AKC's 2006 Dog Popularity Pole

Yorkies rule (almost)

The American Kennel Club recently issued its list of most popular breeds for 2006, which included a big- or, depending on how you look at it, little - surprise.

The Yorkshire terrier has surpassed two stalwarts,the Golden Retriever and the German Shepherd,to become the second- most-popular breed in the nation.  AKC analysts note that small dogs such as the Yorkie fill a demand for portability in our fast-paced lives, though big dogs still account for 45 percent of registrations.

The Labrador retriever again logged in as No. 1, a position it has held since 1991.

The 2006 most popular dogs in the U.S. are

1. Labrador Retriever

2. Yorkshire Terrier

3. German Shepherd

4. Golden Retriever

5. Beagle

6. Dachshund

7. Boxer

8. Poodle

9. Shih Tzu

10. Miniature Schnauzer