Each region has its own favorite. This is in any case what a study revealed by the Central Canine Society, which maintains the French Book of Origins (LOF). In the latter, all French breed dogs (2.5 million in all) have been listed for over a century, and 245,553 births (of over 300 breeds) were added to it last year. By counting region by region, the federation was able to establish a ranking of the most popular purebred dogs in each of them. Find out without further delay which wins first place in your area.
The Australian Shepherd: great darling
Several purebred dogs are vying for first place on the podium, but the Australian Shepherd has the most gold medals. It delights the hearts of French people in the Center-Val de Loire, Pays de la Loire, Normandy, Hauts-de-France, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Bourgogne-Franche-Comté regions. This means that it is in these regions that we saw the most births of puppies of this breed last year. But it is also first nationally. It comes in second place on the podium in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, in the Grand-Est, in New Aquitaine and in Occitanie, then in third in Brittany and Corsica.
The Staffordshire bull terrier: good second
On the 2nd place of the podium, the Staffordshire bull terrier follows behind the Australian Shepherd and wins the Île-de-France, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and Occitanie regions. It occupies second place nationally, but also in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. It is the second to see the highest birth rate recorded for the whole of 2020. In Occitanie alone, a region of France which concentrates the greatest diversity of canine breeds, 1,715 Staffordshire bull terriers were born in the last year, up from 1,639 Australian Shepherds.
The Belgian Shepherd: last of the podium
At the bottom of the podium we find the Belgian shepherd, who particularly enjoys the coast in Occitania, but also in Hauts-de-France, Normandy, Pays de la Loire and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur. It takes the place of little to other dogs whose breeds are very appreciated across the country and which count some first places in at least one region. As is the case with the Golden retriever, a favorite of the Bretons, the Yorkshire terrier, adored by the Corsicans and the English Setter, darling in New Aquitaine.
Other dog breeds on the rise
Apart from these purebred dogs listed in the LOF and bred in numbers across France, others less known are trying to dig a hole in the rankings. If they are still far from the account, they know at least a revival thanks to the relentlessness of some breeders. The barbet (41 entries in the LOF in 2020), or the shikoku (11 entries) for example have made their entry into the repertoire. Other regional breeds have also integrated the classification such as the cursinu (133 registrations), a Corsican dog present on the island since the 16th century; or the Saint-Usuge spaniel (67 registrations) encountered for the first time 90 years ago in the region of Bresse.
Is your companion also the favorite dog in your area?
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