| KC registrations up in 2017
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Issue: 16/02/2018
Figures just released reveal that Kennel Club registrations in 2017 numbered 243,290. This was up by 15,582 as compared to last year's 227,708 and is an increase of some 6.8%.
The biggest increase in any individual breed was in the French Bulldog which was up by 9,417 from 21,470 in 2016 - to 30,887 in 2017, an increase of nearly 44%.
This means that, of overall increase of 6.8%, as much as 4.1% came from just the one breed the French Bulldog, leaving all of the other breeds with an increase of 2.7%.
The biggest increase for any single Group was therefore in the Utility Group up 20.1% with Hounds up 15.3 and Gundogs up 4.7%.
The following are the Group Figures:
French Bulldog - staggering growth
The increase in French Bulldogs to 30,887 in 2017 takes the breed to second in the league table of breed popularity, only beaten by the Labrador Retriever with 35,068. The staggering growth of popularity of the French Bulldog means that the breed has grown in registration numbers to a point where it is now some 44 times greater than it was 2007 when its annual total was only 692.
The last 10 years have shown the following trend for French Bulldogs:
2007 - 692
2008 - 1,025
2009 - 1,521
2010 - 2,204
2011 - 2,771
2012 - 4,648
2013 - 6,990
2014 - 9,670
2015 - 14,607
2016 - 21,470
2017 - 30,887
KC says: "Queen's Corgi off 'at risk' list for first time in almost a decade"!
In the announcement of its registration numbers to the national press, the KC concentrated on the increase seen in Pembroke Welsh Corgis but said it had launched a: 'Save Forgotten Dog Breeds' campaign: "as some other British breeds tumble to record lows".
The KC said that the Pembroke Welsh Corgi had come off its list of 'At Risk' breeds for the first time since 2009 and that the British TV series The Crown had helped with its resurgence, after online searches for the breed had increased by 22 per cent after the second season was aired
However, it had decided to launch a campaign to 'Save Forgotten Dog Breeds': "as British breeds at risk have plummeted by almost thirty per cent in the last decade, and many including the Old English Sheepdog have slumped to an all-time low".
It added: "The campaign encourages people to meet the 'at risk' breeds at Crufts in Birmingham (8-11th March), where a special Vulnerable Native British and Irish Breeds Competition is being held.
"French Bulldog continues to skyrocket and looks set to become UK's top dog."
The KC adds: "One historic native dog breed, the Bullmastiff, has been added to the Kennel Club's 'At Watch' list of breeds that could risk disappearing in the future for the first ever time in 2018, after numbering 429 registrations last year, down 73 per cent in the last decade.
"Many breeds, including the Old English Sheepdog, Glen of Imaal Terrier, Lakeland Terrier, Curly Coated Retriever, Irish Water Spaniel and English Toy Terrier dropped to their lowest level in 2017, since the list began.
"Overall, the 36 breeds on the Kennel Club's Vulnerable Native Breeds and At Watch lists have declined by 28 percent in the last ten years."
The KC added: "British breeds, not on the At Watch list but which saw the biggest decline of all pedigree breeds in the last decade, are the Yorkshire Terrier and the West Highland White Terrier, which dropped by 78 and 74 per cent respectively. The West Highland White Terrier, which has long been in the UK top 20, no longer commands a place.
"The French Bulldog, currently the UK's second favourite dog, continues to soar in popularity and increased by a staggering 44 per cent last year, with 30,887 registrations. This means, if the current rate of increase continues, it will overtake the Labrador Retriever, which increased by only 4 per cent to 35,068 registrations in 2017, as the UK's top dog next year.
Top six breeds dominate
"The top six breeds of dog in the UK - the Labrador Retriever, French Bulldog, Cocker Spaniel, Pug, English Springer Spaniel, Bulldog and Golden Retriever - account for more registrations between them than the remaining 214 dog breeds combined."
Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: "There are more than 200 pedigree dog breeds in this country and yet people are increasingly opting for the fashionable or obvious choices. Some breeds, such as the French Bulldog are experiencing phenomenal growth as a result. Whilst it can make a wonderful pet, as is true of all breeds, it isn't suitable for everybody, and people must research its health and care needs to work out whether it's actually right for them.
"Other dog breeds, including many of the UK's oldest, are at risk of disappearing because they're simply being forgotten about. We have launched this awareness campaign - which will include a competition for at risk breeds and a meet and greet zone for most of the breeds in the country, at Crufts - because we need to keep the rich diversity of breeds, with all of their unique characteristics, so that people can get a dog that is truly right for them.
Mary Davis, Chairman of the Welsh Corgi League, said: "We are delighted to see the Pembroke Welsh Corgi has grown steadily in popularity and is no longer on the At Watch list. The breed still enjoys some profile thanks to its royal connections and has had a boost from related TV programmes such as The Crown, unlike many other breeds on the list.
"Whilst we always need to make sure people choose the right dog for the right reasons, the Kennel Club's campaign is critical to saving the British breeds which don't have any public profile, so they stay in people's minds. It is the people who discover and come to love our forgotten breeds today who will help keep them going for future generations to enjoy."
Vulnerable British and Irish Breeds list -
registration figures for 2017 and 2016 were as follows
| Breed | 2017 | 2016 | % change 16 to 17 |
| HOUND | |||
| Deerhound | 266 | 209 | 27.2 |
| Otterhound | 24 | 40 | -40.0 |
| Bloodhound | 88 | 53 | 66.0 |
| GUNDOG | |||
| English Setter | 261 | 285 | -8.4 |
| Gordon Setter | 255 | 263 | -3.0 |
| Irish Red & White Setter | 70 | 63 | 11.1 |
| Retriever (Curly Coated) | 53 | 83 | -36.1 |
| Spaniel (Clumber) | 265 | 171 | 54.9 |
| Spaniel (Field) | 50 | 80 | -37.5 |
| Spaniel (Irish Water) | 69 | 116 | -40.5 |
| Spaniel (Sussex) | 56 | 49 | 14.2 |
| TERRIER | |||
| Bull Terrier (Miniature) | 189 | 172 | 9.8 |
| Dandie Dinmont Terrier | 130 | 91 | 42.8 |
| Fox Terrier (Smooth) | 82 | 118 | -30.5 |
| Glen of Imaal Terrier | 48 | 76 | -36.8 |
| Kerry Blue Terrier | 152 | 168 | -9.5 |
| Lakeland Terrier | 196 | 220 | -10.9 |
| Manchester Terrier | 160 | 191 | -16.2 |
| Norwich Terrier | 91 | 145 | -37.2 |
| Sealyham Terrier | 167 | 113 | 47.7 |
| Skye Terrier | 40 | 28 | 42.8 |
| WORKING | |||
| Mastiff | 166 | 102 | 62.7 |
| PASTORAL | |||
| Collie (Smooth) | 60 | 89 | -32.5 |
| Lancashire Heeler | 119 | 90 | 32.2 |
| Welsh Corgi (Cardigan) | 141 | 218 | -35.3 |
| TOY | |||
| English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan) | 84 | 102 | -17.6 |
| King Charles Spaniel | 112 | 84 | 33.3 |
| AT RISK | |||
| HOUND | |||
| Irish Wolfhound | 372 | 256 | 45.3 |
| Spaniel (Welsh Springer) | 362 | 299 | 21.0 |
| WORKING | |||
| Bullmastiff | 429 | 493 | -13.0 |
| TERRIER | |||
| Irish Terrier | 362 | 326 | 11.0 |
| Parson Russell Terrier | 306 | 377 | -18.8 |
| Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier | 369 | 326 | 13.1 |
| Welsh Terrier | 388 | 401 | -3.2 |
| PASTORAL | |||
| Bearded Collie | 420 | 284 | 47.8 |
| No longer on the At Watch list | |||
| Bedlington Terrier | 483 | 411 | 17.5 |
| Welsh Corgi (Pembroke) | 456 | 424 | 7.5 |
Top Ten Breeds
The top ten breeds in 2017 were as follows:
| Ranking This year | Breed | Number | Ranking Last year |
| 1 | Labrador Retriever | 35,068 | 1 |
| 2 | French Bulldog | 30,887 | 3 |
| 3 | Cocker Spaniel | 23,317 | 2 |
| 4 | Pug | 10,783 | 4 |
| 5 | English Springer Spaniel | 9,958 | 5 |
| 6 | Bulldog | 9,450 | 6 |
| 7 | Golden Retriever | 7,846 | 8 |
| 8 | German Shepherd Dog | 7,479 | 7 |
| 9 | Min S/H Dachshund | 5,735 | 11 |
| 10 | Miniature Schnauzer | 5,611 | 10 |
The Border Terrier which was tenth in the top ten last year, this year fell to eleventh.
