The Dogs Trust has published results from its 2024 National Dog Survey. Over 400,000 dog owners shared their highs, lows, and everything in between about life with their four-legged friends. 

The survey revealed that the nation’s favourite ‘breed’ is a marvellous mixture - over 40% of the UK’s dogs are crossbreeds.

When it comes to specific breeds, the nation loves Labradors. Over 30,000 Labrador Retrievers were accounted for the survey, making them the UK’s favourite specific breed of dog. By our estimations, this could mean there are a whopping one million Labradors in the UK. Cocker Spaniels came in second, and Border Collies in third place.

The nation’s favourite names this year were Poppy and Teddy. Poppy has held the most popular dog name in the country since the survey launched in 2021. Luna, Bella and Ruby also kept their places in the top five names for female dogs.

Teddy is a new front runner, appearing in the top three for male dog names for the first time. Alfie and Milo are still firm favourites, but previously popular Oscar didn’t even make the top 10 this year. 

The survey reaffirms that every dog is unique, with their own personality and a wide variety of likes and dislikes. We asked about your dog’s defining characteristics and received a whole range of results. 52% of dogs were said to love treats, 36% have a passion for playing with toys, and 34% absolutely love to snooze.

The classic ball was voted top toy, with 58% saying it’s your dog’s favourite. But toys can’t float everyone’s boat. 9% reported that your dog isn’t too fussed by them.

34% of dogs were said to love being active and 28% enjoy exploring new places. Our pooches’ passion for activity and adventure proved to have benefits for us too. 89% said that owning a dog makes them more active. And 58% told us that owning a dog reduces social isolation. 

Of dog owners, more than 98% told us they consider your dog part of their family. And nearly 9 in 10 described their dog as a best friend.

The results of the survey show that not only do we love our dogs, but they have a positive impact on our lives too. 98% told us that their dog makes them happy. 96% said that owning a dog is good for mental health and 89% said that their dog provides emotional support. This reminds us just how important it is that dogs and their owners can stay together. 

The Dogs Trust asked about the dog welfare issues that matter most. 67% of respondents listed neglect or cruelty as your biggest worry for dogs. 51% said they were specifically concerned about puppy farming and the mass-scale breeding of puppies. 41% ranked responsible dog ownership as a significant issue, and raised the need for dog owners to be considerate of others in public spaces.

You can read more here: https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/national-dog-survey