Dogs come in all shapes and sizes - the UK Kennel Club recognises 221 different pedigree dogs, from Affenpinscher to Yorkshire Terrier (there are sadly no dog breeds starting with the letter ‘z’!).
Then there are all manner of crossbreeds, from so-called ‘designer dogs’ to lovable mongrels.
Each has its own list of positive and negative attributes, and it’s important to take plenty of time to think about what breed will fit into your lifestyle the best - for instance a smaller dog if you live in a flat, or a hypoallergenic dog if the mere mention of dog hair makes you think about sneezing.
There is even scientific research to guide you, in particular psychologist Stanley Coren’s groundbreaking book The Intelligence of Dogs.
Dog breeds regularly fall in and out of fashion for myriad reasons and the Royal Kennel Club (formerly the UK Kennel Club) keeps an eye on the numbers by publishing how many dogs of each breeds are registered with them each year.
Their figures for 2025 were recently released and Briefcase PR have been crunching the numbers to see which breeds are falling in popularity the fastest by comparing the data from 2025 with the numbers from the year before.
Here are the 10 dog breeds that are currently suffering a drop in popularity.
Make sure you don't miss a moment of breaking news from across Scotland by signing up to our free newsletter here.
1. French Bulldog
A few years ago the French Bulldog was close to becoming Britain's favourite dog breed. Since then its number have been falling dramatically. In 2004 there were 13,789 Royal Kennel Club registrations of French Bulldogs, but in 2025 there were just 7,750 - an enormous drop of 6,039. | AFP via Getty Images
2. Labrador Retriever
The loving Labrador Retriever is still, by some distance, the UK's favourite dog breed, but it's not as popular as it once was. There were 4,222 fewer registrations of these gorgeous dogs in 2025 - dropping from 34,141 to a still-sizable 29,919. | Getty Images
3. Miniature Smooth Haired Dachshund
While its long haired cousin is soaring in popularity, the Miniature Smooth Haired Dachshund has tumbled down the doggy popularity league table. There were 11,664 registrations in 2024 but only 8,908 in 2025 - a drop of 2,756. | Getty Images for Westminster Ken
4. Cocker Spaniel
The Cocker Spaniel was the secind most popular dog breed in Britain last year but its numbers are seriously dipping - from 23,177 registrations in 2024 to 21,618 in 2025. That's 1,559 fewer new dogs. | Getty Images for Westminster Ken