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Dogs come in all shapes and sizes - the Royal Kennel Club (formerly 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.
Of course some dog breeds are simply more popular than others - and there’s usually good reason for them to be picked by more human families than any other.
So it’s worth considering them seriously if you are looking to add a four-legged friend to your household.
Each year the Royal Kennel Club publishes data showing how many of each breed was registered with them - and they’ve just published the figures for 2025.
Here are their 12 top dogs, starting with the most popular.
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1. Labrador Retriever
They are the world's most popular dog and the Labrador Retriever remains the most commonly registered breed in the UK by quite some distance. Breeds like the French Bulldog have challenged the Lab's dominance in the last decade, but they didn't come close last year. There were a huge 29,919 new Labradors registered with the Royal Kennel Club last year. | AFP via Getty Images
2. Cocker Spaniel
Second spot when it comes to the most popular dogs goes to the Cocker Spaniel. Originally bred as a hunting dog they get their name from the fact they used to specialise in hunting woodcock. There were 21,618 registered with the Kennel Club in 2025. | AFP via Getty Images
3. Golden Retriever
Up from fifth place to third this year is the Golden Retriever, with 9,976 new registrations last year. The breed was created by Sir Dudley Marjoribanks at his Scottish estate in the late nineteenth century. | Getty Images
4. Miniature Smooth Haired Dachshund
Dachshunds have been soaring in popularity in recent years. The miniature smooth haired variety of the sausage dog is the fourth favourite UK breed - with 8,908 registrations in 2024. The dog was originally bred to hunt small burrowing animals like rabbits. | AFP via Getty Images