From Barking to Houndslow: London postcodes pinpointed by puppy preference.
Statistics released ahead of the Kennel Club’s Discover Dogs event taking place at ExCeL London on 12-13th October, show that there are distinct differences in the dog breeds and names favoured by people living in different parts of London. The statistics show:
•Affluent west London, including Kensington and Chelsea and Hammersmith – regal breeds such as the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the Maltese, favourite of Queen Victoria, make the top ten, unlike anywhere else in the capital. Lottie, after the royal princess, is the third most popular pup name in west London, while Willow, the name of the final Corgi bred by the Queen, makes the cut at number ten. However, neither name features in the capital’s overall top ten.
•Compact east London, including the Docklands and Canary Wharf – small breeds do well, with the tiny Miniature Smooth Dachshund ranking higher than in any other London region. East Londoners are also favouring some more unusual breeds, including the exotic Japanese Shiba Inu making the area’s top ten favourite breeds this year. This exotic breed only makes up around 0.1 per cent of the overall dog population in the UK and doesn’t appear in any other London region’s top ten. Residents of east London are similarly edgy with their choice in dog names, and are the only ones throughout the city with Debbie, Nico, Scooby and Noah in their top ten.
•North west London, including Hampstead, Regents Park and Primrose Hill – large dog breeds do well, with the Golden Retriever placing at number three and proving more popular here than any other London area. The elegant Hungarian Vizsla also makes it into the top ten solely in north west London. Residents here appear to prefer typical dog names, like Bella, Lola and Buddy, with adventurous Skye the only unique name making the area’s top ten.
•Steady north London, including Islington and Camden – old favourites like the Staffordshire Bull Terrier and the Whippet remain popular, while the more unusual American Cocker Spaniel and the Boston Terrier, both of which originate from across the pond, are climbing the top ten only in this area of the capital. North Londoners favoured names for their four-legged friend are Alfie, Lola and Leo.
•Leafy and green south west London, including Wandsworth and Wimbledon – are the only Londoners to keep the firm family favourite, the Cocker Spaniel, in the top three. Contrastingly, preferred names in this area are shifting away from the typical to the unusual, including Loki and Otto, neither of which are popular in any other London region.
However, regardless of region, it seems that some firm favourites now dominate every corner of the capital, with the French Bulldog reigning as top dog across all areas in the city, while the Labrador Retriever – the UK’s most popular dog breed – is now trailing behind. Similarly, Londoners think Luna, Bella and Lola are the pawfect name for their new pup, and are the top trio of names in the city overall, mirroring the rest of the UK.
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