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.
13. Long Coat Chihuahua
Hailing originally from Mexico and famed for being the world's smallest breed of dog, the long coat variety of the Chihuahua had 915 registrations in 2024. | Canva/Getty Images
14. Short Coat Chihuahua
Just behind their hairier cousins is the short haired breed of Chihuahua. There were 908 new pups registered with the Kennel Club last year. | Canva/Getty Images
15. Boston Terrier
Completing our top 15 most popular small dog breeds, with 820 2014 registrations, is the Boston Terrier. Nicknamed the 'American Gentlemen', it originated in the USA where it was officially recognised as a distinct breed in 1893. | Canva/Getty Images