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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5. Golden Retriever
Completing the dogs in joint secind place, with 96 per cent of people having heard of them, is gregarious Golden Retriever. They were first bred in Scotland in the nineteenth century by Sir Dudley Marjoribanks by crossing Flat-coated Retrievers with Tweed Water Spaniels. If you have a pedigree Golden Retriever then its ancestry can be traced back to Sir Dudley's dogs! | Canva/Getty Images
6. Jack Russell Terrier
The Jack Russell Terrier is one of two breeds named after famous breeder Reverend Jack Russell (the other being the Parson Russell Terrier). His dogs are certainly still well known - with 95 per cent of people having heard of them. | Canva/Getty Images
7. Boxer
The Boxer was bred from the Old English Bulldog and the now extinct Bullenbeisser. It's a much-loved and characterful breed that 94 per cent of people have heard of. | Canva/Getty Images
8. Border Collie
Also earning a 94 per cent recognisability rating is the Border Collie - officially the world's most intelligent dog (according to scientific research). The ultimate in herding dogs, we'd suggest many of them can happily outsmart their owners. | Canva/Getty Images