For the first time in three decades, the U.S. has a new favorite dog breed, according to the American Kennel Club.

Adorable in some eyes, deplorable in others, the sturdy, push-faced, perky-eared, world-weary-looking and distinctively droll French bulldog became the nation含羞草研究社檚 most prevalent purebred dog last year, the club announced Wednesday. Frenchies ousted Labrador retrievers from the top spot after .

Why?

含羞草研究社淭hey含羞草研究社檙e comical, friendly, loving little dogs,含羞草研究社� says French Bull Dog Club of America spokesperson Patty Sosa. City-friendly, with modest grooming and exercise needs, she says, 含羞草研究社渢hey offer a lot in a small package.含羞草研究社�

Yet the Frenchie含羞草研究社檚 dizzying rise 含羞草研究社� it wasn含羞草研究社檛 even a top-75 breed a quarter-century ago 含羞草研究社� worries its fans, to say nothing of its critics.

The buzzy little bulldogs have been targeted in thefts, including of a 76-year-old South Carolina breeder and the 2021 who was squiring singer Lady Gaga含羞草研究社檚 pets.

There含羞草研究社檚 concern that demand, plus the premium that some buyers will pay for 含羞草研究社渆xotic含羞草研究社� coat colors and textures, is engendering quick-buck breeders and unhealthy dogs. The breed含羞草研究社檚 popularity is sharpening debate over whether there含羞草研究社檚 anything healthy about propagating dogs prone to breathing, spinal, eye, and skin conditions.

The British Veterinary Association has flat-faced breeds, such as Frenchies. The Netherlands has prohibited breeding very short-snouted dogs, and the country含羞草研究社檚 agriculture minister aims to outlaw even owning them.

含羞草研究社淔rench bulldogs can be a polarizing topic,含羞草研究社� says Dr. Carrie Stefaniak, a Glendale, Wisconsin-based veterinarian who含羞草研究社檚 on the Frenchie club含羞草研究社檚 health committee.

She has treated French bulldogs with breathing difficulties, and she stresses that would-be owners need to research breeders and health testing and to recognize that problems can be expensive to treat.

But she含羞草研究社檚 no Frenchie foe. She owns two and has conditioned them to run agility courses and take hilly hikes.

含羞草研究社淭hese dogs can be very fit, can be very active,含羞草研究社� Stefaniak said. 含羞草研究社淭hey don含羞草研究社檛 have to be sedentary dogs that can含羞草研究社檛 breathe.含羞草研究社�

The AKC含羞草研究社檚 popularity rankings cover about 200 breeds in the nation含羞草研究社檚 oldest canine registry. The stats are based on nearly 716,500 puppies and other dogs newly registered last year 含羞草研究社� about 1 in every 7 of them a Frenchie. Registration is voluntary.

The most rarely owned? English foxhounds.

The rankings don含羞草研究社檛 count mixed-breeds or, at least for now, Labradoodles, puggles, Morkies and other popular 含羞草研究社渄esigner含羞草研究社� hybrids. The AKC含羞草研究社檚 top 10 were: French bulldogs, Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers, German shepherds, poodles, bulldogs, Rottweilers, beagles, dachshunds and German shorthaired pointers.

With roots in England and then France, French bulldogs became chic among American elites around the turn of the 20th century, then faded from favor.

That , in this century. Social media and celebrity owners (ranging from Leonardo di Caprio to Megan Thee Stallion to U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) gave the dogs fresh exposure. Still more came last year, when U.S. TV audiences watched a Frenchie named Winston Dog Show and then hosted by the Kennel Club of Philadelphia.

Last year, about 108,000 newly registered French bulldogs surpassed Labs by over 21,000.

As a longtime breeder and a veterinarian, Dr. Lori Hunt sees Frenchies as ideal companions but their popularity as 含羞草研究社渁 curse, not a blessing.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淭hey含羞草研究社檙e being very exploited含羞草研究社� by unscrupulous breeders, she said. The Westlake, Ohio-based vet has seen plenty of Frenchies with problems but rejects arguments that the breed is inherently unhealthy. Some of her own do canine performance sports.

Some other breeds are prone to ailments ranging from hip dysplasia to cancers, and mixed-breed dogs also can get sick. But involving about 24,600 dogs in Britain suggested that Frenchies have 含羞草研究社渧ery different, and largely much poorer含羞草研究社� health than do other canines, largely due to the foreshortened, wrinkly face that encapsulates the breed含羞草研究社檚 je ne sais quoi.

With such findings in mind, the British Veterinary Association has said it 含羞草研究社渟trongly recommends含羞草研究社� against buying flat-faced dogs and has campaigned to scrub them from ads and even greeting cards.

The American Veterinary Medical Association is exploring ways to improve flat-faced dogs含羞草研究社� welfare, President Dr. Lori Teller says.

To animal rights and welfare activists, the French bulldog frenzy puts a snorting, panting face on problems with dog breeding in general.

含羞草研究社淎 lot of the breed characteristics that are bred into these dogs, they含羞草研究社檙e for looks, not necessarily health and welfare, and Frenchies are probably one of the most exaggerated examples of that,含羞草研究社� said Dr. Lorna Grande of the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association, a professional group affiliated with the Humane Society of the United States.

含羞草研究社淚t is a welfare issue. These dogs are suffering,含羞草研究社� she says.

The AKC notes that its Canine Health Foundation has donated $67 million since 1990 for research and education on many breeds, and the kennel and Frenchie clubs say there have been advances. A new breathing test made its U.S. debut on Frenchies, bulldogs and pugs at a show in January.

Prospective purebred owners should explore breeders含羞草研究社� history and health testing, accept waiting for a puppy, and ask themselves whether they含羞草研究社檙e prepared for the responsibility, the AKC says.

含羞草研究社淩esearch what goes into owning a dog,含羞草研究社� says spokesperson Brandi Hunter Munden, 含羞草研究社渁nd really take an assessment of your lifestyle to make sure that you含羞草研究社檙e really making the best decision, not just for you, but for the animal.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社擩ennifer Peltz, The Associated Press