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The Utility Group contains breeds that were originally bred for a specific working purpose that is no longer applicable today, along with dogs that simply do not qualify for any of the other six groups.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.
5. Minature Poodle
Like it's smaller and more popualr toy cousin the Miniature Poodle is 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 and completes the top five most popular breeds of utility dog. | Canva/Getty Images
6. Shih Tzu
Thought to originate from the Pekingese being bred with the Lhasa Apso in their native China, these furry wee heroes were so prized by the Ming Dynasty emperors that they refused to sell or trade a single canine. Last year 1,273 of these precious pups were registered by the Kennel Club. | Canva/Getty Images
7. Chow Chow
Originally bred in Northern China where they were used for hunting, guarding and herding, the Chow Chow is instantly recognisable thanks to its mane-like fut and unusual blue-black tongue. There were 1,135 registered with the Kennel Club in 2024. | Canva/Getty Images
8. Dalmatian
Much loved for its distinctive spotty coat, Dalmatians used to known as 'fire dogs' as they used to run alongside horse-drawn carriages ued by firefighters, acting as combined path-clearers, sirens and guides. There were 983 of these clever pooches registered in 2024. | Canva/Getty Images