French Bulldogs in Oakland County – Where You At?
Licenses Show Top Local Breeds
(Kurt Metzger, April 16, 2026)
Oakland County, MI – The American Kennel Club (AKC) has released its favorite dog breeds for 2025 and, for the fourth year in a row, the French Bulldog was Number 1.
Their initial win in 2022 dethroned the Labrador Retriever, which had held the top spot for an incredible 31-year stretch. The American Kennel Club has recognized 205 breeds since it was first founded in 1884, 202 of which were counted in the 2025 registration statistics.
Three new breeds – the Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka, the Teddy Roosevelt Terrier, and the Basset Fauve de Bretagne – were recognized in 2026, and will debut in the 2026 registration statistics. 2025’s Top Ten included the same dogs as in 2024, with Dachsunds moving ahead of Poodles, and the German Shorthaired Pointer surpassing the Bulldog.
To explore where your breed stands, visit www.akc.org.
As I was preparing an article on Oakland County dogs, I contacted the AKC and was able to obtain a listing of the Top 20 breeds in the Detroit metropolitan area. Once again, we see the French Bulldog taking first place, but coming in second is the Yorkshire Terrier (13th nationally), with the Cane Corso 5th (11th nationally), and the Akita in 10th place (62nd nationally).
Now let’s look at Oakland County.
The county provides licensing services for 47 of the county’s 61 communities. Among those not covered are Birmingham, Berkley, Beverly Hills, Bingham Farms, Bloomfield Hills and Bloomfield township, Franklin, Huntington Woods, Oak Park, Rochester, Royal Oak, and Southfield.
The accompanying chart shows Oakland County’s preference differences. The largest is our 46 ranking for the #1 French Bulldog. In addition, the 9th ranked German Short-haired Pointer ranks 36th , while the 8th ranked Rottweiler coming in at 29th. The four Top 10 dogs in Oakland County that do not show up in the national ranking are the Chihuahua, Shih Tsu, Yorkshire Terrier, and Goldendoodle.
All dogs in Oakland County must be registered and licensed. The county is making it easier for residents to license their dogs and keep pets safe with the launch of a new, modern licensing program in partnership with DocuPet, a pet registration and lost-pet recovery service.
The new system streamlines dog licensing through an easy-to-use online platform, while providing added protection if a pet becomes lost. Every dog license, which is good for 365 days from the purchase date, includes a DocuPet ID tag and access to HomeSafe, a 24/7 lost-pet recovery service designed to help reunite pets with their families quickly, often before they ever enter a shelter.
Each DocuPet tag features a unique ID code linked to a secure online pet profile. If a dog is reported missing, Lost Pet Reports can be instantly shared with Petco Love Lost, the nation’s largest photo-matching lost-and-found database, as well as DocuPet’s National Animal Shelter Network.
These tools allow animal shelters to quickly identify lost pets using ID codes, microchip information and distinguishing features, helping speed reunifications and reduce shelter stays.
“Dog licensing is not only a legal requirement, it’s also an effective way to protect pets,” said Bob Gatt, manager of Oakland County Animal Shelter and Pet Adoption Center. “This new partnership makes licensing more convenient for residents while giving pet owners added peace of mind knowing their dog has 24/7 protection if it ever goes missing.”
Previously, Oakland County dog licenses were sold once a year beginning Dec. 1. Under the new program, residents can now purchase dog licenses at any time throughout the year. Licenses are available in both one-year and three-year terms. All dogs in Oakland County must be licensed and vaccinated against rabies. While cats do not have to be licensed, cat owners may register their pets for free through DocuPet to receive a complimentary ID tag and access to lost-pet recovery services.
So where are Oakland County’s French Bulldogs? Perhaps they’re getting their cuddles and kibble in the communities not managed by Oakland County’s licensing service. Or maybe they are among the untold numbers of households who have not yet registered their animals.
Either way, the French Bulldogs deserve to be counted! So do all the other canine cuties in the county. So whether you’ve got a fancy Frenchie, a beautiful Boston Terrier, a glamorous Golden Retriever, a charming Chihuahua, or even a magnificent mutt, click on over to https://oaklandmich.docupet.com/en_US/ to make sure your furry friend gets licensed.
Next up, Oakland County Times will look at the Top Dog Names in the county. SPOILER ALERT Bella is #1.
For stories about voter turnout rates, dog licensing statistics, population trends, and other interesting numbers, visit the Data-Based Stories Archives on Oakland County Times. Thanks to Data Expert Kurt Metzger for this work!
Also check out more stories about Animals and Pets!
