The harrier has been revealed as one of the most at-risk dog breeds in the UK and Ireland, new research from The Kennel Club shows.
In the last few years it has seen very few new births, with none recorded in 2023 and nine in 2022, down from 38 in 2021 with the Covid-related puppy boom. Now, the latest figures from The Kennel Club reveal that just one puppy was registered in 2024.
The harrier originated as a 13th-century hunting dog, standing between the taller foxhound and the smaller beagle – similar in appearance and temperament to both breeds.
The relatively low numbers could be due to the fact that the harrier only became recognised as a Kennel Club breed in 2020, with harrier packs still tied to hunts around the UK and Ireland.
Other classic British breeds have also fallen into obscurity, with the Yorkshire terrier and Shetland sheepdog recording their lowest numbers since 1944 and 1946 respectively. The airedale terrier has also been added to the ‘at watch’ list for the first time.
The Kennel Club’s Vulnerable British and Irish Breeds list was created in 2004 to highlight breeds with fewer than 300 puppy registrations, with the ‘at watch’ list for those with between 300 and 450 registrations.
The most popular dog breeds in the UK (including the labrador, French bulldog and cocker spaniel) account for more than 60% of annual puppy registrations across all breeds.
While many breeds have fallen in popularity, others have experienced significant increases, including the rough collie (a herding dog) and cairn terrier, both of which have now left the list.
Some breeds have remained on the list but seen remarkable increases, such as the Skye terrier and otterhound (both of which we included in our list of weird and wonderful-looking dog breeds) – which last year was among the rarest dog breeds in the UK. both breeds have doubled in popularity.
These are the most vulnerable native breeds in the UK and Ireland, according to The Kennel Club’s findings in 2024:
Harrier 1
Foxhound 6
Sussex spaniel 24
Bloodhound 25
Smooth collie 29
Otterhound 42
Smooth fox terrier 45
Curly coated retriever 50
Irish water spaniel (included in our list of hypoallergenic dogs) 53
Top image: Harrier dog (credit: The Kennel Club)
