The UK’s most popular dog breeds: the top 10, and the crossbreeds that beat them all
The Labrador is still Britain’s favourite pedigree, with the Cocker Spaniel close behind and the Dachshund racing up the chart. But the biggest group of all isn’t a breed: four in ten British dogs are crossbreeds, led by the Cockapoo.
By Jérôme Mascarin, dog trainer and founder of Canibest · updated 11 November 2026
Top 10 pedigree breeds (Kennel Club registrations, 2024)
Labrador Retriever (34,141 puppies registered): The nation’s favourite for decades: kind, trainable, greedy. Needs plenty of exercise and a close eye on the waistline.
Cocker Spaniel (23,177 puppies registered): Merry, affectionate and busy. Working-line cockers need a job, show-line ones are a little calmer.
French Bulldog (13,789 puppies registered): A city favourite with a big personality, and real breathing issues to check before buying.
Miniature Smooth-haired Dachshund (11,664 puppies registered): The riser of the decade. Brave, funny, vocal, and prone to back problems: no stairs or jumping off sofas.
Golden Retriever (10,201 puppies registered): Gentle family dog, sheds a lot, loves water and mud in equal measure.
English Springer Spaniel (6,527 puppies registered): Boundless energy and a nose that never switches off. Perfect for active, outdoorsy owners.
Staffordshire Bull Terrier (5,447 puppies registered): The “nanny dog” reputation is exaggerated, but Staffies are famously people-loving. Sadly over-represented in rescue centres.
German Shepherd (4,817 puppies registered): Loyal, clever and sensitive. Needs training, mental work and an owner with time.
Bulldog (3,865 puppies registered): Laid-back and stubborn. Like the Frenchie, check breathing and skin health carefully.
Miniature Schnauzer (3,695 puppies registered): Alert, cheerful and low-shedding. Barks a fair bit, needs regular grooming.
Registrations only count pedigree puppies registered with the Royal Kennel Club, so they miss crossbreeds and unregistered dogs. They are still the best guide to which breeds are in demand.
Crossbreeds: the real number one
In the Dogs Trust National Dog Survey, covering more than 340,000 dogs, 41% of UK dogs were a crossbreed. Leaving aside true mixes of unknown origin, the most popular were the Cockapoo, the Cavapoo and the Lurcher.
“Designer” crosses aren’t automatically healthier or hypoallergenic. Ask about health tests on both parents, exactly as you would for a pedigree.
The trends
Rising: Dachshunds, which entered the Dogs Trust’s top 10 puppies for the first time.
Cooling off: flat-faced breeds such as the French Bulldog and the Pug, after years of warnings from vets about breathing problems.
Popular doesn’t mean right for you
The top three are all energetic or high-maintenance in their own way. Before you choose, be honest about your days: how many hours alone, how much walking, how much grooming, and what you can spend on vet bills. A calmer, less fashionable breed, or a rescue dog whose personality you already know, is often the better match.
Whatever you choose: see the puppy with its mother, ask for health tests, and walk away from anyone who offers to meet you in a car park.
Breeds: what people ask
What is the most popular dog breed in the UK?
The Labrador Retriever, both in Kennel Club registrations and in the Dogs Trust survey.
Which breed is most popular in Britain’s rescue centres?
Staffordshire Bull Terriers and their crosses are among the dogs most often waiting for a home.
