We’re officially a nations of dog owners, with the UK’s most popular pet living in around one-in-three households (and rising).
That means that there are around three million pooches living here, with more people choosing to join the army of dog lovers every week.
Of course, if you are looking to welcome a dog into your family, there are 221 different breeds of pedigree dog to choose from, alongside numerous crossbreeds, so there’s plenty of thinking to do before you select your family’s latest addition.
There’s even academic guidance to seek out, with Psychologist Stanley Coren’s book ‘The Intelligence of Dogs’ ranking breeds by instincts, obedience, and the ability to adapt.
Choosing the right breed is absolutely essential – for example opting for a hypoallergenic dog if you suffer from allergies.
Size too can be important, with it being best to think about a small dog if you don’t have much room at home, or a large dog if you have a nice big garden and want to keep fit by walking them miles.
Somewhere in the middle are the medium-sized dogs, which can offer the best of both worlds.
The Kennel Club recently released their breed registration statistics for 2024, revealing how many of each breed of dog were registered with them over the year.
According to those figures, here are the 10 most popular medium-sized dogs in the UK.
5. Border Collie
Completing the top 5 most popular medium-sized dogs is the world's smartest pup - the brainy Border Collie. Famously used to herd sheep, there are few things you can't train this breed to do. There were 1,463 new Border Collie registrations with the Kennel Club last year. | Canva/Getty Images
6. Minature Poodle
Whatever size of dog you are looking for, there's a Poodle breed perfect for you. The Toy Poodle is small enough to fit in a bag, while the Standard Poodle comes into the category of large dogs. Sitting somewhere in the middle is the Miniature Poodle and, like its cousins, it's hypoallergenic, intelligent and easy to train. There were 1,335 registered in the UK in 2024, making it the second most popular breed of Poodle, behind the Toy. | Canva/Getty Images
7. Bull Terrier
Immediately indentifiable by their beautiful bullety head, the Bull Terrier originates in 19th century England where it was used for vermin control and, in less enlightened times, dog fighting. They are now mainly loving family pets, with 1,225 registered with the Kennel Club last year. | Canva/Getty Images
8. Beagle
First bred in 1830s Britain, the Beagle was developed for hunting rabbits or hare (in a sport called beagling). They are now mainly pets who are loyal and affectionate - if occasionally strong-willed and naughty. There were 1,170 of these talented dogs registered last year. | Canva/Getty Images