When picking a dog, there are a lot of choices out there. With nearly 200 breeds officially recognized by the American Kennel Club, a handful have remained among the favorites for decades, including this year’s winner, the Labrador Retriever. But tastes change, even among the top dogs. So, what factors go into a dog’s popularity?

Canines in Pop Culture

A still from "Lassie Come Home."

Appearances in mainstream popular culture can have a big impact on a breed's popularity.

The movie, "Lassie Come Home," featuring a Collie protagonist, was released in 1943 and catapulted the breed into the top 10 for the next 30 years. Similarly, soon after Snoopy, the black-and-white Beagle, debuted in 1950 in the comic strip ‘Peanuts,’ his breed became the most popular dog for the rest of the decade.

Even appearances in commercials can make a difference. Gidget, the spokesdog for Taco Bell in the late '90s, boosted the Chihuahua back into the top 10 for a few years.

Although more attention generally reflects positively for a breed’s popularity, sometimes that fame can backfire. In the case of the Dalmatian, exposure following Disney’s 1996 remake of “101 Dalmatians” led to further scrutiny and awareness of the breed’s flaws, which include being prone to deafness and kidney stones. The breed, which ranked highly in the early '90s, has dwindled in popularity, dropping to as low as 85th since then.

All the Presidents' pups

Left: President Franklin D. Roosevelt with Fala in 1941. Right: President George W. Bush with Barney and Miss Beazley in 2006.

It turns out there's at least one thing Democrats and Republicans can agree on: the Scottish Terrier. Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt had one named Fala, while Republican George W. Bush had two, Barney and Miss Beazley.

Data trends suggest that a president’s choice of breed is usually a reflection of the nation’s taste, rather than an influence on it.

Ronald Reagan's dog Lucky, for instance, was a Bouvier des Flandres. The Bouvier des Flandres reached its peak in 1983, two years before Lucky was adopted, and has been in decline ever since. Lyndon B. Johnson’s two beagles, Him and Her, also marked the beginning of a breed’s decline. Beagles exited their peak two years before Him and Her were adopted in 1963. While they still remain within the top 10 to this day, they haven’t been able to climb back up to the top slot since.

President Barack Obama pets his dog Bo in 2012.

One exception is Bo, the Obama family's Portuguese Water Dog. Since the American Kennel Club officially recognized the breed in 1983, it has become quite popular, but that’s at least in part thanks to the demand for hypoallergenic pooches, for which it and Havanese are known.

It’s the economy, Snoopy

Another factor is cost. Larger dogs are typically more expensive to feed and care for, so when the economy is bad, many people gravitate towards smaller dogs, according to the AKC. After the recession in the ‘70s, both the Great Dane and the Saint Bernard began a long slide.

Great Danes, however, have made a comeback recently, weathering the ‘01 and ‘08 financial crises, while Saint Bernards continue losing ground. “We saw big breeds begin to rise in popularity starting back in 2013, potentially the result of an improving economy,” says the AKC’s Vice President Gina DiNardo.

Dogs à la mode

Lady Gaga holds her French bulldog Koji on Dec. 11, 2015.

Like Hollywood, fashion can be a big influence on a breed’s popularity.

Boosted by the advent of the poodle skirt in the 1950s, The Poodle acquired a glamorous reputation and enjoyed a meteoric rise in popularity, becoming the No. 1 dog in 1960 and maintaining the post for two consecutive decades.

But fashion trends can change quickly, as evidenced by the Pug. Following the popularity of the so-called “handbag dogs,” pugs lost a lot of ground as it became known that their health problems can run up large vet bills. (Or perhaps because they can be a bit mischievous.)

Meanwhile, the French Bulldog, a breed that can often be seen in the arms of celebrities like Lady Gaga and Reese Witherspoon, are now more popular than ever. "Frenchies" are one of the easier breeds to care for, as they are happy to sit on laps and don't need much walking, which makes them especially suitable to both urban and suburban life, according to the American Kennel Club. French bulldogs are the biggest movers in this year’s top 10 rankings, climbing three spots to No. 6 overall.







Sources: American Kennel Club, IMDB

Photos: Associated Press, Everett Collection, iStockPhoto/Getty Images, Getty Images, Reuters