The Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) is the national registry for purebred dogs in Canada. Each year it announces the breeds most often registered with it, and its list for 2025 was published in March 2026. The Labrador Retriever is No. 1 again, a position the CKC says it has now held for 32 consecutive years. The Golden Retriever and the German Shepherd Dog complete the top three.
The ranking is based on CKC registrations only. It covers purebred dogs whose breeders chose to register them, and the club does not publish the numbers behind each place. Mixed breeds, rescue dogs and unregistered purebreds are not part of it, so the list tells you which pedigree breeds Canadians are choosing, not how many dogs of each kind live in the country.
Top 10 breeds in 2025
No. 1: Labrador Retriever
A friendly, food-loving retriever that needs daily exercise and is widely used as an assistance dog.
No. 2: Golden Retriever
A gentle, eager-to-please family dog with a long coat that sheds a lot and needs regular brushing.
No. 3: German Shepherd Dog
A loyal, intelligent working dog that needs training, a job to do and plenty of activity.
No. 4: Poodle
Canadian press reports of the CKC announcement say the Poodle moved up to No. 4, passing the French Bulldog.
No. 5: French Bulldog
A compact, flat-faced companion with bat ears, happy in small homes but sensitive to heat.
No. 6: Australian Shepherd
A bright, high-energy herding dog developed in the United States, happiest with work, sport or long daily outings.
No. 7: Havanese
A small, sociable companion with a soft, silky coat that likes to stay close to its people.
No. 8: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
A gentle, affectionate small spaniel that adapts to most homes and enjoys both walks and sofas.
No. 9: Bernese Mountain Dog
A heavy-coated Swiss farm dog that enjoys Canadian winters but needs shade and rest on hot summer days.
No. 10: Shetland Sheepdog
A small, sensitive and very trainable herding dog with a long double coat and a tendency to bark.
Reading this year’s list
The clearest pattern in Canada's list is a liking for sturdy dogs with real coats. Half of the ten are retrievers or herding breeds, and several carry dense double coats that handle cold weather well: the two retrievers, the German Shepherd Dog, the Australian Shepherd and the Shetland Sheepdog. The Bernese Mountain Dog at No. 9 is a big Swiss farm dog that is usually happier in snow than in summer heat.
Small companions are on the list too, but they sit lower down. The Poodle is No. 4, and Canadian press reports of the CKC announcement say it moved past the French Bulldog for that place, leaving the Frenchie at No. 5. The Havanese and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel follow at No. 7 and No. 8. Because the CKC does not give registration numbers, the size of the gaps between places is not known.
Compared with the American list, the same three breeds lead, but in a different order. In the United States the French Bulldog has been first since 2022, while in Canada it is fifth. Canada's top 10 also includes the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Shetland Sheepdog, neither of which appears in the AKC top 10 for the same year.
About the No. 1 breed: Labrador Retriever
- Size
- Large
- FCI group
- 8 · Retrievers, flushing dogs and water dogs
- Origin
- United Kingdom
Temperament
Labradors are outgoing, gentle and keen to join in whatever the family is doing. Most greet strangers as friends, so they are not guard dogs. They learn quickly, especially when food is involved, and usually get along with other dogs. Young Labradors can be boisterous and mouthy for the first two or three years, so early manners training pays off.
Size and build
A strongly built, medium to large dog with a broad head, a deep chest and a thick, tapering tail. Adults usually stand about 54 to 62 cm at the shoulder, and most weigh roughly 25 to 36 kg. The coat is black, yellow or chocolate.
Daily care
Plan on at least an hour of activity a day, including off-leash play or swimming where it is safe. The dense coat copes well with Canadian winters, but check for ice balls between the toes and rinse road salt off the paws after walks. The coat sheds heavily, especially in spring, so weekly brushing helps. Dry the ears after swims, since damp ears are prone to irritation.
Who it suits
Active families, people who enjoy walking, swimming or hiking, and first-time owners willing to train consistently. A Labrador is less suited to someone who is away all day, to a small apartment with no green space nearby, or to anyone who wants a quiet dog that sheds little.
Health in general terms
Hip and elbow dysplasia are the best-known concerns in the breed, along with some inherited eye conditions. Labradors also gain weight easily, and extra weight puts more strain on their joints, so measure meals and count treats. Ask your vet about a healthy body shape at each checkup. When talking to a breeder, ask whether both parents have had hip and elbow assessments and eye examinations, and ask to see the results.
This is general breed information, not medical advice. Ask a veterinarian about your own dog, and ask any breeder about the health tests used for the parents.
Why the Labrador Retriever is popular in Canada
The CKC reports the Labrador's 32-year run but does not give a reason for it. What can be said is that the breed's traits match many Canadian households well. Its ancestors were water dogs from Newfoundland, and the modern breed was refined in Britain. It kept the build for cold water and rough weather: a thick, water-resistant double coat, an otter-like tail and a strong urge to swim.
That makes a Labrador an easy partner for outdoor family life, from lake swims and cottage weekends in summer to long walks on snowy trails in winter. At home it is usually patient and friendly with children and visitors. Its steady nature is also why Labradors are widely used as guide and assistance dogs, so many people meet calm, well-trained ones in everyday life.
What these rankings measure
National kennel club breed rankings are registration rankings, not a census of the dogs living in each country. Only purebred puppies registered with the national kennel club are counted. Mixed-breed dogs, dogs from shelters and most dogs bred outside the club system never appear. Rules and fees differ between clubs, so the numbers are best compared within one country, not across countries.
Useful tools
See also: North American beaver: National Animal of Canada