This town is going to the (small) dogs

The utilitarian Labrador and golden retriever ranked Nos. 1 and 2 on the Seattle popularity list of American Kennel Club registered breeds last year, but small breeds continued their march up the list of the city's Top 10.

"Seattleites tend to buck national trends when choosing their favorite breeds," says AKC spokeswoman Lisa Peterson.

"Portable and apartment-friendly toy breeds, such as the Cavalier King Charles spaniel, Pomeranian, pug and Yorkie are rising in popularity, while traditional breeds such as the boxer don't appear in the Top 10," she said. Neither the Pomeranian nor pug made the AKC's Top 10 list nationally.

The Cavalier's rise to fourth — up one position from 2006 — reflects its continued upward mobility nationally, where it has increased in popularity (up 406 percent) more than any of AKC's 159 breeds the past decade to 25th place in the country.

Seattle's Top 10 dogs:

1. Labrador retriever

2. Golden retriever

3. Yorkshire terrier

4. Cavalier King Charles spaniel

5. Poodle

6. Pomeranian

7. Pug

8. (three-way tie) Bulldog, dachshund, German shepherd.

The bulldog's jump into the city's Top 10 mirrors its popularity nationally, where it ranks 10th, the first time since 1935 it reached the premier American dog registry's Top 10.

The Labrador retriever continued its grip as America's top dog for the 17th consecutive year.

Ranny Green, Seattle Times desk editor