Dogs come in all shapes and sizes - the UK Kennel Club recognises 221 different pedigree dogs, from the Affenpinscher to the Yorkshire Terrier.
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.
And there are some breeds of dog that everybody seems to have heard of - even those of us who have never welcomed a pooch into our homes.
Polling company YouGov have been busy asking people which dog breeds people have heard of - with fewer than one-in-five people having heard of a breed like the Cirneco dell'Etna.
At the other end of the scale, here are the 14 breeds that most people have heard of, according to latest data from 2025.
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1. Cocker Spaniel
Topping the list in the YouGov polls, with 98 per cent of people having heard of it, is the delightful Cocker Spaniel. There are actually two slightly different types - the merican Cocker Spaniel and the English Cocker Spaniel. Both were named after their invaluable assistance in hunting woodcock (a type of game bird). | Canva/Getty Images
2. Labrador Retriever
A total of 96 per cent of those polled had heard of the world's most popular dog - the Labrador Retriever. We can only presume the other four per cent of people are 'cat people'. The notoriously-friendly Lab comes in a range of colours - black, yellow, chocolate or fox coloured - and is named after the Canadian region from which it orginated. | Canva/Getty Images
3. Border Terrier
A total of 96 per cent of people had also heard of the Border Terrier. They were first bred in the area around the border of Scotland and England (hence the name) and were used to hunt foxes. These days they more commonly hunt their owner's slippers. | Canva/Getty Images
4. Pit Bull
In some countries the name Pit Bull emcompasses a range of different breeds created by breeding bull dogs with terriers, but in Britain it's specifically used when talking about the American Pit Bull Terrier. It's a controversial breed due its use in illegal dog fighting but it's certainly well known - with 96 per cent of people having heard of them. | Canva/Getty Images