Ten British dog breeds that face threat of extinction as some types seen as 'unfashionable'
23 November 2023, 19:52 | Updated: 23 November 2023, 19:56
34 breeds of Britain's most beloved pets are at risk of facing extinction and a further eight are in the "at watch" category, according to The Kennel Club.
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Britain currently owns around 12 million pet pooches, truly emphasising that they are indeed man's best friend.
However, 42 dog breeds may disappear due to people not knowing certain varieties exist, or certain types longer being seen as fashionable.
According to The Kennel Club, 34 breeds are labelled as "vulnerable".
Dogs in this category include breeds with less than 300 births a year.
The most vulnerable is the Bearded Collie, whose birthrate fell from 420 in 2018 to 281 in 2022.
The second most vulnerable is the Bloodhound, where only 34 were born in 2022, although this is an increase of 15 since 2021.
The ten dog breeds most at risk of dying out:
- Bearded Collie
- Bloodhound
- Bull Terrier (Miniature)
- Collie (Smooth)
- Dandie Dinmont Terrier
- Deerhound
- English Setter
- English Toy Terrier (Black and Tan)
- Foxhound
- Fox Terrier (smooth)
Other breeds included in the 34 vulnerable list are six types of Spaniels and eight more types of Terriers.
The animal organisation has also listed eight dog breeds in the "at watch" category, which includes five types of terriers.
Pooches in this list are breeds which have a birthrate of 300-450 puppies a year.
The "at watch" dog breeds:
- Bedlington Terrier
- Bullmastiff
- Irish Terrier
- Jack Russell Terrier
- Norfolk Terrier
- Parson Russell Terrier
- Old English Sheepdog
- Welsh Terrier
