If you’ve been thinking about getting a new dog then you’re not alone – Kennel Club figures show that the number of people looking for puppies has surged to record levels.
But with 221 different breeds of pedigree dog to choose from, there’s plenty of thinking to do before you select your family’s latest four-legged addition – whether you want a large dog, family-friendly dog, or crossbreed.
There’s even academic guidance to seek out, with Psychologist Stanley Coren’s book ‘The Intelligence of Dogs’ ranking breeds by instincts, obedience, and the ability to adapt.
Now that around one in three households have a pet, more business owners are looking to offer pet-friendly services to attract the lucrative pet parent market.
This is particularly true of pubs, many of which now offer bowls of water, free treats, and even dog menus including doggy beer.
Of course, just because a pup is dog-friendly that doesn’t mean your dog is pub-friendly, with certain breeds far more likely to behave well and curl up under your table while you enjoy a drink and a meal.
The perfect pub dog doesn’t bark, is sociable and happy to accept pats from strangers, but also happy to lie next to you when not getting any attention.
Here are the breeds of dog most likely to fit the bill.
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![Whether black, yellow, chocolate or red, the Labrador Retriever is a perfect pub dog - happy to receive attention but made of velcro so they'll stick to their owner like glue. Just make sure your pup is exercised before and they'll happily spend hours under your table, only waking up for the occasional pat or treat.](https://www.scotsman.com/webimg/b25lY21zOmIxNzM3ZThkLTZiYzMtNGMxZi04OTkwLTc0MjJhYzc2YTI2NjowNGMzMDlhNS0yMDZjLTRjYjItOWI4Yi00MDIyNjUwNjE3YTc=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
1. Labrador Retriever
Whether black, yellow, chocolate or red, the Labrador Retriever is a perfect pub dog - happy to receive attention but made of velcro so they'll stick to their owner like glue. Just make sure your pup is exercised before and they'll happily spend hours under your table, only waking up for the occasional pat or treat. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
![Big dogs can be a hassle in the pub - getting in the way of both customers and employees. As long as there's enough room though, the Saint Bernard is an exception. These gentle giants tend to be so relaxed, even in noisy environments, that you might ever forget they're there.](https://www.scotsman.com/webimg/b25lY21zOmYxYWE4N2MzLWE3ODEtNGM4OS05OTNiLTdkZGYwOWE0YjcxYzo4MzU3OTRiNC01NTEyLTRiZjgtOGRjYy1mOTNiMDM3ZGQwMTc=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
2. Saint Bernard
Big dogs can be a hassle in the pub - getting in the way of both customers and employees. As long as there's enough room though, the Saint Bernard is an exception. These gentle giants tend to be so relaxed, even in noisy environments, that you might ever forget they're there. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
![Dogs don't get much more intelligent than the Poodle and they are very adaptable to new places and situations. Any nervousness on their first pub visit will soon disappear and before you know it they'll be looking forward to popping in with you.](https://www.scotsman.com/webimg/b25lY21zOjI4OTNhMTNjLWYzYzUtNDExMy1hODU3LTk4Mzc0NDNhOTA2MDpmOTFlMDVlYi1kMzU0LTQ1YmQtOGVmMy02N2FmZTFkNzZiYmI=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
3. Poodle
Dogs don't get much more intelligent than the Poodle and they are very adaptable to new places and situations. Any nervousness on their first pub visit will soon disappear and before you know it they'll be looking forward to popping in with you. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
![If there was a competition to find the most chilled dog, Bassett Hounds would probably win a clean sweep of medals. Happiest sleeping, they don't tend to be fussy about where they do it. The biggest challenge may be persuading them to walk to the pub and back again. Loud snoring is likely to be the only noise they'll make inbetween.](https://www.scotsman.com/webimg/b25lY21zOjc5NTNkZWYwLTZmNGMtNGE1MC1hOGI1LTljOGY4NzY3N2Q5ODowNDcxZTk0MS1jZmFmLTRhYmMtYTUyMS01NmEzZDE5Nzk0ZTE=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
4. Bassett Hound
If there was a competition to find the most chilled dog, Bassett Hounds would probably win a clean sweep of medals. Happiest sleeping, they don't tend to be fussy about where they do it. The biggest challenge may be persuading them to walk to the pub and back again. Loud snoring is likely to be the only noise they'll make inbetween. Photo: Canva/Getty Images