Ugly dog breeds are increasing in popularity as owners look for pets which provoke a strong reaction, new figures show.
Growing numbers of Britons are shunning traditional breeds in favour of the less obvious charms of animals which even their staunchest supporters might concede are not blessed in the looks department.
The surprising surge in popularity of a series of ââ¬Åuglyââ¬Â or unconventional-looking dog breeds is revealed in statistics from the Kennel Club on the numbers of pedigree puppies born in the last decade.
Among the fastest risers were the Mexican hairless and Chinese crested, both of which are largely bald with wizened features, the Cirneco Dellââ¬â¢Etna and Pharaoh Hound, distinguished by their oversized bat-like ears, and the wrinkled-faced dogue de Bordeaux, owned by Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney, the England footballers.
The Chinese crested, which is more established in the UK, now numbers in its thousands, having increased from just 312 puppies registered in 2001 to almost 600 last year. The breed has, in recent years, dominated the Worldââ¬â¢s Ugliest Dog Contest, an annual competition in California.
Also growing in popularity over the period are several other varieties, whose distinctive squashed features and flat faces mean they are similarly facially challenged. Among them are the griffon Bruxelloise (up 43 per cent to 201 puppies), Japanese chin (up 57 per cent to 302), and the shar pei (up 143 per cent to 2,304).
Two other unusual-looking breeds to have increased during the period are the more established pug (up 557 per cent to 5,726) and chihuahuas (up 322 per cent to 5,397), both of which have been popularised by celebrity owners, including Paris Hilton, Jonathan Ross, and Hugh Laurie.
Paul Keevil, who runs a group called British Heritage Dog Breeds, promoting more traditional, native varieties, said the trend for ââ¬Åeccentric-lookingââ¬Â dogs was about owners ââ¬Åmaking a statement ââ¬â whatever that statement isââ¬Â.
Full article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/pets/8985948/Owners-opt-for-ugly-breeds-of-dog.html
In my opinion there is no such thing as ugly breeds. Each breed is unique and I find them all adorable!
Growing numbers of Britons are shunning traditional breeds in favour of the less obvious charms of animals which even their staunchest supporters might concede are not blessed in the looks department.
The surprising surge in popularity of a series of ââ¬Åuglyââ¬Â or unconventional-looking dog breeds is revealed in statistics from the Kennel Club on the numbers of pedigree puppies born in the last decade.
Among the fastest risers were the Mexican hairless and Chinese crested, both of which are largely bald with wizened features, the Cirneco Dellââ¬â¢Etna and Pharaoh Hound, distinguished by their oversized bat-like ears, and the wrinkled-faced dogue de Bordeaux, owned by Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney, the England footballers.
The Chinese crested, which is more established in the UK, now numbers in its thousands, having increased from just 312 puppies registered in 2001 to almost 600 last year. The breed has, in recent years, dominated the Worldââ¬â¢s Ugliest Dog Contest, an annual competition in California.
Also growing in popularity over the period are several other varieties, whose distinctive squashed features and flat faces mean they are similarly facially challenged. Among them are the griffon Bruxelloise (up 43 per cent to 201 puppies), Japanese chin (up 57 per cent to 302), and the shar pei (up 143 per cent to 2,304).
Two other unusual-looking breeds to have increased during the period are the more established pug (up 557 per cent to 5,726) and chihuahuas (up 322 per cent to 5,397), both of which have been popularised by celebrity owners, including Paris Hilton, Jonathan Ross, and Hugh Laurie.
Paul Keevil, who runs a group called British Heritage Dog Breeds, promoting more traditional, native varieties, said the trend for ââ¬Åeccentric-lookingââ¬Â dogs was about owners ââ¬Åmaking a statement ââ¬â whatever that statement isââ¬Â.
Full article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/pets/8985948/Owners-opt-for-ugly-breeds-of-dog.html
In my opinion there is no such thing as ugly breeds. Each breed is unique and I find them all adorable!
