For the 18th consecutive year, the Labrador retriever is the most popular breed of dog in America, according to new statistics released by the American Kennel Club.

But while more than twice as many Labs were registered last year than any other purebred pooch, the bulldog continues to amble its way up the list. The breed made news last year by returning to the AKC's Top 10 for the first time in more than 70 years and now has advanced two spots to land in eighth place.

The current top 10 most popular dogs in the country, in order, are Labrador retriever, Yorkshire terrier, German shepherd, golden retriever, beagle, boxer, dachshund, bulldog, poodle and Shih Tzu.

"Today dogs serve . . . very diverse roles, from guide dog to bomb detection K-9, but most of all, dogs are companions that ground us to nature," said Peterson.

This story is provided by State Point Media.