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.
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.
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.
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.
Meanwhile a new study by experts at Money.co.uk has used the Golden Ratio of Beauty - a mathematic calculation used since ancient Greece by artists to guide proportions and make their work aesthetically pleasing - to work out which dog breeds are the most beautiful.
Here are the top 10 most attractive dog breeds, according to their calculations.
5. Welsh Terrier
Completing the top five most beautiful dog breeds is the Welsh Terrier, with a score of 85.9 per cent. The Welshie originated in Wales in the 1700s where it was used to hunt fox, rodents and badger - being the perfect size and shape to access the creature's burrows. | Canva/Getty Images
6. Weimaraner
The velvety Weimaraner earns a canine beauty score of 85.6 per cent. Getting its name from the German city of Weimer where it was first bred, the Weimaraner is a classic gun dog, known for its speed, stamina, intelligence and courage. | Canva/Getty Images
7. Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
While there's no place in this list for the higely popular Golden Retriever and Labrador Retriever, their close cousin the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever does make the cut, with a score of 85 per cent. The smallest of the retriever breeds, the 'tolling' part of their name comes from their skill at luring ducks into gunshot range for their hunter owners. | Canva/Getty Images
8. Italian Greyhound
The diminutive Italian Greyhound has a beauty rating of 84.9 per cent. Bred to hunt hare and rabbit with their lightning speed, they have traditionally been a favourite of European royalty, including Catherine the Great and Queen Victoria. | Canva/Getty Images