The saying goes that dogs are man’s best friend – but it now appears that the friendship is coming to an end for some British breeds.
New figures reveal that Britons are falling out of love with purebreed dogs in favour of trendy crossbreeds.
The Kennel Club analysed over 11 million dog registrations and found that the number of pedigree pooches in Britain has shrunk by around 0.9 per cent every year since 1990.
In particular, the researchers found that numbers have been falling sharply since 2010.
The Yorkshire Terrier has seen the most dramatic decline, with its population shrinking by 16 per cent from one year to the next every year since 2010.
According to the researchers, this could be due to the ballooning popularity of mixed breeds like the Cockapoo and the Labradoodle.
The decline is now so rapid that the Kennel Club is concerned that it could cause serious trouble for the future of breeding dogs in the UK.
Study author Dr Joanna Ilska, genetics and research manager at the Kennel Club, told MailOnline: ‘People may also be breeding less because of negative attitudes towards pedigree dog breeding but welfare experts agree it’s crucial to have a supply of healthy, happy puppies bred by responsible, informed breeders.’
The breed with the most rapid decline is the Yorkshire Terrier (pictured) which has seen its population shrink by 16 per cent between 1990 and 2021
Between 2012 and 2021, the number of pet dogs in the UK soared from 7.6 million to 12 million in 2021.
However, the number of dogs registered as a purebreed with the Kennel Club has continued to decline for many breeds.
In 1990, there were over 24,000 Yorkshire Terriers born in the UK – but by 2021 there were just 529 new puppies.
After the Yorkshire Terrier, the breed which has shrunk the fastest since 1990 was the West Highland White Terrier which declined by 8.4 per cent each year – with just 1,238 born in 2021.
This was followed by the Pekingese and the Anatolian Shepherd Dog, whose populations fell by eight per cent and 7.2 per cent year on year respectively throughout this 30-year period.
However, the data shows that the decline in pedigree breeds has only accelerated since 2010.
On average, the population of purebreed dogs fell by around 1.3 per cent each year every year between 2010 and 2021.
During this period, the Kennel Club found that there were 10 breeds whose populations declined by more than 10 per cent each year.
The researchers say that the decline in purebred dogs could be because mixed dogs like the cockapoo (pictured) have become more popular
Following the Yorkshire terrier, the West Highland Terrier (pictured) was the second fastest shrinking breed between 1990 and 2021. In 2021, just 1,238 were born in the UK
The Pyrenean Sheepdog’s population fell the most rapidly, declining by 17 per cent each year and leaving no new puppies being born in 2021.
The Akita, Greyhound, and Yorkshire Terrier populations in the UK also fell by more than 16 per cent each year during the same decade, with only one registered greyhound born in 2021.
This has now created a serious risk that some of these breeds could vanish from the UK.
As the populations of these breeds dwindle, the choice of dogs for breeding decreases and there is a greater risk of harmful inbreeding.
The rate of loss of genetic diversity must be kept at sustainable levels to avoid population decline or in extreme cases the eventual extinction of the breed.
Dr Ilska says: ‘We are concerned about declines in popularity – especially for some unusual breeds which already have small populations – and the supply of healthy, well-bred puppies which have predictable characteristics, so owners can find a good match for their lifestyle.’
The researchers believe this could partly be caused by the rapid growth in popularity of newer, trendy crossbreeds.
Dr Iska points out that while the number of pedigree dogs has fallen, the number of recognised breeds has actually increased by 12 per cent.
During 2021, only one pedigree greyhound puppy was registered with the Kennel Club (file photo)
However, Dr Ilska argues that trendy crossbreds like the labradoodle still suffer from many of the same issues as pedigree dogs.
She says: ‘While some believe crossbreeds are healthier, there is still little data to determine their health status and therefore ways to avoid certain diseases in their populations, and less evidence-based resources for breeders or puppy buyers to make informed, responsible decisions about health and genetic diversity.’
Some more popular breeds have seen huge population growth over the same period.
For example, French Bulldogs saw the biggest increase and grew yearly by 22.1 per cent between 1990 and 2021 and 34 per cent since 2010.
Likewise, several different varieties of dachshund have all seen rapid population growth since the start of 2010.
But this does not necessarily mean that more pedigree dogs are being born in the UK.
Of all the pedigree dogs in the UK, just 13.7 per cent were used for breeding between 2005 and 2015.
To make up the difference, a huge number of dogs are now imported from abroad, with more than 3,000 arriving each year from 2011 to 2019.
Some more popular breeds have seen huge population growth over the same period. For example, French Bulldogs (pictured) saw the biggest increase and grew by 22.1 per cent between 1990 and 2021 and 34 per cent since 2010
Ireland exported 11,577 dogs to the UK between 1990 and 2021, while Russia exported 4,396 dogs, and Poland exported 3,905 dogs.
This means the few pedigree dogs being bred in the UK still face the problem of rapidly reducing genetic diversity.
Charlotte McNamara, Head of Health at The Kennel Club, says: ‘Pedigree dogs have many advantages because we know their ancestry and we can better predict the way that they will turn out.
‘But it also means that they are more similar to each other genetically, and so we have to consider how breed populations are monitored and managed, as the lower the genetic diversity the greater the risk that new health conditions will begin to surface.’
The researchers hope their study will help breeders develop strategies for preserving the fastest-declining breeds.
Ms McNamara says: ‘We hope this new research, which has been conducted on a huge scale, will help to address the wider issue of the supply of well-bred, healthy puppies in the UK.’
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