Many of us welcomed new four-legged family members over the last couple of years, as the Kennel Club saw dog ownership soar during the pandemic.
But while breeds like the Labrador Retriever, French Bulldog and Cocker Spaniel continue to rise in popularity, others are far less familiar in the UK’s parks.
In fact, there are a number of breeds that weren’t registered with the Kennel Club a single time over 2020.
So if you have one of these canine pals think yourself lucky – your four-legged friend is one the UK’s 13 rarest and most unusual dogs.
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9. Swedish Lapphund
The Swedish Lapphund is descended from the type of dog used by the Sami people to guard and herd their reindeer. With little need for reindeer herding in the UK, it's perhaps not surprising that the breed hasn't had a single registration in the last five years. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
10. Turkish Kangal Dog
Bred as a guard dog, the fearless Turkish Kangal Dog remains popular in its home country, but less so in the UK where there were no registrations last year. It's faring better this year though, with one registration to date. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
11. Azawakh
Only a single Azawakh was registered with the Kennel Club last year. The breed comes from West Africa and have been used to hunt game or as a guard dog. There's some good news for the breed though - another has been registered in the first quarter of 2021. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
12. Australian Silky Terrier
A close relation to the popular Yorkshire Terrier, the Australian Silky Terrier had four registrations last year - a relative resurgence after having none for the previous 24 months. Photo: Canva/Getty Images