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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5. Golden Retriever
Completing the top five most popular dogs is the Golden Retriever, with 10,201 new registrations last year. The breed was created by Sir Dudley Marjoribanks at his Scottish estate in the late nineteenth century. | Canva/Getty Images
6. Springer Spaniel
There were 6,527 new Springer Spaniels registered with the Kennel Club in 2024, making them the sixth most popular dog - and the fourth most popular breed in the gundog group. They get their name from the fact that hunters used them to 'spring' birds out of their hiding places. | Canva/Getty Images
7. Staffordshire Bull Terrier
There were 5,447 Kennel Club registrations of affectionate Staffy dogs last year. A breed created by crossing Bulldogs with Terriers, they were were first recognised as a purebred dog breed by The Kennel Club in 1935. | Canva/Getty Images
8. German Shepherd
One of the world's most useful dogs, the German Shepherd was originally bred as a herding dog but now is popular for everything from disability assistance and search-and-rescue work, to helping the police hunt criminals and serving in the army. They are also popular companion pets, with 4,817 registrations in 2024. | Canva/Getty Images