Vets welcome data indicating fall in UK popularity of flat-faced dog breeds

Squashed-face dogs including pugs and French bulldogs are declining in popularity, data suggests, with experts hopeful the trend reflects a growing awareness of the health problems such breeds face. According to breed registration statistics from the UK’s Royal Kennel Club (RKC), there were 1,400 registrations of French bulldogs in the first three months of 2026 – a 37% drop compared with the same period in 2025. Bulldog registrations dropped by 34% and pug registrations by 43%, with only 126 pugs registered in the first three months of 2026. The recent declines appear to be part of a larger trend. Pug registrations fell from 10,408 in 2016 to 834 in 2025. French bulldog registrations fell to 7,750 in 2025 from a high of 54,074 in 2021. The surge in popularity of flat-faced, or brachycephalic, breeds caused concerns among experts, and veterinary organisations and charities have run numerous campaigns to highlight the serious health issues such breeds are prone to as a result of their extreme body shapes. These range from skin disorders and eye ulcers to difficulties giving birth , spine abnormalities and breathing difficulties . Prof Dan O’Neill, of the Royal Veterinary College, suggested the decline in registrations reflected an end to the demand for flat-faced dogs in the UK, noting that other data had indicated the public were moving heavily towards owning poodle-cross designer dogs. …