Bow-wow!

Sniffer dogs have always caught my fancy, and when some structure collapsed along the hillside of a community somewhere in Manila years ago and a dog was used to locate and rescue survivors, I was even more thankful that canines have those unique qualities they have, such as that remarkable sense of smell.

Yorkshire Terriers are not that popular in the Philippines, and for those who haven't really noticed this breed, the trio in the photo are just that. In the list of most popular dog breeds of last year, drawn up by the American Kennel Club, Yorkies came up to number 3. Not suprisingly, topping the list was the Labrador Retriever, followed by the Golden Retriever.

More about it from this email I got:

Obviously, serious dog people love retrievers, which explains why
the Labrador has been named the nation's most popular breed for
the 16th consecutive year by the American Kennel Club (AKC),
while the Golden checks in at No. 2. The AKC, which keeps such
statistics, registered 137,867 Labs last year and 48,509 Goldens.
"The Lab may still reign supreme," says AKC spokeswoman Gail
Miller, "but the petite and often-pampered Yorkshire Terrier has
taken the coveted No. 3 spot for the first time." The Yorkie
accounted for 47,238 registrations, putting it in position to perhaps
overtake the Golden Retriever when the 2006 figures are compiled.
The popularity of Yorkies is consistent with the growing interest in
smaller dogs generally, Miller says, but also may be attributable to
their exposure as a companion to celebrities, especially those in
the entertainment industry. The most popular canine breeds of 2005,
based on AKC data:

1. Labrador Retriever 
2. Golden Retriever 
3. Yorkshire Terrier 
4. German Shepherd (males) 
5. Beagle 
6. Dachshund 
7. Boxer 
8. Poodle 
9. Shih Tzu 
10. Miniature Schnauzer