Forty-Two Thousand And One Dalmations: Fads, Social Contagion And Dog Breed Popularity
This study examines the preferences of dog owners for certain breeds, based on American Kennel club registrations from 1946 to 2003. The study notes the rise and decline in popularity of nine breeds, in particular, and identifies social contagion as the primary reason for these fluctuations.
Between 1946 and 2003, dog owners registered 48,598,233 dogs with the American Kennel Club. Examination of this data by breed shows that the popularity of some breeds has remained static over time, while the popularity of some have steadily increase, and the popularity of others has fluctuated over time. This research focused on nine breeds showing a “pronounced boom-bust patterns of growth and decline.” These include Afghan Hounds, Chow Chows, Dalmatians, Doberman Pinchers, Great Danes, Irish Setters, Old English Sheep Dogs, Rottweilers, and Saint Bernards.
The rises and declines in the popularity of these dog breeds suggest that social contagion is a major factor in breed selection, likening it to a form of fashion. Some breed fads are clearly spurned on by the media, although other sociological, anthropological, economic and evolutionary biology factors contribute to these trends.
More specifically, examples of influences in these areas include:
- Sociological – post World War II migration of Americans to larger homes and yards in the suburbs, globalization, class imitation.
- Anthropological – random drift.
- Economic – where there is uncertainty, people follow others rather than make their own decision.
- Evolutionary – “memes” for different breeds are spread from mind to mind by imitation.