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.
Each year the UK Kennel Club releases figures showing how many dogs of each breed have been registered with them, and the stats for 2024 have now been released by group.
The Utility Group contains breeds that were originally bred for a specific working purpose that is no longer applicable today, along with dogs that simply do not qualify for any of the other six groups.
According to the latest stats, these are the 11 most popular utility dog breeds.
1. 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 overall - but it's still the UK's favourite utility breed by a country mile. | Canva/Getty Images
2. Bulldog
The Bulldog is one of the breeds of dog most closely associated with the UK and remains popular - although not as popular as its smaller French cousin. There were 3,865 Bulldog registrations in 2024, giving it the silver medal for utility breeds. | Canva/Getty Images
3. Miniature Schnauzer
Originally bred by German farmers to hunt rats and other vermin, the Miniature Schnauzer is now more at home curled up on a couch. There were 3,695 new puppies registered in 2024 - putting the breed in 3rd spot when it comes to the most popular utility pet dogs. | Canva/Getty Images
4. Toy Poodle
The Poodle comes in three sizes - standard, miniature and toy - with the diminuative Toy Poodle the most popular with 2,013 Kennel Club registrations in 2024. It's up for debate whether they were first bred in France or Germany, with the toy version often used as circus performers in less enlightened times. | Canva/Getty Images