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Labrador retriever named most popular dog breed

By John Newsome, CNN

Updated 11:39 PM ET, Tue February 23, 2016

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Claire Guest is the CEO of Medical Detection Dogs, a company that trains dogs to sniff out cancer. Her fox red Labrador, Daisy, caught her breast cancer six years ago when she was 45. "She kept staring at me and lunging into my chest. It led me to find a lump," Guest remembers.
Photos: Meet the cancer-sniffing dogs
Claire Guest is the CEO of Medical Detection Dogs, a company that trains dogs to sniff out cancer. Her fox red Labrador, Daisy, caught her breast cancer six years ago when she was 45. "She kept staring at me and lunging into my chest. It led me to find a lump," Guest remembers.
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Ulric, a cross between a Labrador and a golden retriever, is a bit of a water baby. He loves to get into troughs of water that are left out for cattle and will retrieve his ball from the bottom of a stream.
Photos: Meet the cancer-sniffing dogs
Ulric, a cross between a Labrador and a golden retriever, is a bit of a water baby. He loves to get into troughs of water that are left out for cattle and will retrieve his ball from the bottom of a stream.
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Lucy, a cross between a Labrador retriever and an Irish water spaniel, failed miserably at guide dog school. But she has performed astonishingly well at sniffing out bladder, kidney and prostate cancer. She detects cancer correctly more than 95% of the time. That's better than some lab tests used to diagnose cancer.
Photos: Meet the cancer-sniffing dogs
Lucy, a cross between a Labrador retriever and an Irish water spaniel, failed miserably at guide dog school. But she has performed astonishingly well at sniffing out bladder, kidney and prostate cancer. She detects cancer correctly more than 95% of the time. That's better than some lab tests used to diagnose cancer.
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Karry, who is one-quarter curly-coated retriever and three-quarters Labrador, was too excitable to be a medical assistance dog for diabetics, so all that energy is now focused on problem solving. She's learning to sniff out prostate cancer.
Photos: Meet the cancer-sniffing dogs
Karry, who is one-quarter curly-coated retriever and three-quarters Labrador, was too excitable to be a medical assistance dog for diabetics, so all that energy is now focused on problem solving. She's learning to sniff out prostate cancer.
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Kiwi, a yellow Labrador, is a former guide dog. She's a fantastic problem solver. Any dog has a powerful sense of smell, but hunting dogs like Kiwi are more easily trained.
Photos: Meet the cancer-sniffing dogs
Kiwi, a yellow Labrador, is a former guide dog. She's a fantastic problem solver. Any dog has a powerful sense of smell, but hunting dogs like Kiwi are more easily trained.
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Fifteen-month-old Florin is young, but she's already showing promise detecting cancer. She's a fox red Labrador, just like her aunt, Daisy. She was bred with the hope that Daisy's cancer-sniffing DNA would run in the family. Behind her, Midas, a white-haired Hungarian vizsla, was initially trained to detect bed bugs. Now, she sniffs out cancer. Midas is a diva. She sits on Guest's chair when she isn't there, and bosses other dogs around.
Photos: Meet the cancer-sniffing dogs
Fifteen-month-old Florin is young, but she's already showing promise detecting cancer. She's a fox red Labrador, just like her aunt, Daisy. She was bred with the hope that Daisy's cancer-sniffing DNA would run in the family. Behind her, Midas, a white-haired Hungarian vizsla, was initially trained to detect bed bugs. Now, she sniffs out cancer. Midas is a diva. She sits on Guest's chair when she isn't there, and bosses other dogs around.
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Story highlights

  • Labrador retrievers have been named America's "most popular dog" by the American Kennel Club
  • Other breeds in the top five include German shepherds, golden retrievers, bulldogs and beagles

(CNN)The American Kennel Club has named the affable Labrador retriever America's "most popular dog."

This is the 25th consecutive year that Labs have topped the list, which is created using the AKC's registration statistics.
"The versatile, loveable Lab has firmly planted its paw print in AKC's history, celebrating a quarter of a century as America's most popular dog," AKC Vice President Gina DiNardo said.
    The AKC says that Labs are an intelligent and family-friendly breed, helping to solidify their high ranking.
    Valerie Nunes-Atkinson sits beside California Journey, a German shorthaired pointer who won the Best in Show award at the annual Westminster Kennel Club dog show on Tuesday, February 16.
    Photos: Westminster Kennel Club dog show 2016
    Valerie Nunes-Atkinson sits beside California Journey, a German shorthaired pointer who won the Best in Show award at the annual Westminster Kennel Club dog show on Tuesday, February 16.
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    California Journey, or CJ for short, takes a lap around the ring during the competition. The Westminster dog show is the second-oldest continuous sporting event in the United States, after the Kentucky Derby.
    Photos: Westminster Kennel Club dog show 2016
    California Journey, or CJ for short, takes a lap around the ring during the competition. The Westminster dog show is the second-oldest continuous sporting event in the United States, after the Kentucky Derby.
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    Lucy, a Borzoi, is shown in the ring during the Hound group competition on Monday, February 15.
    Photos: Westminster Kennel Club dog show 2016
    Lucy, a Borzoi, is shown in the ring during the Hound group competition on Monday, February 15.
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    A man grooms his beagle on February 15.
    Photos: Westminster Kennel Club dog show 2016
    A man grooms his beagle on February 15.
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    A bichon frise is groomed during the first day of competition. Dogs are invited to compete based on strict entry requirements, including how many other dogs they've defeated in breed competitions.