French Bulldogs, Labradors and Spaniels falling out of favour in UK, list shows

French Bulldogs, Labradors and Spaniels falling out of favour in UK, list showsThe breeds have shown the fastest decline in registrationsCommentsNewsNeil Shaw Assistant Editor (Money and Lifestyle)08:55, 18 Apr 2026View 4 ImagesFrench Bulldogs are on the declineThe French Bulldog is the 'fastest declining' breed of dog in the UK according to a new study, which shows it had the largest drop-off in registrations between 2024 and 2025. 6,000 fewer French Bulldogs were registered with the Royal Kennel Club in 2025, a drop from 13,789 the year before.‌Analysis of the stats by Briefcase found that the French Bulldog had the steepest fall, followed by Retriever (Labrador) with 4,222 fewer registrations and Dachshund (Miniature Smooth Haired) with a drop of 2,756. Spaniel (Cocker) ranked fourth among the fastest-declining breeds with a fall of 1,559 registrations, while Bulldog placed fifth with a decline of 1,154. Miniature Schnauzer, Spaniel (English Springer), German Shepherd Dog, Border Terrier, and Pug completed the top 10 fastest-declining breeds.‌The drop comes ahead of new breeding regulations in the UK which will ensure the health of dogs such as the French Bulldog - with new standards on features such as flat faces, skin wrinkles and short legs.‌View 4 ImagesFrench Bulldogs will be covered by new breeding rulesAmong the breeds moving in the opposite direction, Dachshund (Miniature Long Haired) led the risers with an increase of 244 registrations, followed by Jack Russell Terrier with 185 and Italian Greyhound with 118.A Briefcase spokesman said: “Looking at year-over-year movement reveals a very different story from a straight popularity ranking, with several of the UK’s most established favourites seeing steep declines while some smaller breeds continue to gain momentum.‌“The figures suggest dog-breed preferences are shifting meaningfully, even if the biggest breeds still dominate overall registration totals.”View 4 ImagesSpaniels are a traditional dog...