We’re officially a nations of dog owners, with the UK’s most popular pet living in around one-in-three households (and rising).
That means that there are around three million pooches living here, with more people choosing to join the army of dog lovers every week.
Of course, if you are looking to welcome a dog into your family, there are 221 different breeds of pedigree dog to choose from, alongside numerous crossbreeds, so there’s plenty of thinking to do before you select your family’s latest addition.
There’s even academic guidance to seek out, with Psychologist Stanley Coren’s book ‘The Intelligence of Dogs’ ranking breeds by instincts, obedience, and the ability to adapt.
Choosing the right breed is absolutely essential – for example opting for a small dog if you don’t have much room at home.
Each year the UK Kennel Club releases figures showing how many dogs of each breed have been registered with them, and the stats for 2024 have now been released.
According to those, these are the 15 most popular small dog breeds.
5. Border Terrier
Named after the Scotland-England border where it originated, the plucky Border Terrier had 3,675 Kennel Club registrations in 2024, making it the fifth most popular small dog breed in the UK. | Canva/Getty Images
6. Miniature Long Haired Dachshund
Although the Miniature Long Haired Dachshund isn't as popular as its less hirsute cousin, it still makes our list in sixth place with 3,450 registrations last year. | Canva/Getty Images
7. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
The gorgeous Cavalier King Charles Spaniel takes the top spot when it comes to the most popular toy dog breeds - with 3,132 Kennel Club registrations in 2024 putting it in overall 7th spot when it comes to small dogs generally. Its name comes from it being bred to recreate Charles II's spaniel of the English Civil War period, when supporters of the king were known as Cavaliers. | Canva/Getty Images
8. Toy Poodle
The Poodle comes in three sizes - standard, miniature and toy - with the diminuative Toy Poodle the most popular with 2,013 Kennel Club registrations in 2024. It's up for debate whether they were first bred in France or Germany, with the toy version often used as circus performers in less enlightened times. | Canva/Getty Images