Cats are lovely, and fish are remarkably popular, but there’s one pet that always wins the popularity contest in Britain - the dog.
There are around a million canine pals in Scotland alone, with the UK population estimated at roughly 13.5 million.
They are made up of a bewildering number of breeds - 221 different pedigrees dog according to the UK Kennel Club - and all manner of crossbreeds, from so-called ‘designer dogs’ to lovable mongrels.
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.
If you trust the instincts of the UK’s army of dog owners, you might want to opt for one of the most popular breeds of dog.
Every year the Kennel Club publishes breed registration statistics - showing how many new puppies of each breed have been recorded with them.
According to the most recent figures for 2024, here are the 11 most popular dog breeds.
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1. Labrador Retriever
They are the world's most popular dog and the Labrador Retriever remains the most commonly registered breed in the UK by quite some distance. Breeds like the French Bulldog have challenged the Lab's dominance in the last decade, but they didn't come close in 2025. There were a huge 34,141 new Labradors registered with the Kennel Club last year. | Canva/Getty Images
2. Cocker Spaniel
Second spot when it comes to the most popular dogs goes to the Cocker Spaniel. Originally bred as a hunting dog they get their name from the fact they used to specialise in hunting woodcock. There were 23,177 registered with the Kennel Club in 2025. | Canva/Getty Images
3. French Bulldog
The French Bulldog has been challenging the Labrador for the title of Britain's favourite dog in recent years - often appearing in second place. It lagged well behind in 2024 though, with 13,789 registrations putting the adorable breed in third place. | Canva/Getty Images
4. Miniature Smooth Haired Dachshund
Dachshunds have been soaring in popularity in recent years. The miniature smooth haired variety of the sausage dog is the fourth favourite UK breed - with 11,664 registrations in 2024. The dog was originally bred to hunt small burrowing animals like rabbits. | Canva/Getty Images