Forgotten British Breeds

In February 2018, the British Kennel Club launched their “Save the Forgotten Dog Breeds” Campaign, an extension of the Vulnerable Native Breeds project. Having owned a Norwich Terrier for 15 years, I fully support this initiative to celebrate and promote the British dog breeds; I recognise their place in our history and the need to ensure that they have a future.

To that end, I plan to write a feature about each Forgotten British Breed here on my blog. With 62 to cover, it’s going to be quite a challenge!

These dogs represent all four countries within the United Kingdom, and seven out of seven dog show groups; their diversity in history and purpose is quite astonishing. They range in size from the gigantic Irish Wolfhound to the diminutive English Toy Terrier. Their numbers span from the incredibly vulnerable (see below) to the perennially popular, with nine out of the top 20 breeds in 2018 being of British origin.

The breeds are as follows:

English Breeds

Airedale Terrier
Beagle
Bedlington Terrier
Bloodhound
Bull Terrier
Bull Terrier (Miniature)
Bulldog
Bullmastiff
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
English Setter
English Toy Terrier
Fox Terrier (Smooth)
Fox Terrier (Wire)
Foxhound
Jack Russell Terrier
King Charles Spaniel
Lakeland Terrier
Lancashire Heeler
Manchester Terrier
Mastiff
Norfolk Terrier
Norwich Terrier
Old English Sheepdog
Otterhound
Parson Russell Terrier
Retriever (Curly Coated)
Retriever (Flat Coated)
Spaniel (Clumber)
Spaniel (Cocker)
Spaniel (English Springer)
Spaniel (Field)
Spaniel (Sussex)
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Whippet
Yorkshire Terrier

Irish Breeds

Glen of Imaal Terrier
Irish Red & White Setter
Irish Setter
Irish Terrier
Irish Wolfhound
Kerry Blue Terrier
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
Spaniel (Irish Water)

Scottish Breeds

Bearded Collie
Border Collie
Border Terrier
Cairn Terrier
Collie (Rough)
Collie (Smooth)
Dandie Dinmont Terrier
Deerhound
Gordon Setter
Retriever (Golden)
Scottish Terrier
Shetland Sheepdog
Skye Terrier
West Highland White Terrier

Welsh Breeds

Sealyham Terrier
Spaniel (Welsh Springer)
Welsh Corgi (Cardigan)
Welsh Corgi (Pembroke)
Welsh Terrier

According to the Kennel Club, which recognises over 220 different breeds, “As of 1^st January 2019 there are 29 dog breeds considered vulnerable and 9 breeds considered at risk of becoming vulnerable.”

A breed is considered “Vulnerable” when it registers less than 300 puppies each year. So, the 2019 Vulnerable Native Breeds (with their 2018 registration figures) are:

Bearded Collie	274
Bloodhound	62
Bull Terrier (Miniature)	221
Collie (Smooth)	77
Dandie Dinmont Terrier	145
Deerhound	198
English Setter	290
English Toy Terrier	126
Fox Terrier (Smooth)	126
Glen of Imaal Terrier	48
Gordon Setter	172
Irish Red & White Setter	51
Irish Wolfhound	239
Kerry Blue Terrier	117
King Charles Spaniel	106
Lakeland Terrier	139
Lancashire Heeler	112
Manchester Terrier	172
Mastiff	143
Norwich Terrier	81
Otterhound	39
Retriever (Curly Coated)	70
Sealyham Terrier	107
Skye Terrier	50
Spaniel (Clumber)	280
Spaniel (Field)	48
Spaniel (Irish Water)	111
Spaniel (Sussex)	34
Welsh Corgi (Cardigan)	147

While the At Risk breeds – which registered between 300 and 500 puppies in 2018 – are:

Bedlington Terrier	307
Bullmastiff	409
Irish Terrier	384
Old English Sheepdog	318
Parson Russell Terrier	360
Scottish Terrier	438
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier	307
Spaniel (Welsh Springer)	330
Welsh Terrier	325

The nine most popular British breeds, by comparison, had registration numbers between 2,000 and 24,000 in 2018:

Beagle	2,094	20th
Whippet	3,475	14th
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel	3,701	13th
Staffordshire Bull Terrier	4,858	12th
Border Terrier	5,245	11th
Retriever (Golden)	7,794	7th
Spaniel (English Springer)	10,152	5th
Bulldog	10,665	4th
Spaniel (Cocker)	23,927	3rd