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.
The Kennel Club separates breeds into seven different groups, each of which have a particular set of attributes.
If you are looking for an intelligent and courageous dog that will naturally form a close bond with you, then it’s worth considering a breed from the Pastoral Group.
They are dogs that have been bred to herd or guard livestock so they also respond very well to training and are eager to please.
The Kennel Club recently released their breed registration statistics for 2025, revealing how many of each breed of dog were registered with them over the year.
According to those figures, here are the 12 most popular pastoral dog breeds in the UK.
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5. Australian Shepherd
It may be called the Australian Shepherd but this breed of herding dog was actually developed in California in the 19th century. They have become increasingly popular recently, from barely making the top 10 a few years ago to entering the top 5 this year with 364 Royal Kennel Club registrations last year. | Getty Images
6. Rough Collie
Another type of dog originally bred to herd sheep in Scotland, the Rough Collie is now a popular show dog. There were 345 new registrations with the Royal Kennel Club in 2025. | Getty Images for Westminster Ken
7. Samoyed
Another breed that has increased in popularity is the Samoyed, which takes its name from the Samoyedic people of Siberia, who bred them to herd reindeer. There were 302 registered last year, meaning theyare now the UK's seventh most popular breed of pastoral dog. | Getty Images
8. Malinois
The Malinois is a type of Belgian Shepherd Dog that are often used as police dogs in their homeland. There were 226 new Malinois registrations in the UK last year. | Getty Images