Confessions of an Aspiring Dog Owner » dog breeds http://www.aspiringdogowner.com Well… some confessions, some training tips, all dog related Fri, 29 May 2009 05:12:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Super Bowl XLII – The dogs are getting ready for the big game http://www.aspiringdogowner.com/super-bowl-xlii-the-dogs-are-getting-ready-for-the-big-game/ http://www.aspiringdogowner.com/super-bowl-xlii-the-dogs-are-getting-ready-for-the-big-game/#comments Thu, 29 Jan 2009 23:52:16 +0000 hartgro http://www.aspiringdogowner.com/?p=105 As Super Bowl XLII approaches, everyone’s busy gearing up to watch the Arizona Cardinals take on the Pittsburgh Steelers – even the dogs! They’re picking up their Steelers and Cardinals dog jerseys, laying out their game plan for snacking, and like the rest of us, looking forward to the commercials. Over the next couple of days leading up to the 2009 Super Bowl, we’ll take a peek into the Super Bowl world from a dog’s (and dog lover’s) perspective.

 

Super Bowl Doggie Demographics – Phoenix vs Pittsburgh

The American Kennel Club just released 2008 statistics for US dog registrations last week. They’ve also included a breakout by the top 50 US cities so now we can take a look at how Pittsburgh and Phoenix stack up in the dog demographics area.

 

Most Popular Dogs in the US – 2008 AKC Statistics:

The ten most popular dog breeds stayed the same from 2007 to 2008, but the Bulldog jumped up from the #10 spot up to #8, pushing the Poodle and Shih Tzu into the #9 and #10 spots.

  1. Labrador Retriever
  2. Yorkshire Terrier
  3. German Shepherd Dog
  4. Golden Retriever
  5. Beagle
  6. Boxer
  7. Dachshund
  8. Bulldog
  9. Poodle
  10. Shih Tzu

 

Phoenix’s Top Dogs 2008 – AKC Registration Figures by City:

Phoenix brings the Chihuahua into the mix (it’s #12 nationally) and leaves the Beagles out of the top 10. 

  1. Labrador Retriever
  2.  German Shepherd Dog
  3. Golden Retriever
  4. Yorkshire Terrier
  5. Chihuahua
  6. Shih Tzu
  7. Dachshund
  8. Bulldog
  9. Boxer
  10. Poodle

 

Pittsburgh’s Top Dogs 2008 – AKC Registration Figures by City:

Pittsburgh favors the Pug (#15 nationally) and Rottweiler (#14 nationally) and shows a little less love for the Dachshund and the Shih Tzu than Phoenix or the rest of the US population.

  1. Labrador Retriever
  2. Golden Retriever
  3. Boxer
  4. German Shepherd Dog
  5. Yorkshire Terrier
  6. Beagle
  7. Bulldog
  8. Poodle
  9. Pug
  10. Rottweiler

 

If the Steelers and Cardinals were dogs, what kind would they be?

Canine expert and Super Bowl ring wearer David Frei has suggested what type of dog breed some of the top Super Bowl players might be: 

  • Kurt Warner: German Shepherd. “Intelligent and alert, alpha dog leader with even temperament and character.”
  • Larry Fitzgerald: Doberman Pinscher. “Elegant athlete in a tight-fitting wrapper.”
  • Anquan Boldin: Greyhound. “Narrow body, big chest, sleek, powerful, athletic and fast.”
  • Troy Polamalu: Whippet. “Feisty, prey-driven, fast, champion athlete of the dog world.”
  • Ben Roethlisberger: Border Collie. “Leads his flock up and down the field. Smart, athletic and intensely focused on the job at hand.”
  • Hines Ward: Siberian Husky. “Compact, athletic, smart, tough and tireless.”
  • James Farrior: Rottweiler. “Powerful, intelligent, agile, intimidating, calm and courageous.”

 

What do you think about Frei’s picks? Do you have a favorite on the Cardinals or Steelers team that he didn’t mention?

 

Is your pet making any special plans for the Super Bowl? We’d love to hear about it!

]]> http://www.aspiringdogowner.com/super-bowl-xlii-the-dogs-are-getting-ready-for-the-big-game/feed/ 1 What is your favorite dog breed? Which leads to Confession #2 http://www.aspiringdogowner.com/what-is-your-favorite-dog-breed/ http://www.aspiringdogowner.com/what-is-your-favorite-dog-breed/#comments Wed, 07 Jan 2009 17:55:59 +0000 hartgro http://aspiringdogowner.wordpress.com/?p=14

 

I’ll confess right off the bat, my favorite is the Lab. Now you know. I suppose that’s technically Confession #2. But I honestly do love all dogs, generally favor large over small when given the choice though there are a couple of little ladies out there that have captured my heart. Ginger Spice, I’m talking ’bout you!

I thought it would be interesting to see where my preferences line up with yours, and the rest of the population. I’m anxiously awaiting your votes. In the meantime, here are the official stats as captured by the 2007 AKC Dog Registration Statistics:

1. Retrievers (Labrador)
2. Yorkshire Terriers
3. German Shepherd Dogs
4. Retrievers (Golden)
5. Beagles
6. Boxers
7. Dachshunds
8. Poodles
9. ShihTzu
10. Bulldogs

Labs have been tops on the list for the last several years – I’m so proud. My mom will be amused to see that Weiner dogs and poodles are in the top 10 – Mr. Johnson & Miss Belle are representin!

Are your dogs on the list? :-)

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