Vulnerable native breeds

About vulnerable native breeds

Some of the oldest breeds from Britain and Ireland now depend on a small number of dedicated breeders. This page explains the Royal Kennel Club’s vulnerable native breeds list, who breeds these dogs and what to ask before you join a waiting list for native breed puppies in the UK.

What this work involves

The Royal Kennel Club monitors breeds of British and Irish origin whose numbers are falling. A breed counts as vulnerable when it records 300 or fewer puppy registrations in the UK in the previous year, and breeds registering between 300 and 450 go on an “at watch” list. The list is revised every year from registration figures: 35 breeds were on it in 2024 and 39 in 2025, when the Bedlington Terrier, Bullmastiff, Old English Sheepdog and Welsh Terrier joined. The 2026 list also has 39 breeds, with the Parson Russell Terrier added and the Irish Terrier moving to the at watch list.

Some numbers are very small. Royal Kennel Club figures show just 10 Otterhounds, 15 Sussex Spaniels and five Bloodhounds registered in 2025, and Skye Terrier registrations fell from 71 in 2024 to 45.

For breeders, working with a vulnerable breed means managing a small gene pool: planning matings with inbreeding in mind, health testing, sometimes using imported dogs or overseas studs, and finding committed homes for every puppy. Showing helps keep these breeds visible. The Royal Kennel Club runs a Vulnerable British and Irish Native Breeds competition with its final at Crufts, won by an Irish Wolfhound in both 2025 and 2026. Only Best of Breed winners at the championship shows the Royal Kennel Club designates each year qualify for the final.

Who trains and supplies these dogs in the UK

Puppies in these breeds come from private breeders, often small hobby kennels breeding occasional litters, and many are active in their breed club. The Royal Kennel Club maintains the list, publishes registration statistics, runs the Crufts competition and points prospective owners towards breed clubs and breed rescue. Breed clubs are the practical route in: many keep puppy registers or waiting lists, run rescue and can tell you who has a litter planned. There is no central supplier, and waiting months for the right puppy is normal.

Owners train their own dogs. Many of these breeds were developed for work such as hunting, herding or retrieving, and today their owners show them, compete in working tests and trials, or simply keep them as companions.

Breeds and lines

The 39 breeds on the 2026 list include the Otterhound, Skye Terrier, Sussex Spaniel, Field Spaniel, Glen of Imaal Terrier, Dandie Dinmont Terrier, Smooth Collie, Lancashire Heeler, Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Bloodhound, Irish Wolfhound, Curly Coated Retriever, Clumber Spaniel, Gordon Setter and Irish Red and White Setter, alongside breeds such as the Deerhound, Kerry Blue Terrier and Sealyham Terrier. Because the list changes annually, check the Royal Kennel Club’s current figures before assuming a breed’s status.

In populations this small, Otterhound breeders and those planning Skye Terrier puppies may know most of the breeding dogs in the country and their pedigrees, which helps when choosing a mate. Ask how a breeder’s lines relate to the rest of the breed, not just to the other parent.

What to ask a breeder

• How many litters are born in this breed each year, and how is the breed club managing the gene pool?
• What is the inbreeding coefficient of this mating, and how does it compare with the breed average?
• Which health tests are recommended for the breed, and what results do the parents hold?
• Are you a breed club member, and does the club keep a puppy register or run breed rescue?
• How do you choose homes, and can I join a waiting list for a future litter?
• Will you place endorsements on the registration, and in what circumstances would you lift them?

Frequently asked questions

Why are some native breeds vulnerable?

Mostly fashion and familiarity. The Royal Kennel Club says these breeds are at risk of disappearing simply because people do not know they exist or do not see them as fashionable, even though one of them might suit a household better than a more popular choice.

How long will I wait for an Otterhound or Skye Terrier puppy?

It varies, but expect to wait. With only a handful to a few dozen puppies registered in a year, a breeder may have no litter planned, and most choose homes carefully. Contact the breed club early and be prepared to travel.

Does buying a puppy from a vulnerable breed help it survive?

It can, if the puppy comes from a well-planned, health-tested litter and goes to a home that registers it and stays in touch with the breeder. Numbers alone do not secure a breed; careful breeding and good homes do.

If you breed one of the Royal Kennel Club’s vulnerable native breeds, you can list your kennel on Canine Breeder so buyers searching for rare British dog breeds can find you, your breed club work and your planned litters.