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 Millenials (that’s people born between the early 1980s and the mid-1990s)
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 Millenials, according to latest data from 2025.
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9. Great Dane
A total of 62 per cent of Millennials love 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
10. Basset Hound
First bred in Britain, the adorably droopy Basset Hound has the secind best sense of smell of any dog (after the Bloodhound). A total of 61 per cent of Millennials love them. | Canva/Getty Images
11. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Two dog breeds are tied at a 59 per cent approval rating with Millennials - one small and one big. First up is 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
12. Border Terrier
Completing our list, also getting the thumbs-up from 59 per cent of Millennials, is the cheeky 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