Dogs come in all shapes and sizes - the UK Kennel Club recognises 221 different pedigree dogs, from Affenpinscher to Yorkshire Terrier (there are sadly no dog breeds starting with the letter ‘z’!).
Then there are all manner of crossbreeds, from so-called ‘designer dogs’ to lovable mongrels.
Each has its own list of positive and negative attributes, and it’s important to take plenty of time to think about what breed will fit into your lifestyle the best - for instance a smaller dog if you live in a flat, or a hypoallergenic dog if the mere mention of dog hair makes you think about sneezing.
There is even scientific research to guide you, in particular psychologist Stanley Coren’s groundbreaking book The Intelligence of Dogs.
Growing demand for some of the most popular breeds has seen prices rocket since the Covid pandemic – meaning a dog will most likely cost you a great deal more today than it would just a few years ago.
A new report by Pets4Homes has taken data from thousands of dog sales over the course of 2025 to come up with the 10 breeds that cost the most on average.
And it seems that there’s no letting up in rising puppy prices - Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Whippets and Toy Poodles all now cost over 20 per cent what they did 12 months ago.
Here are the 10 most expensive breeds on average.
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1. King Charles Spaniel
The King Charles Spaniel is the UK's most expensive dog breed, averaging a price of £1,441 - that's up 14.1 pe cent on the year before. | Getty Images
2. Golden Retriever
Second spot goes to the Golden Retriever, which averages a price of £1,436 - up 4.7 per cent on the yeasr before. | Getty Images
3. Maltipoo
Also known as the Moodle, the Maltipoo is an adorable cross between a Maltese and a Poodle. They were the third most expensive dog last year, averaging £1,434 - up 11.5 per cent on last year. | Canva/Getty Images
4. Goldendoodle
Another so-called 'designer dog' takes fourth sport. The Goldendoodle is a cross between a Golden Retriever and a Poodle and cost an average of £1,386 - that's a year-on-year increase of 11 per cent. | AFP via Getty Images