The French Central Canine Society has just published the stats from its stud book for the year 2001. with 163,336 registrations, 2001 is a historic record, with large breeds highly on the rise.
While according to the opinion pools the canine population is decreasing in France, pure breed dogs are still nevertheless scoring, despite the difficult legal context.
The breeders can thank the lawmakers. Contrary to what many specialists of the “canine thing” forecasted, the pure breed dogs are doing well. Very well indeed, when you look at the figures published by the Société Centrale Canine. With more than 160,000 registrations in 2001, this is a truly historic figure since the creation of this organisation in 1885. This result is all the more surprising that in many other European countries, the number of registrations is decreasing – Spain, Italy – or is completely dropping, like in Germany. So what is happening in France? Doubtless that the law stating that a pure breed dog must be registered in a stud book has favoured the “puppy with papers”. Similarly, the law from January 1999 ( mostly about the Rottweillers and the American Staffordshire Terriers, lead the buyers of such breeds to turn themselves towards registered dogs, and not rush towards the first litter from the Rottweiller or Am Staff “type”. All the more so that for this breed, a non-registered dog is automatically put into the first category…
The German Shepherd is still the number one, and the Labrador hasn’t managed in taking its place yet. These two breeds are always the two most popular in France. Just behind is the Golden, still in full rise, and which has taken the third place on the podium to the Rottweiller. Let’s note that the Golden is also the third most asked for breed at the Bureau Of Puppy Information from the SCC, in front of the… Labrador.
The Rottweilers, whose figures are decreasing almost all over the world, is still increasing the number of its representatives in France. The dangerous dogs acts (the Rottweiler is in the second category, and its owners are under constraining rules, such as the declaration of ownership at the city hall, and the compulsory muzzling) have not been able to stop this breed’s progression.
On the hunting dogs’ side, the English Setter and the Brittany Spaniel are having record number s of births. According to the stats, more than 80% of the puppies registered in these two breeds will be used for working, as they are bought by hunters.
Unlike the continual fall of the German king of the Shepherds, the Belgian Shepherds are in a very good health in 2001, mostly thanks to the popularity of the short hair variety, the Malinois. The first miniature company dog is only at the 8th position, and it is the Yorkshire Terrier. This number one among the terriers is far ahead of the Scottish clan, with the Westie in 14th position, the Cairn in 26th and the Scottish in 47th! Still in the Terriers group, the Fox and the Jack are side by side, respectively in 27th and 28th positions. The Jack, if things go at the same rate, may very well be in the French Stud Book top 15 within a couple of years.
Old friends are back in the charts. One good example is that of the English Cocker Spaniel’s. this dog was second in the 1970, behind the German Shepherd, before its figures tumbled down in the 80’s. By now it seems to have found a new breath, with its figures slowly but surely increasing again, and it can hope to be soon back in the top 10.
Another spectacular recovery is that of the Great Dane. Indeed, in the 80’s, the best and the worst could be found side by side under the “Dane” name. But a remarkable work of selection and perspicacity from the breeders and breed fanciers allowed to make things all right again. The result: the figures have been up again in the last five years!
Another giant is the Saint Bernard, way down in the chart, but whose number of births has been doubling in the last 7 years. Nowadays, it is ahead of the Pyrénées Mountain Dog and it may even overtake another giant, the German Leonberg.
The Berger de Beauce is a breed remarkable for its steadiness in the last 20 years. The numbers of birth is 4 times higher than that of the Berger de Brie (42nd and still falling.) The Bas Rouge became the second Shepherd in France thanks to its distinctive particularities (family guardian, hardiness…) and its breeding, which never was just fashionable, hence less at risk! 15th and 16th: the Boxers and Dobermanns, which are still resisting to the strong, newly come competition of the new breeds in their group. Let’s hope that the new laws forbidding ear and tail cropping might not spoil their future.
While the stats are good on the whole for the pure breed dogs, all the breeds do not face the same treatment. The most characteristic example is that of the Poodle’s. The most popular French breed in the world, the breed which comes in the most numerous colours and sizes, is still going down, and one can’t make a guess about when the situation may reverse.
The Pyrénées Mountain Dog, has seen its numbers melt like ice in the sun for the last 10 years. Quite funny are the facts that this breed has never been so well abroad, particularly in Southern Europe (Italy, Spain.) and that the foreign breeding is so good that it could make forget that this is French breed.
The Sighthounds, whose leader is the Whippet, keep on seeing their numbers decrease too. This group, with its small number of recognised breeds, has no real leader, which could take it back to its quantitative level of the 80’s.
The same thing is true for the Group 5 (primitive and spitz), whose star, the Siberian Husky, has seen its number of births divided by 10 in 12 years. A newcomer, the Great Japanese Dog, enters the chart.
Considering the exponential growth of their numbers in the last 7 years, almost 10 breeds could still grab positions and make tomorrow’s top 10.
The Golden Retriever: it almost reached the 1,500 births in 1994. its growth has been permanent ever since, and its third position confirms its potential. In a couple of years, it may very well be ahead of the Labrador, or even of the German Shepherd.
The Rottweiler: this dog is typical of the Molossian fashion. This German Cattle dog sees its figures decrease all around the world, but not in France. Not only is today’s most represented guard dog, but it also has good chances to continue its breakthrough. French breeders are perfectly able to produce competitive dogs at an international level, and they follow very closely what’s happening today in the world of the Rottweiler.
The Cavalier King Charles: Tomorrow’s Poodle? i.e. , the new star among the dogs of “good” company? Certainly, as the breed’s baby boom has taken it directly to the top 10! The only one left to resist it for the moment is the Yorkshire Terrier, but how long will this last? Considering the trend, the Cavalier could overtake its British cousin within two or three years.
The American Staffordshire Terrier: 5 registrations in 1988, 102 in 1992, 489 in 1996, 1,428 in 1998 and 3,486 in 2001. Well, all is said, isn’t it? apart from the fact that this phenomenon may last long.
The Bernese Mountain Dog: the French very quickly adopted this Swiss breed. All the other “mountaineers” – Great Pyrénées, Leonberg, St Bernard – are now far behind. And it is still on the ascent.
The French Bulldog: a Molossian king of the Company Group? Why not? This discreet Frenchie has been gaining places year after year and been invited in more an more houses, so…
The Jack Russel Terrier: here’s one of the paradoxes from the British world of dog fancy. 300% Terrier crossed with a hunting dog. This dog, which was neglected for more than a century by the fathers of modern dog fancy, is suddenly back in the spotlight. It is becoming the “typical” Terrier here in France, and the arrival of its short legged cousin, the Parson, can only boost the phenomenon.
The Dogo Argentino: the heart of the Pampa in our city centres? Not quite yet! This dog, also a newcomer, fully benefits from the Molossian fancy. While charming the families thanks to its look and skills. Before 1990, only 10 dogs were registered at the LOF. 4 years later, they were 35, then 208 in 1996, 890 in 1999 and 1,523 in 2001. Just imagine if the rhythm kept on being the same in the years to come!
The Cane Corso: here’s the fashionable Italian Molossian. For those of you who thought that the Neapolitan mastiff was THE One, then you’d better start revising. No registrations before 1999 (the breed was recognised in its native Italy, but not yet by the FCI), then 342 in 1999 and 966 in 2001. Grim times ahead for the Boxers and Rottweilers? Possibly.
Let’s not forget, despite their still limited numbers, the continuous progression of the Doge de Bordeaux, of the Australian Shepherd (picture on the left) with 29 dogs registered in 1996 and 682 in 2001, the Border Collie (almost overtaking the Colley) and the Bull Terrier with 191 births in 1994 and 449 last year.
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