.
I have one foster right now that I pulled independently that is looking for a home, he's not good with other dogs though, so I keep him separated from my other two. We've had him since late October and he's still not budging on the dog-dog friendliness!!

we have a blog (shamless!) shibainuspirit.blogspot.com

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"Pet shops will buy cheap dogs and then jack the price up. It should be noted that they do this for mixed breeds as well. I saw a Shih-poo (Shih Tzu/Poodle mix) with a $900 price tag."

Sad, isn't it? A shiba breeder that I used to respect has begun to sell "MinShi" puppies, a mini pinscher/shiba inu cross. There is NO purpose to doing this, just to make a fast buck on a 'rare' dog (read, rare=mutt). Adopting a preexisting mutt from the shelter is so much more humane and responsible.

Definitely beagles.

wakeup, bless you for saving all those doggies. My two doxies are both rescues too, and I would never pay a breeder for one when there are SO many unwanted pups needing homes. My one boy is a purebred, I got him from a family that was stupid to get him in the first place. The mans wife was pregnant with triplets and thought buying a puppy before the babies were born would be great. Idiot. When the babies came he got mad at the dog for acting up. I was over there once and while I won't go into what he did, suffice it to say I told him he would either give me the dog, or face criminal charges for animal abuse. I also warned him against ever getting another dog.

My other little girl is a basset/mini doxie mix. But the only part of the bassett that really comes out are the out turned front paws and thick "ankles" Otherwise, in attitude, personality and looks, she's all doxie. And she is just the sweetest little thing. I found her running through a field, she was bone thin, dirty and looked to be near death. I posted flyers up all over JUST IN CASE she'd only gotten away and wasn't actually abandoned. I finally found out that she's an escape artist, and after she had gotten out of their house for the 10th time, they just let her keep going.

People make me SO MAD!

Mykie! I'm SO glad your pups have found their forever home with you! Your doxie/basset gal is just about the cutest thing EVER!

Thanks Wakeup! I just wish that more people realized what great family pets "mutts" make. They are just SO HAPPY to have warm, loving homes... You can't beat them.

Dang, everybody loves doxies. My neighbor backyard breeds doxies. They never let them inside, never play with them, they bark all day and night, but Animal Control can't do anything about it because they have shelter (crates, mind you), water, and food. =(

foxie that makes me sad... why'd ya have to go and make me all depressed about my beloved doxies? I say scoop them up and send them my way

YORKIES!! I own 2 AKC registered ones and they are so awesome!!!!! I ♥ them to death!

While I think everyone should adopt their animals from shelters and humane societies, it's not always the best decision for every family. Mixed breed dogs are not the best fit for everyone, and getting a purebred from a reputable breeder gives you an idea of what the dog's characteristics and behavior will be like when they are older. But, I think if someone has a certain breed in mind they should check out breed specific rescue organizations before they go to a breeder.

And miniature schnauzers are my favorite breed! I have 2 waiting for me at home.

I don't think you can blame the AKC for puppy mills. When I decided to get a Cavalier, I spent a lot fo time reseraching and talking to breeders about what kind of health tests they run on their dogs, how many litters they have per year, things like that. I also had to put my name on a waiting list and wait for my puppy once I found the breeder I wanted, because responsible breeders are not going to have puppies all the time. It is irresponsible people who just want a specific kind of dog as quickly and as cheaply as possible who are to blame.

Shibas. I'm with CoralAmber 100%.

My mom's a sheltie breeder and while she is a very responsible breeder (all of her dogs also compete in shows), her dogs still have numerous health problems. She gets them checked for hip/eye problems and all that, but one of her pups was born cryptorchid (his testicles were still in his body and didn't descend properly) and also had a major jaw defect that required surgery. Another one of her dogs has bad skin allergies. While I'm not saying it's a huge crime to breed dogs, I do know that my mutt is a lot healthier than any of my mom's purebreds. When you breed dogs for certain characteristics, you usually pick up genes that are close to the ones you're selecting for and you end up getting "linked" disorders...such as deafness and white coat color or certain coat patterns and skin lipomas. Since most purebreds tend to be homozygous for certain traits, you have a much better chance of the problem traits being expressed. When you cross-breed (usually by accident, lol), it's a lot less likely that both breeds will have the same problems.

So yeah, I guess if you want your dog to look/act a certain way, get a purebred from a reputable breeder but don't expect it to necessarily by super-healthy...even good breeders can't do much with certain genetic problems.

I voted Beagle but I love my Puggle

kristyy I agree. I love my mutt more than anything, she's a Bichon/Poodle/maybe something else mix.

I worked with dogs most of my life in kennels and vets and now at a groomers. There is nothing wrong with having a purebred just like there is nothing wrong with having a mix. If you want to buy a purebred you should just make sure to do research first to make sure you get it from a reputable breeder. I've had 2 purebred yorkies, 2 purebred bull terriers, and now the very first dog of my own that I have is a shelter dog whose breed is still unbeknown to me. Nobody has the right to try to make someone feel bad for not going to a shelter to get a dog, heavens, there are alot of purebred dogs in there. The AKC shouldn't stop existing just because there are people who are exploiting people's wants for purebred dogs and therefore run puppy mills.

Oh yeah, and my mixed breed shelter dog is a nightmare. But I still love her anyways.