Every January, the American Kennel Club publicly releases the previous year's breed registration statistics. It comes as no surprise that the Labrador Retriever is number one yet again - that makes 20 years in a row!

Check out photos and descriptions of the AKC's top ten dog breeds of 2010. If you don't see your dog there, you can also check out the full AKC list. Do you have one of the breeds in the top ten? Better yet, do you have a mix of one or more of the top breeds? Tell us more: talk about your dog!

Photo © Jenna Stregowski

This week we take a look at the Bluetick Coonhound, a cousin of last week's featured breed, the Redbone Coonhound. They are remarkably similar, but they are actually two distinctly separate dog breeds. While the Redbone is known for its lovely red color, the Bluetick Coonhound is easily recognized for its beautiful pattern and color.

The Bluetick Coonhound is also one of the newer AKC breeds that will make it's Westminster Dog Show debut in a few weeks. The beautiful Bluetick Coonhound is a hard-working hound that makes both an excellent hunter and loyal companion. Of course, the breed is not right for everyone. If you have an active lifestyle and are looking for a medium to large dog that can be a hard worker and excellent companion, the Bluetick might just be the one for you. Learn all about the Bluetick Coonhound and decide for yourself. If you have had experience with this wonderful dog breed, please share your story: talk about your Bluetick Coonhound!

Photo © bark on flickr

Over the last week, I have seen multiple stories on the Web about the potential risks of sharing the bed with your dog. As covered by CNN Health, the February issue of a CDC health journal contains a report about various pathogens we can get from snuggling with our dogs. The UK's Daily Mail says that allowing your dog in your bed "may increase the chances of contracting everything from worms to the bubonic plague."

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The Redbone Coonhound is yet another new AKC breed that will make it's Westminster Dog Show debut this February. The beautiful Redbone Coonhound is a mild-mannered yet energetic hound with a friendly and loyal disposition. Easily recognized for its brilliant red color, this hard working hound is well-suited to both hunting and companionship.

Like many breeds, the Redbone is not for everyone. The most important thing for this breed is to live in a active household. The Redbone needs exercise, and plenty of it. Without it, he'll quickly get bored. The next thing you know, that lovely song-like bay of his might start to get annoying (to you and your neighbors). Worse yet, he might try to escape and wander off to follow a scent. In fact, the Redbone is so keen to follow scents that he cannot be trusted off leash unless you have a fenced-in area. The drive to hunt is simply hard-wired into these dogs, so they can hardly resist.

Once you understand the Redbone Coonhound, you'll probably come to realize what an absolutely wonderful breed it is. If you have an active lifestyle and are looking for a medium to large dog that can be a hard worker and excellent companion, the Redbone might just be the one. Do you think this beautiful red hound could be a good fit for your household? Learn all about the Redbone Coonhound and decide for yourself. If you have had experience with this wonderful dog breed, please share your story: talk about your Redbone!

Photo © pmarkham on flickr