Britain's heritage dog breeds at risk: five bloodhound puppies in a year — how it happened and how to choose a dog that suits your life

What the vet warned about

On 19 October 2026 British vet Charlotte Inness, founder of the independent online pet pharmacy VetMedi, issued a stark warning: Britain's heritage dog breeds could disappear. Buyers are increasingly choosing small, low-shedding dogs — above all fashionable crossbreeds such as the cockapoo — while traditional breeds with centuries of history are left with hardly any puppies.

If future owners only choose what's popular online, we risk narrowing the gene pool irreversibly.

Charlotte Inness, vet

What "vulnerable native breeds" are

The Royal Kennel Club keeps a list of vulnerable native breeds — those with fewer than 300 puppies registered a year. There are currently almost 40 breeds on the list. The threshold of 300 registrations isn't arbitrary: with fewer puppies, it becomes ever harder for breeders to pair dogs without mating relatives, and the breed gradually loses genetic diversity. The club also has a next tier — breeds "at watch", with slightly more registrations, which are also closely monitored.

Among the most worrying examples is the bloodhound: just 5 puppies were registered in 2025, 90% fewer than ten years ago. Greyhounds had 10 puppies, 75% fewer. Registrations of Old English sheepdogs have halved over the same period.

Who these dogs are

The bloodhound is a large scent hound with an extraordinary nose, descended from the medieval hounds of St Hubert. For centuries bloodhounds were used for tracking, and they still help search for missing people today. They are calm, affectionate but stubborn dogs that need long walks and patient training.

The greyhound is one of the fastest dogs in the world. At home, greyhounds are surprisingly calm: they sleep a lot and don't need endless activity, although they do need the chance to run in a safe place.

The Old English sheepdog is a large, shaggy herding dog. Its long, thick coat needs a lot of grooming, which is one reason the breed is losing out to "easier" dogs. Old English sheepdogs were once stars of British advertising and television, and demand for them was huge — which makes today's decline all the more striking.

Why there are "few" greyhounds — a caveat

The Kennel Club's figures cover only puppies registered with it, not every dog in the country. This is particularly noticeable with greyhounds: racing greyhounds in the UK and Ireland are registered with their own racing registries, not with the Kennel Club. So the 10 puppies are greyhounds from show lines, not the whole population. Many retired racing greyhounds are looking for homes, by the way — and they make wonderful pets. They are rehomed by specialist charities. Bear in mind that many greyhounds have a strong prey drive and not every one can live with a cat, so good rehoming centres assess dogs in advance and match them with the right family.

Why buyers choose crossbreeds

Cockapoos — a cross between a cocker spaniel and a poodle — have become one of the UK's most popular dogs. According to the Royal Veterinary College's VetCompass database of veterinary practice records, there are more than five times as many cockapoos as all vulnerable native breeds combined. Buyers are drawn by their small size, cheerful character and reputation for shedding little.

Inness believes that many families who got dogs during the pandemic lack the time, space and energy for the long walks that traditional working breeds need. It's an understandable choice, but it has a downside. Cockapoos can be great dogs in their own right; the point is not to avoid them, but to make sure fashion doesn't leave breeds developed over centuries for specific work without a future. Crossbreeds have no single standard, and their health depends heavily on how responsibly the parents were chosen. And the promise of a "hypoallergenic" dog is largely a myth: allergens are found not only in the coat but also in saliva and skin flakes, so no dog is completely safe for people with allergies.

The flat-faced fashion is fading

There is good news too. The fashion for dogs with shortened muzzles, which often have breathing problems, is clearly fading. French bulldog registrations in 2025 were more than 85% down on the 2021 peak, when there were over 54,000. Pug registrations were down 92%, at 834 in 2025. Vets spent years speaking out about these dogs' suffering, and buyers seem to be listening. Because of their shortened muzzles, these dogs have narrow nostrils and airways: they snore, tire quickly, struggle in the heat and sometimes can barely breathe when exercising. Many need surgery to help them breathe more easily.

Why a shrinking gene pool is dangerous

When a breed has few dogs, breeders have to mate ever closer relatives. As a result, inherited diseases become more common — problems with joints, eyes, the heart and the immune system — and fewer, weaker puppies are born. Lost diversity is very hard to restore: once a line has disappeared, it can't be brought back. That is what Inness means when she warns of an "irreversible" narrowing of the gene pool.

To reduce the risk, the Kennel Club gives breeders tools to calculate how closely related future puppies will be, and breed clubs draw up breeding programmes and sometimes bring in dogs from abroad.

What the Kennel Club says

The Royal Kennel Club shares the concern but urges against jumping to conclusions. Its data cover only puppies registered with it. The club works with breeders and breed clubs to support vulnerable breeds and urges prospective owners to think honestly about whether a breed suits their lifestyle.

We would be cautious about drawing a direct causal link. Raising awareness of breeds is important, but at the same time prospective owners need to make an informed choice.

Charlotte McNamara, Royal Kennel Club director of owner engagement and canine welfare

Breeds worth considering

Inness suggests looking at rare British breeds — for example, the Dandie Dinmont terrier, the Bedlington terrier and the smooth collie.

Breeds such as the Dandie Dinmont, the Bedlington terrier or the smooth collie make excellent, healthy family dogs.

Charlotte Inness

The Dandie Dinmont is a small Scottish terrier with a long body and a fluffy topknot, named after a character in a Walter Scott novel. The Bedlington terrier looks like a lamb but remains an energetic terrier. The smooth collie is an intelligent herding dog with a short coat that's easier to care for than a rough collie's. Every breed has its own inherited risks, though: Bedlingtons, for example, can have a liver disease linked to copper build-up. So ask the breeder which genetic tests the puppies' parents have had.

How to choose a breed that suits your life

Before choosing a dog from a photo, answer a few questions honestly:

• How much time can you spend walking? Hounds and herding dogs need hours of activity; some smaller breeds need less.
• How much space do you have? A large dog in a small flat is a strain for it and for you.
• Are you ready to groom? A long coat needs regular brushing and clipping.
• Does anyone in the family have allergies? Spend time with dogs of your chosen breed before buying.
• How long does the breed live, and what health problems does it have? Ask your vet and the breed club.

Meet breeds in person — at shows, through breed clubs and responsible breeders. See puppies with their mother and ask about the parents' health test results.

If you've decided on a rare breed

You can't get a rare-breed puppy "by tomorrow". Responsible breeders have one or two litters a year, and there's often a waiting list, sometimes for many months. The best place to start is the breed club: it can recommend reputable breeders, tell you about the breed's temperament and health and warn you about typical problems.

A good breeder will ask prospective owners questions themselves — about their home, family and time for walks — and may say no if they feel the dog won't be a good fit. They show puppies with their mother and provide the parents' health test results, a contract and advice on feeding and training, and they stay in touch afterwards. If someone offers you a rare-breed puppy in a hurry, with no questions asked and delivery included, be wary.

What happens next

The fate of rare breeds depends on future owners. If even some of the families looking for a dog consider heritage breeds that suit their lifestyle, bloodhounds, Old English sheepdogs and Dandie Dinmonts will have a chance. For owners themselves, the main lesson of this story is to choose a dog not by fashion, but by whether you can give it what it needs.