The 10 Most Popular Dog Breeds - German Shepherd [LiveScience 2011-12-20] Credit: Eduard Kyslynskyy | Shutterstock
This dog may be the closest to having a 9-to-5 gig, as the German shepherd is the gold standard when it comes to police, guard and military dogs. The breed was derived from a mix of herding and farm dogs and originated in 1899 in Karlsruhe, Germany, according to the AKC. Its debut in America occurred in 1907. The German shepherd is a mainstay on the top of the Club's annual most popular list.