The Labrador Retriever has been revealed as the nation's favorite dog for the 24th consecutive year.

The American Kennel Club, which released its annual rankings on Thursday, praised the breed for being 'intelligent' and 'family friendly'.

Despite its supremacy, bulldogs hit a new high at number four and their bat-eared cousins, French bulldogs, sauntered into the top ten for the first time in nearly a century.

The AKC notes that bulldogs make 'excellent family companions with a natural tendency to form strong bonds with children, an easy-to-care-for coat, and minimal exercise requirements.'

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The Labrador Retriever has been revealed as the nation's favorite canine for the 24th consecutive year

Frenchies were number six in the decade of the 1910s, but their prevalence later waned.

Then appearances in movies, TV shows and advertising raised their profile in recent years.

Others to make the top ten were German shepherds, golden retrievers, beagles, Yorkshire terriers, poodles, boxers and Rottweilers. Dachshunds slipped from 10th to 11th place.

AMERICA'S MOST POPULAR DOG BREEDS OF 2014 The popularity of different dog breeds according to the American Kennel Club: 1. Labrador Retriever 2. German Shepherd Dog 3. Golden Retriever 4. Bulldog 5. Beagle 6. Yorkshire Terrier 7. Poodle 8. Boxer 9. French Bulldog 10. Rottweiler Advertisement

Labrador retrievers hit the top ten in the 1970s and haven't left since.

Originally bred to fetch game, Labs have proven able and willing to play virtually any canine role: search-and-rescue and police work, agility and other dog sports, guide and therapy dog work, and sensitive family companion.

Breeder Micki Beerman recalls one of her Labs winning over a hesitant child by gradually moving closer, until the child began to pet the dog.

'They're just very intuitive,' said Beerman, of Brooklyn. 'They kind of know when you need them.'

The AKC doesn't release raw numbers, only rankings.

They reflect puppies and other newly registered dogs.

Dog breeding draws criticism from animal-rights activists who feel it ends up fueling puppy mills, siphons attention from mixed-breed dogs that need homes and sometimes propagates unhealthy traits.

The AKC says that its breed standards and recommended health testing help responsible people breed healthy dogs and that knowing breed characteristics helps owners choose a pet that's right for them.

Gaining ground: Despite the Lab's supremacy, bulldogs hit a new high at number four