Why you hardly see Dalmatians, Poodles or Border Collies anymore: Owners now look for 'lazier options' with 'low exercise needs, no shedding and little use for gardens'

Poodles, Dalmatians and greyhounds, among others, were once hard to miss on the daily commute or a walk to the local shops, with their striking looks and unique traits making them firm favourites among the wealthy, sporty and style-conscious. For classic canines like poodles, Dalmatians, Border Collies and greyhounds, this could spell bad news. The proportional population of greyhounds fell by 16.35 per cent between 2010 and 2021, while Dalmatians dropped by 1.42 per cent. The elegant, curly-coated breed experienced peak popularity in the 1990s, but according to Pets4Homes, standard poodle registrations have gradually declined since their peak, while miniature and toy poodles have fared somewhat better. 'Also, unlike the traditional British breeds, many of today's "top dogs" are snub-nosed (or brachycephalic) and/or dwarf breeds.