Dogs come in all shapes and sizes - the Royal Kennel Club (formerly 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.
The Kennel Club separates breeds into seven different groups, each of which have a particular set of attributes.
The Utility Group contains breeds that were originally bred for a specific working purpose that is no longer applicable today, along with dogs that simply do not qualify for any of the other six groups.
The Kennel Club recently released their breed registration statistics for 2025, revealing how many of each breed of dog were registered with them over the year.
According to those figures, here are the 12 most popular utility dog breeds in the UK.
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9. Dalmatian
Much loved for its distinctive spotty coat, Dalmatians used to known as 'fire dogs' as they used to run alongside horse-drawn carriages ued by firefighters, acting as combined path-clearers, sirens and guides. There were 743 of these clever pooches registered in 2025 - seeing them drop a place on the year before. | Getty Images
10. Standard Poodle
Entering the top 10 for the first time is the Standard Poodle - the largest of the three varieties. If you add up the registration figures of all three types of Poodle they would easily be the second most popular utility breed. | AFP via Getty Images
11. Tibetan Terrier
Despite the name, the Tibetan Terrier isn't actually a terrier - it was mistakenly given the name by European travellers because they thought it looked like one! In their native Nepal they are known as the Tsang Apso, meaning 'bearded dog' - which seems about right. There were 593 registered with the Royal Kennel Club last year. | AFP via Getty Images
12. Lhasa Apso
Completing our list of the most popular utility dogs is the Lhaso Apso, a breed named after the capital city of Tibet, where it was traditionally used as a watchdog. There were 525 new Lhaso pups registered with the Royal Kennel Club in 2025. | AFP via Getty Images