Spotlight on dog breeds left behind by film fashions
‘This really is the best way for people to find their four-legged friend for life rather than following a trend’
FROM the Wizard of Oz’s Toto the terrier to the slobbery Saint Bernard star of Beethoven, film and television have been inspiring people’s choice of dog for decades.
But now, dog lovers are being urged to stop turning to the big and small screens for inspiration, because the popularity of newly fashionable breeds has led to the population of some breeds native to Britain falling to “dangerously” low levels.
A record 34 native breeds were classed as vulnerable by the Kennel Club in 2022. These are breeds with fewer than 300 puppy births a year, and include the bearded and smooth collie, King Charles spaniel and the miniature bull terrier.
The West Highland terrier, a loyal breed “bursting with character”, last year fell to its lowest numbers in more than three decades.
It had just 1,400 puppy registrations compared with 18,688 at the peak of its popularity in 1990.
Synonymous with the film Lassie, rough collies were in the top 10 breeds in the UK in 1979, but are on the Kennel Club’s “at watch” list of breeds – those with between 300 and 450 births annually – following a 94 per cent decline since their heyday.
Bill Lambert, a spokesman for the Kennel Club, told The Sunday Telegraph: “It is popular culture, and a breed’s association with celebrities and influencers, that would appear to have a really dramatic impact on people’s choice of dog.”
The Alaskan Malamute – a breed with a wolf-like appearance similar to Ghost, the Direwolf in Game of Thrones – increased in popularity by 200 per cent in 2019 as the programme’s final series aired. Similarly, following the popularity of Netflix series The Crown, the corgis favoured by Queen Elizabeth II came off the Kennel Club’s “at watch” list of breeds.
But according to Mr Lambert, The Crown “bucked a trend which is seeing historic native breeds plummet to dangerously low levels of popularity, as newer and more fashionable breeds skyrocket”. He added: “This kind of exposure can help to bring some of our much-loved breeds which are at risk of extinction back to the attention of the public.
“But, of course, nobody should be buying a dog simply because they’ve seen them on TV.
“Thorough, extensive and responsible research should drive any decision to ensure the breed is right for you.” The Crufts dog show, run by the Kennel Club, which is taking place this weekend at the NEC in Birmingham, has been helping to raise awareness of endangered dogs through its vulnerable breeds competition since 2016.
Libby, a Welsh corgi, was last night in the running for the coveted Best in Show title after being crowned the top vulnerable breed on Friday, with a bloodhound in second place.
With the top 10 UK breeds – led by the Labrador Retriever – making up more than 60 per cent of all puppy registrations, the Discover Dogs area of Crufts aims to introduce some lesserknown breeds to potential buyers, helping them to choose the dog best suited to their lifestyle. “Would-be owners can meet over 200 dogs – who are all very different, suited to different people and lifestyles – and find out about their characteristics, needs and what they’re like to own from experts,” said Mr Lambert.
“This really is the best way for people to make responsible decisions and find a four-legged friend for life, instead of following a trend.”