What are Teacup Dogs? - Everything You Need to Know

They may look cute and practical to take out in your handbag, but these genetically modified dogs have more health problems than you may think. There are many breeds that have their version of teacup dogs, such as the Maltese, the Yorkshire Terrier and the Chihuahua. Although they may be confused with toy dogs, breeders have gone one step further to create even smaller versions of these animals. If you're thinking about getting a teacup dog, please read this AnimalWised article: What are teacup dogs? And please reflect on the facts that we're about to expose.

To read more on this story, click here: What are Teacup Dogs? - Everything You Need to Know

20 Best Dog Breeds for Seniors & Retirees

Would you agree that Small is usually better when considering which breed is best for senior citizens. 

Admittedly, we’re a little biased around here, but there’s lot to be said about the perfect dogs for senior citizens and retirees.  Big or small..

The warmth, companionship, love and entertainment that dogs provide can make all the difference in the life of an older person. 

You are welcome to skip the introduction and go directly to our recommendations for the best dog breeds for seniors.

To read more on this story, click here: 20 Best Dog Breeds for Seniors & Retirees

Tiny War Dog Saved Soldiers’ Lives in WWII and Became First Therapy Dog

A tiny Yorkshire Terrier named Smoky may not have looked tough, but the dog was a seasoned war veteran by the end of World War II. Not only that, her owner credited her with saving his life and she became the first ever registered therapy dog after the war.

Smoky was first discovered in an abandoned foxhole in the New Guinea jungle by an American soldier in February 1944. The soldiers originally thought she belonged to a Japanese soldier, but she did not understand commands in either English or Japanese, leaving her origins unknown.

To read more on this story, click here: Tiny War Dog Saved Soldiers’ Lives in WWII and Became First Therapy Dog

7-Foot-Tall Great Dane Is Often Mistaken For A Horse

Big dogs are impressive, especially when they’re so large they get mistaken for other animals. Take Thunder for example, a 7ft tall Great Dane who regularly gets mistaken for a horse whenever his owner takes him out for a walk. This big boy easily could pass for a pony since he tips the scale at more than 210 pounds. However, in typical big dog fashion, he thinks he’s a lapdog and often tries to cuddle on his owner’s lap.

35-year-old Jenny Saccoccia and her husband, 37-year-old home developer Chris, live with Thunder in their family home in Ontario, Canada, which is a four-bedroom house that they all share with their other smaller dogs: a Pomeranian named Chichi, a Malamute named Tulu, and a Yorkshire Terrier named Peanut. Turns out, the large and monstrous Thunder is actually afraid of the small dogs, who all have the run of the household.

To read more on this story, click here: 7-Foot-Tall Great Dane Is Often Mistaken For A Horse

Do Not Buy from Puppy Mills – A Must Read!

I did not write this story, but as an animal lover, I feel that I must share it:

Hi...do you know me??? I am a purebred Yorkshire Terrier. Pardon my appearance, maybe you didn't recognize me. I've been so busy making babies and it's hard to stay pretty when you live in filth and never bathe. Maybe you know one of my children, there are hundreds of them out there in the world. I know not where. They were taken from me so young. I hope they have forgotten me, anyway, and this horrible place I can never leave, this tiny cage with its wire floor is my world, I have never left it, it all I know. Is there something else? I know this cage, I know loneliness, I know fear, I know pain, I know sickness, I know hunger, I know thirst...I know I make babies. That's all I know. Is there more? Why are you here? I only know humans mean hurt. What do you mean help? What is Kindness? What is love? What is there beside what I know? Will you show me? Will you not forget me here? I want to know what else there is beside this hell I live in. Help me please, I can not help myself. ♥

There is a bill in the US Congress that will help dogs in puppy mills all over the country, the PUPS Act. House-HR835, Senate-S707. So far 25% of representatives have signed on in support.

PLEASE SHARE!!! PUT AN END TO THIS INDUSTRY FOREVER! TOGETHER WE WILL BE HEARD! MAKE OUR GOVERNMENT LISTEN AND DO NOT STOP UNTIL PUPPY MILLS ARE OUTLAWED AND ANIMALS ARE PROTECTED! Be their voice and their guardian angel, end the suffering of these innocents, once and for all.

Please look at the video below:

Heartwarming Story - Chairs for Charlie - Man has Problems Walking His Dogs Because of Leukemia - Neighbors Place Chairs in Their Yards for Him to Rest Along the Way

Houston, Texas - In the 800 block of Azalea in the Garden Oaks neighborhood, you'll often spot two Yorkies, a cat and a neighbor who everyone seems to know.

"He's a pretty laid back guy, very friendly," Mark Klein said.

"From day one he has been an amazing neighbor and he is an amazing neighbor," Tina Sabuco said.

Charlie George moved into the neighborhood more than a decade ago. He often strolls the street with his two dogs and cat.

"I try to walk the dogs every morning and every evening," Charlie said.

But lately his neighbors have noticed he is having a hard time during his walks, a set back due to leukemia. Charlie was diagnosed three years ago.

"So we thought it would be nice if there were chairs for him to rest along the way," Sabuco said.

Sabuco helped effort "Chairs for Charlie." There are now lawn chairs in front of more than a dozen homes, with a sign that reads, "Chairs for Charlie. Or for others in need of a rest."

"Ours is a very cozy chair and it rocks a little bit, so if he ever wants a rocking experience, he can sit in our chair," Georgia Lister said.

The chairs come in all shapes, sizes and colors. The chair in Klein's front lawn is blue.

"Well that's his favorite color, so we got a blue chair for Charlie," Klein said.

Charlie found the chairs during one of his walks this week, after returning from the hospital.

"It made it real for me that people really care about me and they're looking out for me," Charlie said.

They're also looking out for his wife, Sandra, who often accompanies him on the walks. One front lawn has two yellow chairs, one for Charlie and one for Sandra.

"It's incredible, the support," Sandra said. "I think it's really important when you're going through something like this that you feel the love."

It's a street full of good neighbors, giving Charlie the strength to keep going.

"I intend to walk to the end, God willing," Charlie said.

There Are at Least 36 Breeds of Dogs that Grow Hair in Lieu of Fur

There are at least 36 breeds of dogs that grow hair in lieu of fur. Many of these breeds are registered with the American Kennel Club, while some are less commonly known. If they aren't trimmed, hair coats can grow to indeterminate lengths. However, a few of these breeds are predominantly hairless. Many do not shed. Several of these breeds are even hypoallergenic.

Large Breed Dogs

                                     Irish Water Spaniel
Of the large breed dogs, the hair coats are curly, flowing and straight, wiry and rough, and nearly hairless. The standard poodle, Portuguese water dog and Irish water spaniel possess curly hair coats. The bearded collie grows a flowing straight coat. Wiry rough coats can be found in the airedale and giant schnauzer. The standard xoloitzcuintli, commonly referred to as the xolo, and the Peruvian inca orchid are predominately hairless breeds with straight hair growing only on some parts of their bodies. The xolo does come in a coated variety in addition to the hairless version. Grooming needs are particular to each breed, with most needing monthly grooming or daily care.

Medium Breed Dogs

                                    Wirehaired Fox Terrier
The widest variety of hair-coated breeds can be found in the medium group. With ratters, herders, companion pets, working breeds and small working hounds, this group is diverse. Curly coats can be found on the miniature poodle and logatto romagnolo; wiry rough coats on the bedlington terrier, kerry blue terrier, wirehaired fox terrier and standard schnauzer; and more flowing straight coats on the Tibetan terrier, Polish lowland sheepdog (which is also referred to as a PON), lowchen, lhasa apso, miniature coated xolo and soft coated wheaten terrier. The only hairless variety in this group is the hairless variety of miniature xolo.

Three unusual hair coats can be found in the medium-sized group. The basenji has a very short soft coat. The coats belonging to the puli and bergamasco, both of which are herding breeds, will almost naturally fall into rastafarian style cords if left to continually grow.

Small and Toy Breed Dogs

                                       Yorkshire Terrier
Of the small and toy breeds with hair coats, several quite popular breeds are included. The miniature poodle, bichon frise, maltese, yorkshire terrier, miniature schnauzer, shih-tzu and havenese have differing coat characteristics, but are widely accepted as wonderful small companion pets with monthly grooming needs.

The less commonly known of these small and toy hair breeds are the Bolognese (also referred to as the bichon Bolognese), the Brussels griffon, both hairless and puff varieties of the Chinese crested and toy xolo, the coton de tulear and the dandie dinmont terrier.

References
Vetinfo.com: Dogs With Hair Rather Than Fur

American Kennel Club: AKC Breeds and Varieties Allow Allergy Sufferers to Consider Dog Ownership

Meet Jack, Britain's Oldest Dog at Age 25: Still Gets Mistaken for a Puppy

Meet the Yorkshire Terrier who is 117-years-old (in dog years): Jack is believed to be Britain's oldest dog at 25 but still gets mistaken for a puppy.

Jack has got a bad back and his legs do not work like they used to - but surprisingly he still gets mistaken for a young pup.

Jack is not able to go on the long walks he once enjoyed, but at 177 in dog years and 25 human years, he is as happy as he was when he was a puppy.

Now believed to be Britain's oldest dog, the terrier was rescued by Ray and Mary Bunn 16 years ago, from a couple who could no longer care for him.

Mr. Bunn, of Hartlepool, County Durham, said they had an “instant bond” with little Jack.

He said, “My daughter's next door neighbor spotted a couple who were going to tie him to a tree and leave him there. She took him in, but their dog didn't like him.”

“She told me go and see him. The first time I saw him, he came running over to me and jumped into my arms.

The bond was instant. He very quickly became a big part of the family, and now we've had him for 16 years.”

According to records, Jack could be one of the oldest dogs ever to have lived, and would be eighth on an all-time list if his age was proven by Guinness World Records.

The oldest dog in Britain was 25-year-old Jack Russell Meg from Somerset, who died last year.

However, if the pensioner pooch wants to take the global crown he has to wait another three years.

The oldest dog ever to have lived was an Australian cattle dog named Bluey, who reached 29 years and five months before being put to sleep in 1939.

Someone thought he was a puppy, even though he has arthritis and can only walk a short distant.

“He is on medication, but he's doing good. He is eating and drinking. He's having some problems with his back and his legs as he is getting older.

He is a very friendly dog, but wasn’t taken care of properly before he came to us.

He had a brother, and we heard that he had been fed to a Rottweiler, so he was facing a horrible future before my daughter's friend took him.

He has always felt at home here. He's generally a very happy dog and we all love him” said, Mr. Bunn.

Nation's number one: It is believed that Jack the Yorkshire terrier, pictured, is Britain's oldest dog.

Keeping an eye: Jack, pictured, watching Mrs. Bunn eat, was adopted by his owners when he was 10-years-old.

Energetic: Jack does not have as much strength in his legs but still has the energy of a young dog.

Good for his age: Jack is often mistaken for an energetic puppy despite being 117 in dog years.

An old family photo shows Jack staring intently at someone's plate of chips.

When you reach 117 (in dog years) you need to start taking it easy. Jack takes a nap on the sofa.

            In three years he will be the oldest dog that ever lived.

               Jack rests his head on the shoulder of his owner, Mary Bunn.

Jack with owner Ray Bunn, who said his elderly pooch is a big part of his family.

Atlanta Falcon Player, Prince Shembo Who 'Kicked Ex-Girlfriend's Dog to Death' Claims He Was Acting in Self-Defense

The lawyer for the waived Atlanta Falcons player who was arrested for aggravated animal cruelty after his ex-girlfriend's dog died from blunt force trauma said the 250lb player was defending himself.

Prince Shembo turned himself in on Friday after Gwinnett County police obtained a felony warrant for the who 'kicked ex-girlfriend's tiny Yorkie to death' claims he was acting in self-defense player's arrest earlier in the day after Denicia Williams, 20, called police on April 19.

His attorney, Jerry Froelich, said the linebacker was bit in the hand by Williams' dog, a Yorkie named Dior, when he was putting it in a cage and he kicked the defenseless animal as a reflex. 

Froelich told reporters outside of Gwinnett County jail his client was crying after what happened, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

He said: “He got bit and he made a mistake and kicked the dog.

It's a small dog and unfortunately that's what happened.

He didn't mean to kill the dog.

You see the size of it. When you're a small dog, it doesn't take much with the size [Shembo] is.”

He's disappointed. It's devastating to him. When I first met him he was in tears.”

Dior suffered numerous injuries - including a fractured rib, fractured liver, abdominal hemorrhage, thoracic hemorrhage, head trauma and a hemorrhage in the left eye with internal injuries - but Froelich would not comment about the number of times the dog was kicked.

The Falcons acted swiftly after the warrant was announced and waived the young linebacker.

The organization said: “We are aware of the charges that have been filed against Prince Shembo.

We are extremely disappointed that one of our players is involved in something like this.

Accordingly, we have decided to waive Prince Shembo.”

Another former Falcons player, quarterback Michael Vick, ended up serving time in federal prison for his involvement in an organized dog-fighting ring when he was a member of the team. 

Shembo's attorney speculated that was the reason the team cut him so quickly.

Froelich said: “With the history that's gone on in this town...

The Falcons were in a little bit different position than most teams.

If you were someplace else, I don't know.”

Vick returned to the NFL after serving his time and played for the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets.

Before the arrest, Williams said she had taken Dior to Shembo's apartment on April 15 and that after she left the dog alone with the 23-year-old player, she came back and the animal was unresponsive.

She took the dog to an animal hospital, where he died a short time later.

Shembo told her the next day he had kicked the dog and she broke up with him.

He is 6-foot-2 and weighs 254 pounds, according to the Falcons' website.

The aggravated cruelty charge carries a minimum of one year in prison and a maximum sentence of five years, as well as a fine of up to $15,000.

The body of the dog underwent a necropsy at the Gwinnett County Animal Shelter.

The results on the deceased dog came in on May 28 and investigators revealed 'Dior had significant internal injuries and the cause of death was blunt force trauma'.

Gwinnett County police said they obtained the warrant for Shembo 'because of the inconsistencies of the suspect's account of what happened and the results of the necropsy'.

The second-year player was investigated for allegedly sexually assaulting a Saint Mary's College freshman in his dorm room in 2010 while he was playing linebacker for Notre Dame.

The alleged victim killed herself ten days later by overdosing on antidepressants and Shembo was never charged,

The fourth-round pick said after the draft: “Pretty much it was an unfortunate event.

My name was pretty much cleared.

It's behind me now. I just want to focus on playing football for the Atlanta Falcons.”

Shembo recorded 59 tackles in 16 games for the Falcons last season.

Atlanta Falcons, Prince Shembo Was Charged with Aggravated Cruelty to Animals in Connection with the Death of His Girlfriend’s Yorkie

Flowery Branch, GA - The Atlanta Falcons have waived linebacker Prince Shembo in light of the charges filed against him by authorities in Gwinnett County, GA, this afternoon.

"We are aware of the charges that have been filed against Prince Shembo. We are extremely disappointed that one of our players is involved in something like this. Accordingly, we have decided to waive Prince Shembo," the team said in a statement released late Friday afternoon.

Gwinnett County Police said they received a call on Sunday, April 19 from 20-year-old Denicia Williams, who said her ex-boyfriend, the 23-year-old Shembo, had killed her dog. The initial police report said Williams and the dog, named Dior, went to Shembo's Buford apartment home on April 15. At some point during their stay, she says she left Shembo and the dog unattended. When she later found the dog, he was unresponsive. Shortly after taking the dog to Duluth Animal Hospital for treatment, the report said, the dog died.

A day later, according to the report, Williams and Shembo were talking about the incident on the phone discussing the incident. During the call, she says, Shembo made comments to her about kicking the dog. At that point, she says, she ended the relationship.

The body of the dog was taken to the Gwinnett County Animal Shelter for a necropsy, which occurred on April 21. Following the necropsy, tissue samples were sent to the University of Georgia for further testing. "Based on the necropsy and tissue samples there was a lot of extensive injuries on the inside of the dog," Cpl. Michele Pihera said.

The lead investigator conducted telephone interviews with Shembo while awaiting the test results. Those results were completed Thursday, May 28. The dog had significant internal injuries, and the cause of death was ruled as "blunt force trauma." Because of the inconsistencies of Shembo's account of what happened and the results of the necropsy, a warrant was obtained for Shembo on Friday, May 29.

Shembo was charged with aggravated cruelty to animals in connection with Dior's death.

Details of the warrant say the dog had a fractured rib, fractured liver, abdominal hemorrhage, thoracic hemorrhage, extensive bruising/hemorrhage in muscles in front leg and shoulders, head trauma, hemorrhage and edema in lungs, hemorrhage between the esophagus and trachea and hemorrhage in the left eye with internal injuries.

On Friday, the lead investigator contacted the Falcons to inform them of the warrant, leading to their action later in the day.

Denicia Williams and Dior went everywhere together, according to her father. She even took the dog to work on modeling jobs. Her father said as soon as she learned Shembo was charged with killing her dog, she broke up with him.

"I got attached to him (Dior)," Gary Williams said. "And to be honest with you, I cried when he passed."

Williams said he never liked his daughter's boyfriend because he seemed jealous of her dog. Williams said Shembo felt second to her dog. "He showed this jealousy of a little five-pound puppy," he said. "A 260-pound man. What kind of man would be jealous of a puppy?"

Shembo turned himself in to the Gwinnett County Jail Friday night with his mother and attorney by his side. Attorney Jerry Froelich said what happened to the dog was an accident. "He was putting the dog in a cage and the dog bit him on his hand," Froelich said. "He reflexed and kicked the dog."

Froelich said Shembo agreed to pay a $15,000 bond and he was released from jail Friday night. He said he wasn't surprised the Falcon cut his client given their history with Michael Vick and his dog-fighting scandal.

At the NFL Scouting Combine in February 2014, Shembo said he was the Notre Dame football player at the center of an investigation into sexual assault allegations made by a former student at Saint Mary's College, Lizzy Seeberg.

In September 2010, Seeberg said that a Notre Dame football player had attacked her in a dorm room. Nineteen-year-old Seeberg committed suicide 10 days later. The name of the player who allegedly had been the attacker had never been made public until Shembo came forward both to NFL team executives and to the media at the 2014 Combine.

"I have nothing to hide," Shembo said at the time. "I'm still here, so I know I didn't do anything. I tell them exactly what happened."

Gwinnett County is about 15 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta. 

Facing the Threat of Imminent Death: Johnny Depp's Dogs Were Being Prepared to be Taken from Australia to the United States

Facing the threat of imminent death, Johnny Depp's dogs, Pistol and Boo, were being prepared to be taken from Australia to the United States after Australia's agriculture minister angrily accused the Hollywood actor of sneaking the pups into the country.

Barnaby Joyce said he was told the Yorkshire terriers were expected to return to the U.S. Friday aboard a private jet, after the government ordered the actor to get his dogs out of Australia by Saturday, saying they would be euthanized if Depp didn't comply.

The canine chaos erupted after Joyce accused Depp of smuggling the dogs in aboard his private jet when he returned to Australia on April 21 to resume filming of the fifth installment in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie series at Gold Coast studios.

Australia has strict quarantine regulations to keep diseases such as rabies from spreading to its shores. Bringing pets into the country involves applying for a permit and a quarantine period on arrival of at least 10 days.

The department is investigating how the pets were brought through Brisbane Airport without an import permit.

The Agriculture Department told Depp, 51, and his 29-year-old wife Amber Heard on Wednesday they had to send Pistol and Boo back to the United States within 72 hours.

In Australia, Joyce's tough stance attracted both commendation and criticism, with some praising the minister for defending the nation's laws, and others cringing over what they viewed as his crass response.

The agriculture department discovered that Depp snuck the dogs into Australia after hearing that a handler had taken the terriers to a Gold Coast dog groomer on Saturday, Joyce said. A biosecurity officer found the dogs at a Gold Coast house on Wednesday.

Australian Quarantine Authorities Have Given Johnny Depp Two Days to Get His Little Dogs Out of the Country

Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce on Thursday accused Depp of smuggling his beloved Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce into Canberra aboard his private jet when he returned to Australia on April 21 (after cutting his hand) to resume filming of the fifth installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series.

The Agriculture Department on Wednesday gave Depp, 51, and wife Amber Heard, 29, 72-hour notice to send the pets packing back to the states or they will be put down.

"If you start letting movie stars — even though they've been the sexiest man alive twice — to come into our nation (with pets), then why don't we just break laws for everybody?" Joyce said. "It's time that Pistol and Boo buggered off back to the United States."

Heard posted a photo of the dogs being held by Depp's daughter, Lily Rose, two months ago.

A petition has gone up at Change.org to save the dogs.

Australia has quarantine regulations to prevent diseases such as rabies spreading to its shores. To bring a pet in, owners must apply for a permit and submit to a 10-day quarantine period upon arrival.

Depp's pups were discovered when a handler had taken the terriers in a handbag to a Gold Coast dog groomer on Saturday, Joyce said. "Now Mr. Depp has to either take his dogs back to California or we're going to have to euthanize them," Joyce said.

Depp's reps have not responded.

Joyce's spokesman Brett Chant said the dogs were in "home quarantine" at the moment, but would not say where, reports AP. And Joyce said the Agriculture Department would be responsible for putting the dogs down if they do not leave Australia.

"After that, I don't expect to be invited to the opening of Pirates of the Caribbean," he said.

Bailey, An Adorable 9-Year-Old Yorkie Receives a Pacemaker: She Was Developing Congestive Heart Failure

Bailey is an absolutely adorable, almost 9-year-old Yorkie, whose brave little heart was in big trouble. She had developed a condition called Third Degree AV (atrioventricular) Block.  

The heart is a muscular pump whose regular beating is controlled by electrical impulses that travel along the nerve pathways of the heart.  In Bailey's case, there was a problem with this pathway that caused her to have an abnormally slow heart rhythm.  

The normal heart rate of a dog ranges from 80-160 beats per minute depending on the size of the dog, their athletic fitness, and their activity level.

Little Bailey's heart was only beating at 40 beats per minute.  This caused her heart to pump inefficiently and because of this she was developing congestive heart failure.  Her family veterinarian, Dr. Wilson of Cedar Grove Animal Hospital, identified the problem and referred Bailey for an evaluation by our AERA board-certified Cardiologist, Dr. Gordon Peddle.  

Dr. Peddle performed an electrocardiogram (ECG) and an echocardiogram.  Based on his findings he recommended that the solution to this problem was to implant a pacemaker to simulate the normal electrical pulses and improve the pumping efficiency of Bailey's heart.

Dr. Peddle and the AERA-AEC Anesthesiologist, Dr. Lydia Love, worked side by side to perform the pacemaker implantation.  Thanks to fluoroscopy there was no need to open Bailey's chest for this procedure.  Instead, the pacemaker lead or wire, was threaded down her jugular vein and the generator (battery) was then buried within the muscles of her neck.  Bailey recovered well post-surgically and has continued to do well.  She was doing so well that it was even possible to discontinue some of her medications.  You can view actual video of this procedure below.


 

Labs Reigned as the Nation's Top Dog Last Year for the 24th Year: But Bulldogs Are Close Behind

America's fondness for Labrador retrievers is still setting records, but bulldogs are breaking new ground.

Labs reigned as the nation's top dog last year for the 24th year after breaking poodles' decades-old record in 2013, according to American Kennel Club rankings set to be released Thursday. But bulldogs have hit a new high — No. 4 — and their bat-eared cousins, French bulldogs, sauntered into the top 10 for the first time in nearly a century.

German shepherds, golden retrievers and beagles are holding their own in the top five, with Yorkshire terriers, poodles, boxers and Rottweilers filling out the top 10. Dachshunds slipped from 10th to 11th.

Bulldogs' rise is no surprise to fans who extol their unmistakable, push-faced expressions and generally calm demeanors.

"They just have such character," says Bulldog Club of America communications chairwoman Annette Noble. The breed is known for being gentle but resolute — given direction, a bulldog may well want "to think about it first and decide whether it's worth it," as Noble puts it.

The smaller, less jowly French bulldog — sometimes dubbed "a clown in the cloak of a philosopher" — has surged from 49th to 9th in a decade.

Frenchies were No. 6 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.

Labrador retrievers hit the top 10 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.