Yet here, at an ambling trot, comes Winston. The Frenchie with NFL connections is a strong contender at this week's Westminster Kennel Club dog show, less than two months after the release of rankings showing that his kind has become the country's most prevalent dog breed.
Indeed, a 2013 study found no indication that longer lifespans, better behavior or other desirable characteristics make a dog breed more sought-after. One of the authors, Western Carolina University psychology professor Hal Herzog, also has observed that parabolic spikes in dog breeds resemble those in baby names, hit songs and other boom-and-bust commodities of pop culture. In short, they're canine memes.
Then Americans got a fresh look at Frenchies in the current century. They turned up on domesticity maven Martha Stewart's TV show, then in narrative series and movies , ads and the social media accounts of celebrity owners . Still, longtime breeder and French Bull Dog Club of America spokesperson Patty Sosa posits that Frenchies “might have been out-flashed” by showier-looking breeds, such as poodles.
Moreover, Winston “has the structure, he has the outline, he has the head, and he has the movement” of a winner, says Sosa. “And by God, he has the attitude.”While applauding Winston's success, she says Frenchie folk have mixed feelings - one part joy, one part misgivings - about seeing the dogs get any more recognition.