Dogs come in all shapes and sizes - the UK Kennel Club recognises 221 different pedigree dogs, from the Affenpinscher to the Yorkshire Terrier (sadly no dog breed begins 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.
But some breeds of dog are just more popular than others, although tastes change over the years.
Polling company YouGov have been busy asking people whether they have a positive impression of numerous dog breeds and some prove much more popular than others - ranging from a healthy 80 per cent approval for the Golden Retriever to a miserly eight per cent approval rating at the bottom of the table.
They’ve also worked out which dogs are most popular with Baby Boomers (that’s people born between the 1946 and 1964)
And it turns out that this is a generation that has a very particular taste in canines.
Here are the 12 most popular dogs with Baby Boomers, according to latest data from 2025.
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9. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Ninth place, with a 63 per cent approval rating with Boomers goes to the big-eyed Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. These long-eared characters were bred to resemble King Charles II's spaniel of the English Civil War period. His supporters at that time were called Cavaliers and the two were combined to create the doggy name. | Canva/Getty Images
10. German Shepherd
Next up, with a 60 per cent popularity rating, is the German Shepherd. Some of the 40 per cent of naysayers may well be criminals - this is a breed famously used for police work to track down wrongdoers so they are only popular with those of us who stay on the right side of the law. | Canva/Getty Images
11. Great Dane
A total of 58 per cent of Boomers rate the Great Dane. Along with the Irish Wolfhound, it's one of the two largest breeds of dog in the world. The German breed was originally used to hunt bears, wild boar, and deer. | Canva/Getty Images
12. Beagle
To know a Beagle is to love a Beagle - something that 58 per cent of Gen X people polled clearly understand. First bred in Britain to hunt rabbits and hares, it's not commonly kept as a beloved family pet. A talented scenthound, they can sniff out a treat at 400 yards. | Canva/Getty Images