As lockdown hit, leaving many of us stuck at home, lots of people decided it was the perfect time to get a new puppy – with the UK Kennel Club reporting nearly a huge increase in UK dog ownership.
Demand appears to remain high, with the average prices of some breeds nearly tripling over little more than a year.
With 215 different pedigree breeds recognised by the UK Kennel Club, plus numerous popular crossbreeds, there’s no shortage of choice when it comes to selecting your perfect pooch. But some breeds are rarer sights in parks than others.
Here are the most popular breeds of dog according to the latest Kennel Club figures – and there’s a new UK top dog in town.
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5. Miniature Smooth Haired Dachshund
Completing the top five is the Miniature Smooth Haired Dachshund, with 3,474 registrations in the first three months of 2021. There are now more than five times as many of the cute sausage dogs in the UK as there were a decade ago. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
6. Springer Spaniel
Springer Spaniel numbers may be down by around 30 per cent compared to a decade ago, but they are still popular - with 2,775 registered in the first quarter of this year. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
7. Golden Retriever
With 2,414 registrations in the first three months of 2021, the Golden Retriever - a dog that was bred to retrieve shot wildfowl for hunters - has slipped a spot since last year. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
8. German Shepherd
German Shepherd registrations have also slowly been declining, but they still hold the spot of seventh top dog this year, with 2,419 registrations so far in 2021. Photo: Canva/Getty Images