Royal seal of approval from the King means the Jack Russell is a dog that’s having its day

CORGIS saw a surge in sales after the death of Queen Elizabeth II as people tried to keep alive some small connection to the monarch.

And now it appears, the King is having a similar effect, with his choice of pet, the Jack Russell terrier, seeing an increase in Kennel club registrations.

The King has long been a fan of Jack Russells and he and the Queen Consort own two, Bluebell and Beth, which were rescued from Battersea Cats and Dogs Home over a decade ago.

Research from the Kennel Club shows that the number of Jack Russells registered has risen by 71 per cent compared to the same period last year.

In the second quarter of 2022, the number of people registering Jack Russell

terriers rose from 66 the previous year, to 113.

A spokesman for the Kennel Club said: “Breeds wax and wane in popularity – and there are a number of factors that can play a part, such as popular culture and high-profile ownership.”

A spokesman for the RSPCA said it was “easy to see” why the royal couple have “such love for Jack Russell terriers”. She added: “While many of these dogs may be little in stature they are typically described as having big, personalities and tend to be very active.

“The popularity of certain types of dogs is often triggered by popular culture and we’ve seen an increase in popularity of specific breeds due to new film releases and popularity on social media.” The Jack Russell is one of the most commonly used and much-loved dogs in Hollywood, dating back to classics such as Bringing Up Baby, High Sierra and Charlie Chaplin’s A Dog’s Life.

The late Queen had a lifelong affection for corgis, having fallen in love with the breed as a child. She owned more than 30, many direct descendants of the first, Susan, given to her as an 18th birthday present in 1944.

At her death, Queen Elizabeth had four dogs, two young corgis given to her by the Duke of York in 2021, a dorgi (dachshund/corgi cross) and a cocker spaniel.