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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13. Basset Hound
A total of 92 per cent of people surveyed had also head of the Basset Hound. First bred in Britain, it was used to hunt rabbits and hares using its remarkable sense of smell (second only to the Bloodhound). | Canva/Getty Images
14. English Springer Spaniel
Completing our list, and the last of the breeds with 92 per cent of people having heard of them, is the English Springer Spaniel (as opposed to the slightly different Welsh Springer Spaniel). They have a near-identical lineage to the Cocker Spaniel but were bred to be slightly larger so they would be more helpful in 'springing' game birds out of hiding. They are now often used as sniffer dogs, so you don't particularly want to catch one's attention at an airport... | Canva/Getty Images