What are the most popular dog breeds of 2019 in Britain? Dog O’Day looks at the most popular dog breeds of 2019 ahead of Crufts 2020.
What are the most popular dog breeds of 2019 among British natives? A lot of familiar faces return, which makes sense, as a considerable amount of the breeds we recognize today got their start in England and the rest of the United Kingdom.
And with Crufts coming up this weekend (Thursday through Sunday, March 5-8), it seemed like a perfect time to check in to see which breeds are the most popular on the other side of the Atlantic.
These statistics come from The Kennel Club of England; since the American Kennel Club hasn’t released their most popular breeds of 2019 rankings just yet, we will compare them with the AKC’s 2018 figures.
Interestingly, nearly all the top 10 breeds recorded a decline in new registrations this year, though no new breeds cracked the top echelon. The Kennel Club includes the top 20 breeds registered in their statistics; falling out were the Boston Terrier and the Chihuahua from No. 18 and No. 19, respectively, while the Border Collie and the Rottweiler slot in at No. 19 and No. 20.
While the AKC classifies 195 breeds into the Herding, Hound, Non-Sporting, Sporting, Terrier, Toy and Working Groups, the KCE classifies their 222 breeds into the Gundog, Hound, Pastoral, Terrier, Toy, Utility and Working Groups. There are some differences in who gets placed where, but in general Gundog and Sporting are the same thing, Herding and Pastoral are the same, and Non-Sporting and Utility are also roughly equal.
With that being established, let’s dive into seeing who the most popular British dog breeds of 2019 are.
The Dog O’Day countdown of the British most popular dog breeds of 2019 has begun with some familiar faces.
No. 10 – Miniature Schnauzer
Registration total – 4,982
Group – Utility
2018 ranking – No. 10 (5,535)
American 2018 ranking – No. 19
The Miniature Schnauzer is a German breed that is very distinctive for its square muzzle and magnificent beard. The Miniature version, of course, is a smaller version of the Standard Schnauzer and the Giant Schnauzer.
Onscreen, a Canadian Mini Schnauzer called Cheers appeared in several commercials with Broadway actress Kristin Chenoweth to advertise avocados (which dogs should not eat) for Super Bowl 53.
They make very good watchdogs.
No. 9 – Pug
Registration total – 6,751
Group – Toy
2018 ranking – No. 6 (9,742)
American 2018 ranking – No. 28
Pugs are very polarizing – people tend to either love them or dislike them immensely. They were bred to be companion dogs, which they do very well, but in general most don’t really do that much else. The most famous member of the breed to be onscreen is Otis from The Adventures of Milo and Otis (often shortened to simply Milo and Otis), a British-Japanese film about a pair of animals who get lost and have to trek their way back to their farm by themselves.
As a Toy Group breed, they adapt excellently to becoming stuffies, as social media celebrity Doug the Pug has demonstrated in leading the charge of his breed charging up the ranks of Dogstagram.
On the other hand, they also suffer from a variety of health problems, including breathing issues and being prone to overeating.
Germany has been the starting place for many breeds, so it’s no surprise that a couple exports made the British most popular dog breeds of 2019.
No. 8 – German Shepherd
Registration total – 6,837
Group – Pastoral
2018 ranking – No. 8 (7,299)
American 2018 ranking – No. 2
Though classified as a Herding or Pastoral Group member, the German Shepherd is often more thought of as a working dog, due to often serving as police dogs, bomb-sniffing dogs and other bodyguard-type roles.
They were the original breed used in guide dog training, though they’ve been replaced by Goldens and Labs for the most part, and sometimes Poodles.
A German Shepherd named Brutus, a former military working dog, is a main character of the Pixie and Brutus comic strips on Instagram from an artist who uses the handle @PetFoolery.
For more on the German Shepherd and their close cousins, we recommend reading Matthew Duffy’s creative nonfiction work Franklin, and reading our interview with legendary dog trainer Jeff Franklin (and be sure to check out our review, too).
No. 7 – Dachshund (Miniature Smooth)
Registration total – 8,375
Group – Hound
2018 ranking – No. 9 (7,008)
American 2018 ranking – No. 12
The Dachshund (pronounced “dock sin”, not “dash hound”) was originally bred to hunt underground critters like moles and badgers (it means “badger hound” in German).
They come in two sizes – Standard and Miniature – and three coat varieties – Smooth-, Wire- and Long-Haired. Smooth is considered the default coat type, so its not surprising that this is the variety that made the top 10.
They are friendly and curious, though at the same time very protective of their chosen people, and they’re extremely cute.
Fans of the breed include children’s authors EB White (Stuart Little, Charlotte’s Web, The Trumpet of the Swan) and Marguerite Henry (King of the Wind, Album of Dogs, Misty of Chincoteague). White wrote several essays about the breed and dogs in general, as did his friend James Thurber (who penned the short story “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”), while Henry’s first published short story was about a Collie playing hide and seek in autumn leaves. She also wrote Cinnabar the One O’clock Fox about a legendary canine resident of Mount Vernon during George Washington’s time there.
Online, Lena Pup Dachshund (@LenaPupperz15) is an active member of Dog Twitter and the ZSHQ crew of zombie hunters, often promoting her friends’ causes and celebrating their successes.
Also of note, the minor league ice hockey team Sioux Falls Stampede of the United States Hockey League annually rebrand themselves for one night as the Sioux Falls Fighting Wiener Dogs during their Wiener Dog Races, a staple of minor league hockey clubs throughout the US and Canada.
Hunting companions have a valuable function and service throughout history, or for those who like hunting. So of course that would be reflected in the British most popular dog breeds of 2019.
No. 6 – Golden Retriever
Registration total – 8,422
Group – Gundog
2018 ranking – No. 7 (7,794)
American 2018 ranking – No. 3
Where to begin with how amazing the Golden Retriever is? To begin with, they’re terrific family dogs, and their array of coat colors are beautiful.
They are also good hunting dogs and fantastic athletes, often competing in agility and dock diving competitions.
To American fans, they are best known because of Buddy in the Air Bud movies (see our reviews of World Pup, Seventh Inning Fetch and Spikes Back) that led to various spinoffs, including the Air Buddies franchise, which includes Air Buddies, Santa Paws, and Santa Paws 2.
Buddy also played Comet in the 1980s-1990s sitcom Full House, and Comet’s descendant Cosmo was part of the cast of the Netflix sequel series Fuller House.
Our recap of the British most popular dog breeds of 2019 is halfway over. Have there been any surprises yet?
No. 5 – Springer Spaniel
Registration total – 8,638
Group – Gundog
2018 ranking – No. 5 (10,152)
American 2018 ranking – No. 27
The Springer Spaniel is one of those unmistakably English breeds, as they are firmly entrenched in the role of a country gentleman who goes hunting for pheasants or other such birds in his leisure hours. Maybe we can thank or blame Jane Austen for this.
In the show ring when it comes to conformation, they are a sprightly and very beautiful breed. They would also likely do well in obedience or rally competitions. Possibly because hunting dogs aren’t quite as necessary here in the States, they aren’t seen that often.
A medium-sized breed, they live fairly long and healthy lives of 10 to 15 years.
As our look at the British most popular dog breeds of 2019 continues, lovable grouches highlight the top five.
No. 4 – Bulldog
Registration total – 9,922
Group – Utility
2018 ranking – No. 4 (10,665)
American 2018 ranking – No. 5
Due to their tenacity from being bred to literally fight bulls, it’s no surprise that Bulldogs are by far the most popular high school and canine mascots for sports teams. Celebrities like actress Reese Witherspoon (Legally Blonde, Sweet Home Alabama, Monsters vs Aliens) are fans of the breed, and they’re a big part of Dog Twitter, as our friend Ovie the Bulldog, Drake University’s Griff and George, Redlands University mascot Addie and Butler University’s Trip and Blue IV are all active on social media.
They’re terrific couch potatoes, though occasionally you may find one that can do unusual things like ride a skateboard. If Ovie and Saffy are any indication, they LOVE cookies (but honestly, who doesn’t? Cookies are awesome!)
Drake’s annual Beautiful Bulldog Contest is a tradition for the breed and the school, crowning the honorary mascot of the most famous college track meet in the country in the Drake Relays.
A Bulldog even crashed a hockey pregame show earlier this season, and fans of the 1990s PBS series Wishbone will remember that Oakdale’s middle school teams were known as the Bulldogs.
No. 3 – Cocker Spaniel
Registration total – 21,663
Group – Gundog
2018 ranking – No. 3 (23,927)
American 2018 ranking – No. 30
Cocker Spaniels are known to Americans because of Lady and the Tramp, (see our reviews of both the original animated 1955 version and the live-action 2019 remake). Their silky floppy ears are the breed’s most distinctive feature, though they also can have a place as a hunting dog, scaring birds and other small game out of dense underbrush.
While they make good house dogs, Cocker Spaniels can be a little aloof at times, however, and don’t always get along very well with children. (So there was some truth to Lady’s storyline there.)
It’s time to find out who the British most popular dog breeds of 2019 are….dramatic drumroll…
No. 2 – French Bulldog
Registration total – 33,661
Group – Utility
2018 ranking – No. 1 (36,785)
American 2018 ranking – No. 4
The French Bulldog was bred as a companion dog in the late nineteenth century, and they’ve shot up to become incredibly popular, with high-profile owners like Princess Leia herself, Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher and race car driver Joey Logano, the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series champion.
And finally, to finish off the British most popular dog breeds of 2019, we have….
No. 1 – Labrador Retriever
Registration total – 35,347
Group – Gundog
2018 ranking – No. 2 (36,526)
American 2018 ranking – No. 1
While the Labrador originally came from Canada, they’re quite popular pretty much everywhere, claiming the top spot from the Frenchie for 2019. They’re an athletic, friendly, good-natured breed, equally at home out hunting or playing in the backyard with the kids.
Here in the States, the Lab has reigned victorious every year since 1991, which is quite a long time indeed. But with terrific viral videos like these, is it any wonder? Many professional sports teams have adopted service dogs (often Labradors) in training, including the Dallas Cowboys’ Puppy Dak and the Atlanta United soccer team’s Spike.
So there you have it – the British most popular dog breeds of 2019. Was your favorite included? Did any breeds surprise you? Stick with Dog O’Day throughout the week as we deliver results from the events of Crufts 2020.
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