A dog breed from Japan, the Shiba Inu, is on the Hawaii 2008 Top 10 dog list for the first time - and the popular Shih Tzu breed, which originated in China, does not show on the list.

The American Kennel Club released yesterday its lists of the most popular registered breeds in Honolulu and nationwide, and the Labrador retriever topped both. The number of Labrador retrievers registered nationwide was more than double any other breed, according to the American Kennel Club announcement.

The listing does not reflect the most cherished canines in island families, but rather the pedigreed pooches whose genealogy is documented under American Kennel Club standards.

Gerri Cadiz, president of the Hawaiian Kennel Club, said there are many factors that lead people to choose particular breeds, including finding a size that fits in a household and availability from breeders overseas.

“;I was surprised with the list last year. I thought it must be based on the number of dogs registered, rather than the dogs we see at dog shows,”; Cadiz said.

Labradors and golden retrievers - No. 4 on both lists - “;are good family dogs,”; Cadiz said. “;They are breeds that have been here for a long time. For some other sporting dogs, you need more space for them to run.”;

Cadiz said animals in the “;toy dog”; category, which weigh 15 pounds or less, “;are more popular here because of the living space.”; She said the Pomeranian is one of the most popular: “;It's easier to groom as opposed to the Shih Tzu, which is a lot of work.”;

Some varieties are hard to breed, such as bulldogs, she said. The French bulldog, new on the list and sharing 10th place with the Shiba Inu, “;has risen in popularity. It's a cute little dog, small, and it sells for a big price.”;

“;We need to have careful breeding. When you have a breed that a lot of people want to get, you find novices getting into breeding for fun and money. One of the heartaches is when so many people want to have puppies, it can damage a breed,”; Cadiz said.