Labrador retrievers named America's most popular dog | CNN

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

PHOTO: John Bonifield/CNN

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.

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

PHOTO: John Bonifield/CNN

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.

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

PHOTO: Courtesy of Alex Bieraugel

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.

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

PHOTO: John Bonifield/CNN

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.

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

PHOTO: John Bonifield/CNN

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.

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

PHOTO: Courtesy of Alex Bieraugel

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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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.