Most Popular Dog Breeds Each Decade

Collies were popular long before the show Lassie. These pups were strictly working dogs up until the 20^th century, so they have a history of herding and are not too hard to train. Although they’re still active dogs, they’ve become more popular as companions in recent years.

Boston terriers have been around since 1891, although they were originally called “round heads” and then “bull terriers” before the name was changed to pay homage to the city where the breed was created (Boston). They were initially a cross between an English bulldog and a White English terrier (now extinct).

German shepherds were farm dogs used for herding in the 1890s, and then later on worked with the soldiers during World War II. In modern times, they are a popular choice for police and firefighter work, mostly because they’re smart, easy to train, and eager to please.

The Boston terrier has remained a top-ten most popular breed since the 1890’s. Due to the Depression in the 1930’s, many people couldn’t afford larger dogs, so the most common breeds were small or medium sized. Other popular dogs during this decade were Pomeranians, bulldogs, and cocker spaniels. And speaking of cocker spaniels…

A cocker spaniel named My Own Brucie took Best in Show in 1940 and 1941 and appeared on the cover of Life Magazine, catapulting the breed into popularity. But all the way back in the 14^th Century, “spanyells” (the word eventually became “spaniels”) were divided into land and water spaniels based on size. The cocker spaniel remains the smallest land spaniel to this day.

Charlie Brown and his pet beagle Snoopy debuted in 1950, perhaps the reasoning behind the breed’s sudden popularity in the 1950s. However, they were originally imported from England starting in the 1860s. They stayed in the list of top-ten most popular dog breeds from 1953 until 1959.

Frank Sinatra bought Marilyn Monroe a pet poodle, whom he had purchased from Natalie Wood’s mother. That may or may not be the reason for the breed’s growth in popularity, but it’s an interesting story nonetheless. Poodles originated in Germany and were called “pudels,” but they eventually were named the National Dog of France. The word “pudel” means “to splash in water,” which is fitting since they were bred to hunt and retrieve ducks in the water, and their fur was meant to keep them warm while swimming.

Disney’s Lady and the Tramp may have made the breed popular when the film came out in the 1950s, but there was a resurgence in the 1980s, and they continue to be popular today.

The Lab has remained the number one most popular dog breed for the last three decades because they are outgoing, easy to please, and make great service and assistant dogs. They were founded in Newfoundland when small water dogs were bred with Newfoundlands to produce what was then called a “St. John’s water dog.” The breed dates as far back as 1878.

Are you a dog lover? What are your favorite breeds?

Sources:

https://www.ranker.com/list/most-popular-dog-breeds-by-decade/mariel-loveland

https://www.theodysseyonline.com/100-years-of-dog-breeds

https://www.cheatsheet.com/culture/the-most-popular-dog-breeds-from-different-decades.html/

American Kennel Club: https://www.akc.org/