Trends in the most popular dog breeds are changing year-on-year. Some of the most recognisable breeds from the past few decades have fallen in popularity and surprising newcomers have hit the scene.
But which dogs have become the most popular over time? Interested in this, money.co.uk investigated UK dog breed registration data dating back to 1997 to find out which dog breeds have increased the most in popularity.
Money.co.uk can reveal that the French Bulldog has increased the most in popularity. In 1997, there were 185 registrations for French Bulldogs compared to 39,266 in 2020 – an increase of 21,125%.
The Hungarian Wirehaired Vizslashowed the second-largest increase. With 41 registrations in 1997 and 782 in 2020, the breed increased in popularity by 1,807%.
Pugs had the third-largest increase with 545 registrations in 1997 and 6,033 in 2020, increasing in popularity by 1,007%.
The dog breeds increasing most in popularity
| Dog breed | Median yearly change in popularity (%) | Total increase in popularity (%)* | |
| #1 | French Bulldog | 31% | 21,125% |
| #2 | Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla | 5% | 1,807% |
| #3 | Pug | 13% | 1,007% |
| #4 | Boston Terrier | 13% | 889% |
| #5 | Dachshund (Miniature Smooth Haired) | 11% | 882% |
| #6 | Belgian Shepherd Dog (Malinois) | 8% | 741% |
| #7 | Australian Shepherd | 3% | 697% |
| #8 | Portuguese Water Dog | 15% | 680% |
| #9 | Dogue de Bordeaux | 2% | 669% |
| #10 | Havanese | 12% | 652% |
Additional findings by money.co.uk reveal that the most popular breed type since 1997 is a gundog (retriever and cocker spaniel), and the breed type increasing in popularity most is a utility dog (bulldog and toy poodle), now 267% more popular than in 1997.
Large dog breeds were the most popular in 1997, but we’re overtaken by small dog breeds in 2012, which have remained popular ever since.
The finding also revealed that yearly registrations for dogs with short hair have increased 147%, while registrations for long and medium-haired dogs have decreased.
Although dogs requiring large gardens were most popular in 1997, we now prefer dogs that require a small or medium garden, which are121% more popular than they used to be.
In 1997, dogs which required over two hours of exercise per day were most popular, but have since been overtaken by dogs that require up to one hour of exercise per day.
Salman Haqqi, money.co.uk’s pet insurance expert, gives his tips on finding the right dog for you: “Choosing the right dog breed for you depends on a host of factors, including: the size of your house and garden, walking requirements, malting, and more. Our findings show that people are now opting for breeds which require less walking and smaller gardens than we used to.
“When adopting a pet of any kind, it is important to research their breed thoroughly before making up your mind. Online adoption sites, such as the RSPCA, often give plenty of information including breed, age and temperament which can help inform your decision. Pets that need rehoming will also often come with more information about their care requirements as an expert has spent time getting to know the dog itself.”
