Dogs come in all shapes and sizes - the UK Kennel Club recognises 221 different pedigree dogs, from the Affenpinscher to the Yorkshire Terrier (sadly no dog breed begins 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.
But some breeds of dog are just more popular than others, although tastes change over the years.
Polling company YouGov have been busy asking people whether they have a positive impression of numerous dog breeds and some prove much more popular than others - ranging from a healthy 80 per cent approval for the Golden Retriever to a miserly eight per cent approval rating at the bottom of the table.
They’ve also worked out which dogs are most popular with Generation X (that’s people born between the mid 1960s and the late-1970s)
And it turns out that this is a generation that has a very particular taste in canines.
Here are the 12 most popular dogs with Gen Xers, according to latest data from 2025.
Make sure you don't miss a moment of breaking news from across Scotland by signing up to our free newsletter here.
1. Golden Retriever
Britain's most-loved dog breed with Gen X, with a huge 78 per cent popularity rating, is the gregarious Golden Retriever. They were first bred in Scotland in the nineteenth century by Sir Dudley Marjoribanks by crossing Flat-coated Retrievers with Tweed Water Spaniels. If you have a pedigree Golden Retriever then its ancestry can be traced back to Sir Dudley's dogs! | Canva/Getty Images
2. Labrador Retriever
Joint econd spot, with 73 per cent of Gen Xers having a positive opinion of them, goes to the notoriously-friendly Labrador Retriever - be it black, yellow, chocolate or fox coloured. Named after the Canadian region from which it orginated, the Labrador is the world's most popular dog. Look at that furry wee face. What were the other 27 per cent thinking? | Canva/Getty Images
3. Border Collie
Also winning a 73 per cent approval rating with Generation X is the Border Collie - officially the world's most intelligent dog (according to scientific research). The ultimate in herding dogs, we'd suggest many of them can happily outsmart their owners. They take third spot and are very good boys and girls. | Canva/Getty Images
4. Collie
The third canine with a 73 per cent popularity rating with Generation X is the clever Collie, . They were developed in Scotland and the North of England to herd sheep. When we're talking Collies, we specifically mean Rough Collies - the type of dog that television star 'Lassie' was. What's that boy? Timmy's stuck down the well? | | Canva/Getty Images