We’re officially a nations of dog owners, with the UK’s most popular pet living in around one-in-three households (and rising).
That means that there are around three million pooches living here, with more people choosing to join the army of dog lovers every week.
Of course, if you are looking to welcome a dog into your family, there are 221 different breeds of pedigree dog to choose from, alongside numerous crossbreeds, so there’s plenty of thinking to do before you select your family’s latest addition.
There’s even academic guidance to seek out, with Psychologist Stanley Coren’s book ‘The Intelligence of Dogs’ ranking breeds by instincts, obedience, and the ability to adapt.
Choosing the right breed is absolutely essential – for example opting for a small dog if you don’t have much room at home, or a hypoallergenic dog if you suffer from allergies.
The Kennel Club separates breeds into seven different groups, each of which have a particular set of attributes.
If you are looking for a dog that is determined, brave and independent, then it’s worth considering a breed from the Terrier Group.
The Kennel Club recently released their breed registration statistics for 2024, revealing how many of each breed of dog were registered with them over the year.
According to those figures, here are the 10 most popular terrier dogs in the UK.
1. Staffordshire Bull Terrier
There's no doubting the UK's top dog when it comes to terriers. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier had a healthy 5.447 registrations last year. | Canva/Getty Images
2. Border Terrier
Named after the Scotland-England border where it originated, the plucky Border Terrier had 3,675 Kennel Club registrations in 2024, putting it in second place. | Canva/Getty Images
3. Bull Terrier
1,225 Kennel Club registrations in 2024 are enough to make the Bull Terrier the third most popular dog in their group. | Canva/Getty Images
4. West Highland White Terrier
The West Highland White Terrier had 1,087 registrations with the Kennel Club last year, putting them in fourth spot. Commonly known as Westies, they need plenty of exercise to thrive. | Canva/Getty Images