Owners opt for 'ugly’ breeds of dog

The Telegraph ^ | 1-1-12 | Jasper Copping

[afraidfortherepublic]

"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 “ugly” 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 Dell’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.

Between these five breeds, 3,452 puppies were born in 2010, compared with just 990 in 2001.

Meanwhile, many traditional breeds are plummeting in numbers, among them the Yorkshire terrier (down 32 per cent since 2001 to 3,441 puppies in 2010), and West Highland White terrier, (down 51 per cent to 5,361), German shepherd (down 27 per cent to 10,364) and golden retriever (down 20 per cent to 7,911).

[afraidfortherepublic]

Miss Ellie, a Chinese Crested Hairless dog, won the World's Ugliest Dog Contest last year

[bgill]

They say the dog resembles the owner.

[Mmogamer]

Any dog that loves you and gets all excited when you get home isn’t ugly.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Obviously these folks have not taste if Golden Retriever numbers are declining!

Slide show at link.

[ClearCase_guy]

The overall trend for society -- Lots and lots of people playing the "Look at me!" game.

American Idol is both a symptom and a cause, I think. A whole lot of mediocre (and worse) people managed to get on TV and their friends said, "Wow! You are so cool!". Now an awful lot of people are going through life saying, "Notice me! I'm special! All eyes -- over here!"

[donozark]

I once had a Mexican Hairless. Her name was Maria...

[QwertyKPH]

Best dogs are adopted shelter dogs. Read the stories.

http://sprite.marklevinshow.com/

[VicVega]

I prefer hairless.

[Mmogamer]

One of the best dogs I’ve ever had was a Husky. Very smart and cute and loving. Wife’s got our but dog still remembers me and is all over me when I see her.

[coydog]

Pharaoh Hounds are actually quite elegant dogs, like greyhounds with pricked ears. They put you in mind of the dogs featured in ancient Egyptian murals and may be descended from that stock.

[Mister Da]

My vet tells me that these “highly bred” dogs have a lot of health problems. If you get one, you better have the money to pay the bills.

[mamelukesabre]

husky dogs, and all sled dogs, are not very good for obedience.

[bgill]

All of ours have been found or dumped.

[mamelukesabre]

if you want health, poodle for a small dog, lab for a big dog.

[Mmogamer]

Well I never said she toed the line.. she is a wonderful dog none the less.

[afraidfortherepublic]

I agree. I thought it odd that they categorized the Pharoh Hound as an ugly dog.

[Eye of Unk]

I cannot wait for the gene stores to come out with the warthog-dog. We need an army of them in America.

[mamelukesabre]

bird dogs and herding dogs for me...the rest are just too much of a pain to train.

[Berlin_Freeper]

not ugly

U.S. Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich poses with a dog named Tizzy at the West Towne Pub in Ames, Iowa, January 1, 2012.

[HiTech RedNeck]

“Look at me, I can say ‘ack pht’ in dog!”

That’s so ugly it’s cute. Yes it can has cheezburger.