Kennel Club: The 46 British dog breeds in danger of 'extinction' as popularity plummets

Prospective dog owners are being urged to look beyond the most popular pups when choosing their next four-legged family member, and consider whether an at-risk native British breed might be more their style.

In the lead-up to Crufts 2024, the world's biggest dog show, the Kennel Club has released its updated 'vulnerable' and 'at watch' lists, documenting British dog breeds with low numbers of puppies born and registered in the last year. The figures show that three breeds have entered the 'at watch' list for the first time, while two other once popular pets have re-entered it, which the club says means that there are now more native breeds at risk of disappearing than ever before.

The iconic Scottish Terrier - a beloved breed perhaps best known as the 'Monopoly dog', or as Jock from Lady and the Tramp - is facing a worrying future after recording the lowest number of new puppies since records began, earning them a spot on The Kennel Club’s ‘At Watch’ list. The small and distinctive dog recorded just 406 puppy births in 2023, a staggering drop since its heyday in the mid-1930s through to the early 1940s where it was the third most popular breed in the country - later peaking in 1947 where there were over 5,800 puppies registered.

Three other British breeds have entered the ‘at watch’ list for the first time - the Pointer, Rough Collie and Wire Fox Terrier - while the Cairn Terrier has also rejoined the list. There was good news however for other British breeds which saw a surge in popularity last year, including the English Setter, with registered puppies increasing by 18%, the Yorkshire Terrier (14%) and the Jack Russell Terrier (14%), which is the favoured breed of King Charles and Queen Camilla.

"The Scottish Terrier has been such an iconic and recognisable breed in the UK for decades, and means so much to so many different people, so these latest figures are really worrying," Kennel Club spokesman Bill Lambert said. "We are lucky to have an amazing 222 breeds of dog in this country, each with unique personalities and characteristics, but the vast majority of dogs that you will meet come from within the top ten breeds alone."

People would often opt for well-known choices, he said, and simply forget to dig a little deeper. That not only meant some of Britain's most iconic dog breeds were falling into decline, but that "people might not be getting the perfect match for them".

"The difficulty is, of course, that opportunities to meet less popular breeds of dogs are limited," he continued. This year there will be a unique 'Discover Dogs' zone at Crufts, in a few weeks’ time – where visitors can talk to experts and meet any of the 222 native British and Irish dog breeds on the list. It will also showcase the weird and wonderful, from breeds new to the UK’s shores to those that yodel instead of bark.

"We want people to enjoy lifelong relationships with their four-legged friends and urge potential dog owners to do their research, to meet the huge variety of breeds, and to use the information and resources we provide at Crufts and online, to really understand which breed and which breeder is right for them," Mr Lambert said.

Vet's warning for prospective dog owners

Nick Horniman - a veterinary surgeon and founder of online pet pharmacy www.mypetsvet.co.uk - said the latest figures highlighted a pressing and critical issue for the veterinary and wider pet care community in the UK. There was an "urgent need for collective action to address the endangerment of these cherished breeds".

"Prospective pet owners need to educate themselves on the importance of considering a wide variety of breeds, including those at risk of decline," he continued. "By encouraging potential pet parents to move away from trendy breeds such as pugs, we can help ensure these breeds do not fade into obscurity but continue to thrive for future generations."

But he said it was important to note that if you planned to help save one of the endangered breeds from extinction, some had special needs and care requirements you would need to prepare for. "For instance, large breeds like the Irish Wolfhound often require more food, larger living spaces, and may have breed-specific health issues such as hip dysplasia or heart issues that can lead to higher veterinary bills. “

The full list of vulnerable and 'at watch' native dog breeds

Vulnerable breeds (less than 300 puppies registered)

• Bearded Collie (232 puppies)

• Bloodhound (54 puppies)

• Bull Terrier - Miniature (264 puppies)

• Collie - Smooth (45 puppies)

• Dandie Dinmont Terrier (102 puppies)

• Deerhound (132 puppies)

• English Setter (250 puppies)

• English Toy Terrier - black & tan (93 puppies)

• Fox Terrier - smooth (89 puppies)

• Foxhound (1 puppy)

• Glen of Imaal Terrier (58 puppies)

• Gordon Setter (137 puppies)

• Greyhound (35 puppies)

• Harrier (No puppies registered)

• Irish Red & White Setter (46 puppies)

• Irish Terrier (244 puppies)

• Irish Wolfhound (191 puppies)

• Kerry Blue Terrier (96 puppies)

• King Charles Spaniel (39 puppies)

• Lakeland Terrier (109 puppies)

• Lancashire Heeler (108 puppies)

• Manchester Terrier (110 puppies)

• Mastiff (69 puppies)

• Norwich Terrier (150 puppies)

• Otterhound (18 puppies)

• Retriever - Curly Coated (83 puppies)

• Sealyham Terrier (136 puppies)

• Skye Terrier (36 puppies)

• Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier (156 puppies)

• Spaniel - Clumber (223 puppies)

• Spaniel - Field (79 puppies)

• Spaniel - Irish Water (76 puppies)

• Spaniel - Sussex (27 puppies)

• Spaniel - Welsh Springer (167 puppies)

• Welsh Corgi - Cardigan (82 puppies)

At Watch list (300-450 puppies registered)

• Bedlington Terrier (323 puppies)

• Bullmastiff (321 puppies)

• Cairn Terrier (437 puppies)

• Collie - Rough (431 puppies)

• Fox Terrier - Wire (378 puppies)

• Norfolk Terrier (365 puppies)

• Old English Sheepdog (359 puppies)

• Parson Russell Terrier (368 puppies)

• Pointer (437 puppies)

• Scottish Terrier (406 puppies)

• Welsh Terrier (331 puppies)