'Nation's favourite dog' created by pet lovers

IT has Cocker Spaniel ears, the face and body of a Golden Retriever and the legs of a Greyhound.

The nation's favourite dog comprises part cocker spaniel, part greyhound and part retriever.

Images have been created of what would be the nation’s favourite dog - if the “cutest” body parts of any breed could be put together.

The traditional Golden Retriever won in multiple categories as the breed received the most votes for the cutest face, tail, fur and body, whereas Cocker Spaniels have the best ears, according to those surveyed and Greyhounds take first place in the leg department.

Half of those quizzed by Direct Line Pet Insurance say they have a favourite dog breed but only a third of people own their preferred pooch, the study found. Meanwhile a quarter of people do not own their favourite breed as it does not suit their lifestyle and one in six of those surveyed have found that their favourite breed is too expensive.

Ryan O’Meara, co-founder of dogsblog.com, said: “Over the years, our dog adoption website has noticed a distinct increase in dog lovers actively choosing to adopt cross-breed dogs. There has been a noticeable rise in people searching to adopt a Golden Retriever cross-breed, for their health and longevity.

“People are rightly searching for breeds with personalities and traits that will suit their lifestyle and we hope they continue to do so.”

However, the study found that votes dwindled for Pugs and French Bulldogs, despite more than half of dog shelters recently saying they believe that celebrities and social media are driving sales of ‘fashionable’ breeds up.

A recent report published separately found that several once-loved breeds such as Yorkshire terriers have drastically fallen in numbers, with several facing the possibility of becoming extinct in the UK in the next 50 to 100 years. In 2008, there were just under 4,000 Yorkshire Terriers bred in the UK, yet in 2017 there were only 876 – a radical fall of 78.1 per cent.

Prit Powar, head of pet insurance at Direct Line, said: “As a nation of dog lovers, it’s no surprise that most of us have a favourite dog breed. This is why we felt it interesting to combine the most popular features from different dog breeds to find the UK’s perfect crossbreed.

“It’s refreshing to see that traditional dogs like the Golden Retriever are still appreciated by Brits, as social media trends would have us believe otherwise.”

One of the most famous cocker spaniel owners is Sir Elton John, whose beloved dog, Arthur - who was given the job of best man at his wedding - passed away earlier this year, prompting him to dedicate a new song to his pet.