Labrador retrievers still first on Long Island even as beloved French bulldog becomes top U.S. dog breed

America's new favorite dog breed is a frequent target of pet thefts on Long Island.

The American Kennel Club on Wednesday announced that the bat-eared, square-headed, heavily wrinkled and distinctively droll French bulldog is now the nation's most popular purebred, bumping Labrador retrievers from the top spot after a record 31 years.

On Long Island, however, Labrador retrievers maintained the top spot, followed by French bulldogs, golden retrievers, German shepherds and poodles, the kennel club said.

The AKC's popularity rankings cover about 200 purebreds and are based on nearly 716,500 puppies and other dogs newly registered last year. Roughly one in every seven newly registered dogs in 2022, the club said, is a French bulldog.

But the comical and generally friendly little dogs can also fetch big bucks, leading them to be the target of multiple "dognapping" thefts, both on Long Island and across the country.

In 2021, a French bulldog named Stella was swiped from a home in Huntington on Thanksgiving Day. The 20-pound, 4-year-old purebred was later found wandering a street in Center Moriches, more than 30 miles away.

Hours after Stella was reunited with her grateful owners, Zushi, a 3-month-old male French bulldog, was stolen during a burglary at a home in Bay Shore. The culprits also took $4,000 in cash and designer clothes. The next day, Zushi was dropped off safely at an animal hospital in Coram.

There have been no arrests in either theft.

In July, a French bulldog and six of her puppies were stolen from a Shirley home while the owner, a dog breeder, slept, Suffolk police said.

In December, Suffolk prosecutors announced the arrests of 18 members of the “No Fake Love,” also known as the “NFL,” street gang for a host of violent crimes. They included the theft of the bulldogs. 

The French bulldog mother was recovered from a dog shelter, prosecutors said, although the six puppies were not recovered. 

French bulldogs, which can fetch $5,000 to $10,000 each, are the most commonly stolen breed in the United States, according to American Kennel Club data.

About 2 million dogs are stolen every year, but only about 10% are recovered, the kennel club has said.

In Nassau, in 2022,  two French bulldogs were stolen from stores, said Nassau police spokesman Det. Lt. Richard LeBrun. 

Roy Gross, chief of the Suffolk County SPCA, said French bulldogs are a major target because of their high financial value.

"This breed is easy to maintain, generally quiet, has good temperament and are very affectionate," Gross said. "Part of the reason they are so expensive is the high cost of breeding. They require artificial insemination and [caesarean] sections."

Suffolk does not maintain data on dog thefts.

The breed’s susceptibility to theft made international news when dognappers stole Koji and Gustav, two of singer Lady Gaga’s three French bulldogs, from a dog walker who was shot during the robbery in Los Angeles.

Gary Rogers, chief of the Nassau County SPCA, said French bulldogs require less maintenance, training and effort than other popular breeds such as Labradors.

"They're more of a dog that's compatible in a home environment where you don't have a big yard," he said.

Gross advises French bulldog owners to keep their pooches off social media, no matter how cute they may be.

"Pet owners should take precautions to prevent the theft of their pets," he said. "We suggest avoiding posting photos of their pets on social media to stay off would-be thieves' radar."

By Robert Brodsky

robert.brodsky@newsday.com@BrodskyRobert

Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.