Labradors take the lead as UK’s most popular dog breed

Protectivity research has revealed which dog breeds have seen the biggest rise and fall in registration numbers over the last two decades.

The Labrador takes the crown of the most popular dog breed with 35,347 registrations in newly released Kennel Club Club data, overtaking the French Bulldog.
When looking at breed types, utility breeds have seen the biggest increase in registrations, with a 163% rise since 1990.
The Dogue de Bordeaux is revealed to have had the largest increase in registrations, with a 22,217% rise, from just 6 registrations in 1990 to 1,339 in 2019.
Surprisingly, the Yorkshire Terrier has experienced the greatest fall in registration numbers with just 644 registrations in 2019 compared to a huge 24,015 in 1990, as owners are favouring continental breeds over the classic British breeds.

Pet business insurance provider Protectivity has analysed data from The Kennel Club to reveal which dog breeds are the most popular and which have seen the biggest rise and fall in registration numbers in the UK between 1990 and 2019. You can view the piece here.

As a nation of animal lovers, dogs are one of our most popular pets, and with over a quarter of adults owning one, we all have our own favourite breeds. Traditionally, we’ve seen Spaniels, Labradors and Terriers among the more commonly owned breeds, but in recent years we’ve also seen ‘designer’ dog breeds become much more popular, with these posh pups costing over £1000 to buy in some cases.

French Bulldogs lose their spot as the top dog

Looking at the number of registrations in the UK in 2019, the Labrador Retriever comes in as the top breed with 35,347 registrations, overtaking last year’s top breed the French Bulldog, which has had 33,661 registrations. The “Frenchie”, as it’s more affectionately known, has risen to popularity after becoming the breed of choice for celebrities such as the Beckhams, Lady Gaga and Holly Willoughby, amongst others. However, the spike in French Bulldog purchases has also caused the RSPCA to see a 236% increase in the number of this breed entering their care over the last seven years.

The top ten sees our old favourite breeds such as the Cocker Spaniel, Golden Retriever and Dachshund, but also includes a more surprising entry in the form of the Miniature Schnauzer. Ranked as one of the most ‘average’ dogs by the Royal Veterinary College, the lack of breed-related problems and tolerant nature make the Miniature Schnauzer a good option for any aspiring dog owners, with their smart mustachioed appearance also winning the hearts of many.

The top five most popular dog breeds are:

Rank	Breed	Registrations in 2019
1	Retriever (Labrador)	35,347
2	French Bulldog	33,661
3	Spaniel (Cocker)	21,663
4	Bulldog	9,922
5	Spaniel (English Springer)	8,638

Which breeds have seen the biggest rise and fall in registrations?

The nation’s trendiest dog since 1990 goes to the Dogue de Bordeaux. With a huge 22,217% increase in registrations, the breed has seen a massive surge in popularity, even placing above the French Bulldog which comes in second with a 13,639% increase.

Despite having a long history of working roles including as a guard dog, these gentle giants make a brilliant dog to have around children, with their calm and affectionate nature making them a loyal family member.

However, it’s the biggest fallers that might be more surprising, with the Yorkshire Terrier having seen a 97% decrease in registrations. The number of registrations of the breed have been steadily declining year on year, highlighting how fewer litters are being produced.

This decline may also in part be as a result of the overall increase in registrations for popular European breeds such as the French Bulldog, causing a saturation of more small breeds in the market.

The five breeds with the greatest increase in registrations are:

Rank	Breed	Difference in registrations from 1990 to 2019 (%)
1	Dogue de Bordeaux	22,217%
2	French Bulldog	13,639%
3	Bracco Italiano	5,850%
4	Belgian Shepherd Dog (Malinois)	2,183%
5	Retriever (Nova Scotia Duck Tolling)	2,125%

The five breeds with the greatest decrease in registrations are:

Rank	Breed	Difference in registrations from 1990 to 2019 (%)
1	Yorkshire Terrier	-97%
2	West Highland White Terrier	-92%
3	Pekingese	-91%
4	Polish Lowland Sheepdog	-88%
5	Cairn Terrier	-88%

Utility breeds see a surge in popularity

When looking at the wider breed types, the change in popularity of breeds can be seen further. With a 163% surge in popularity, Utility breeds have risen by quite some margin, while Pastoral, Toy and Terrier breeds have all experienced declines of over 50%.

Within the Pastoral breed group, over 80% of the breeds analysed have experienced a decline, including larger breeds such as the Old English Sheepdog, Bearded Collie and Shetland Sheepdog. T

his downward trend in larger breeds may also be reflective of the increase in people living in city centre locations, where the urban lifestyle is much more suited to smaller dogs.

Sean Walsh, Marketing Manager from Protectivity Insurance said: “Dogs are some of our most loved pets, as they become deeply embedded and irreplaceable members of the family. Each family or owner will have their own criteria when choosing a dog, in order to ensure that the needs of the breed are met with their lifestyle.

“As a result, it’s interesting to see how our modern lifestyles have created a shift in popularity towards smaller dog breeds, rather than the larger Retrievers and German Shepherds which were once much more popular”

Deadline extended to win a brand new team kit

As a result of the Covid-19 outbreak, UK branded products and clothing specialist Recognition Express has extended the deadline for U16 Junior and juvenile football clubs across England and Scotland to nominate their unsung club heroes.

The prize is a brand- new strip for the whole team next season and the extended deadline for free online entry is now 30 April.

The Recognition Express franchise has local branches across England and Scotland each run by owner operators who play an active part in the communities they serve.

Nigel Toplis, managing director of Recognition Express, said: “Our annual Unsung Heroes competition is a fantastic way to recognise those who support junior football clubs.

“In these unprecedented times we appreciate that clubs need all the help they can get, which is why we are extending the deadline for entries.

“Anyone who goes over and above for the club can be nominated; from coaches and caretakers to club secretaries and groundsmen, anyone whose selflessness and commitment allows girls and boys to enjoy football in a safe, friendly and welcoming environment.

“With club sponsorship hard to come by in the best of times and with the added financial pressure facing mums and dads at the moment, Recognition Express wants to offer local teams the chance to start next season on a high note with in a brand new strip, in a design of their choosing.

“As specialists in recognition products, promotional items and branded clothing, it makes sense for us to combine donating a new team strip to a local junior football clubs whilst recognising an unsung hero. It gives us the chance to recognise the contribution these unsung heroes make and give something back to the communities our franchisees serve.”

Anyone can nominate a junior football club hero. The competition is open to all under 16’s junior and juvenile football clubs in England and Scotland.

To enter visit https://www.recognition-express.com/nominate-football-hero and complete the simple entry form.

The competition closes on Thursday 30 April 2020 and the winner will be announced from Monday 11 May.

How to make food stretch further

From freezing leftovers to serving smaller portion sizes and bulking out dishes with vegetables, families have been offered advice on how to make their food shop last longer.

Penny-pinching gurus from TheMoneyPig.com have revealed six ways to help make the food Brits have in their cupboards last longer than normal, if households are self-isolating.

By taking an inventory of all the food in the cupboards and freezer, families will be able to create meals around the food they have in the house, without needing to buy extra ingredients.

Padding dishes out with cheap vegetables will also help reduce the amount of meat needed, and it’ll also help make more portions whilst bringing the cost down.

A spokesperson from TheMoneyPig.com said: “In these difficult times it’s important to make sure that the food you have managed to buy lasts as long as possible, whilst also keeping everyone full.

“That means throwing little to nothing away and adding cheap ingredients to meals like Spaghetti Bolognese or Chilli con Carne to really bulk them out.

“A lot of these suggestions are to do with the way you store food, and ensuring you use up tins with the shortest use by date first.

“Opting for cheaper options of some ingredients will also help keep the price of dishes down, and of course being able to make more portions out of the same dish will help with this too.”

Here are six ways TheMoneyPig.com says you can make food go further:

Freeze

The amount of foods that you can actually freeze is quite surprising, meaning it’s kept in an edible state for longer. As long as you freeze and defrost the foods safely, they should be able to stay in the freezer for as long as you need them to. Everything from meat and milk to fruit and eggs can be stored in the freezer.

If you have extra portions of dishes, these can also be frozen for a later date instead of being thrown out.

Cupboard

Many people will have cupboards and pantries full of old tins which they haven’t used. Try and create meals around the tins with the nearest sell-by dates, as the newer tins will last longer. This also means that you may not need to buy as much food as you may have previously thought.

Inventory

Write an inventory of all the food you have in the house. You can then create and make meals with these foods instead of needing to buy ingredients for recipes you would normally eat. As your inventory and list decreases you will also be able to see what food you need to buy when you go shopping. Doing this will also force you to be a bit more creative with the meals you make, pushing you out of your comfort zone by learning new recipes.

Vegetables

Using vegetables, beans and pulses to fill out dishes such as Bolognese and other pastas means that the amount of meat needed is reduced. You will get more portions out of the dish which will help reduce costs. It will also be much healthier, helping to reach the goal of 5 fruit and veg a day.

Portion control

As easy as it is to assume a chicken breast will feed just one person, weighing the raw weight of ingredients will ensure that everyone is eating adequately without overeating, meaning you can get more meals out of your food.

Drink

The more liquid you drink, especially water, the fuller you will feel. Although you should still be eating your main meals, drink lots of water before and during mealtimes, and filling up on water may help keep the snacking at bay, which means these foods can be used in larger meals later on.

Don’t miss out: claim Child Benefit by phone or post, HMRC tells new parents

Parents of new-borns will still be able to claim Child Benefit despite the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19), HMRC announced today.

Even though General Register Offices remain closed for now, parents can still claim Child Benefit without having to register their child’s birth first to ensure that they do not miss out.

First time parents will need to fill in Child Benefit Claim form CH2 found online and send it to the Child Benefit Office. If they haven’t registered the birth because of COVID-19, they should add a note with their claim to let us know.

If they already claim Child Benefit, they can complete the form or add their new-born’s details over the phone on 0300 200 3100. They will need their National Insurance number or Child Benefit number.

Child Benefit claims can be backdated by up to 3 months.

This announcement is timely as Child Benefit payments increased from 6 April to a weekly rate of £21.05 for the first child and £13.95 for each additional child. Child Benefit is paid into a parent’s bank account, usually every 4 weeks.

Only one person can claim Child Benefit for a child. For couples with one partner not working or paying National Insurance contributions (NICs), making the claim in their name will help protect their State Pension.

Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Jesse Norman, said: “We need people to stay at home in order to protect the NHS and save lives. Today’s change means new parents won’t miss out financially and can keep their families safe.

The government will do whatever it takes to support people and the NHS during this outbreak, and HMRC is working around the clock to help families and businesses across the UK.

Angela MacDonald, Director General for Customer Services at HMRC, said: “It’s really important that new parents remember to register for Child Benefit, even during these unprecedented times.

“The increase in Child Benefit is a boost for family budgets but there’s more to claiming than the payments. We’re encouraging people to claim so they don’t miss out on National Insurance credits that help protect their State Pension. It also helps children to get their National Insurance number automatically at 16.”

HMRC is reminding High Income Child Benefit Charge customers of the importance of claiming Child Benefit, even if they choose to opt out of receiving monetary benefits.

The tax charge applies to anyone with an income over £50,000 who claims Child Benefit or whose partner claims it. Even if you do have to pay the tax charge, you could still be better off by claiming Child Benefit – the tax is 1% of Child Benefit for each £100 of income over £50,000.

You can use the Child Benefit tax calculator to work out how much you may have to pay, or you can opt out of receiving Child Benefit payments altogether when you complete the form, so you won’t have to pay the charge but will still protect your State Pension.

If you need help or support with this, call Granton Information Centre on 0131 551 2459 or 0131 552 0458, email info@gic.org.uk

Free pet boarding at LOVE Gorgie Farm during coronavirus crisis

LOVE Gorgie Farm is offering free small pet boarding services to aid all those pet owners who are unwell or need to be admitted into the hospital.

By taking care of the animals free of charge, the beloved urban farm intends to help to those who are unwell or have to be temporarily admitted into the hospital to focus on their health and eliminate any extra stress that having to look after pets may cause.

Although donations are welcomed, LOVE Gorgie Farm will not be charging for pet boarding services during the coronavirus crisis and owners will only have to cover food costs.

Animals eligible for these services will be rabbits and guinea pigs, rodents, reptiles caged birds and poultry.

The farm currently operates as a foodbank for the most vulnerable and delivers free breakfast every morning to the children of the community now that schools are closed.

However, its team is still working behind closed doors in maintaining the site and taking care of the animals.

Following the Government’s advice, LOVE Gorgie Farm decided to temporarily close its doors amid the coronavirus outbreak only after reopening to the public at the end of February.

Lynn Bell, CEO of LOVE Learning, the education and social care charity operating LOVE Gorgie Farm, said: “We understand how stressful it can be to feel like you are neglecting your pets when you can not give them the love and attention that they deserve. However, those feeling unwell during this pandemic must focus their energy on their health and on getting better.

“That’s why if you are sick during these critical times, we want to help take some of this stress away by providing an environment full of love and care to your pet whilst you focus on your own recovery.”

Those wanting to get in touch with the farm should contact gorgie@l-o-v-e.org.uk

NHS Lothian sets up staff testing centre at Chalmers Centre

NHS Lothian has transformed one of its health centres into a mass drive-through staff COVID-19 testing centre.

Every day, scores of NHS Lothian staff are being tested in their cars at the Chalmers Sexual Health Centre in Edinburgh, in a bid to reduce unnecessary absence and bolster frontline services.

To date, 670 staff, including doctors and nurses and their household contacts, have attended appointments at the testing station to be swabbed for the virus.

If they have symptoms and are tested within the first 72 hours, a negative result, can end family or self-isolation and allow a return to work if they are well. This is even more valuable to staff who are self-isolating for 14 days because of household contacts who may have symptoms.

Dr Tracey Gillies, Medical Director, NHS Lothian, said up to 160 staff have been tested in a day and of those around 86 per cent had already tested negative for COVID-19.

She added: “Providing access to staff testing is critical. It not only gives our colleagues reassurance, but enables staff, if they feel well enough, to return to work.

“Across NHS Lothian, we have seen fantastic cooperation, flexibility and willingness from all our teams, and this staff testing facility really does encapsulate that. Every single member of staff is doing their bit and for that, I would like to say a huge thank you.”

Regular services at Chalmers have been greatly reduced over recent days and weeks, and as a result, has meant that the centre had quiet areas, with many members of staff who could be re-deployed into different roles.

A massive operation swung into force and the area was quickly transformed into a mass testing centre, with a team of dedicated and expert staff, capable of carrying out hundreds of tests every week and returning results by text message within 48 hours.

Dr Alastair Leckie, Director of Occupational Health Services, NHS Lothian, said the teams drew on the experience and expertise gained from drive-through patient testing which was created out of the Regional Infectious Diseases Unit at the Western General Hospital during the early days of the pandemic.

He said: “The experience we gained from our drive-through patient testing has been invaluable. It helped us to know what was needed to run the service, but crucially how we could make it bigger.

“Our staff have told us time and time again that they want to be at work, helping patients and supporting colleagues. Testing provides reassurance for staff, helping to get them back to work quicker, and reducing unnecessary periods of self-isolation.

“A monumental amount of work has taken place in a very short period of time to provide this service and we are incredibly pleased and proud to see it working. Already we are looking at how we can roll this model out to other locations.”

Staff are told to report symptoms as soon as they first appear and are given an appointment at the testing centre within 72 hours.

They drive to the testing centre in the city centre and follow the signs into the facility, which is based in the car park. They are called forward in turn and a member of the team, in protective clothing, approaches their car. A mouth swab is taken and the staff member is told to drive home.

Dr Dan Clutterbuck, Consultant in Sexual Health Medicine, NHS Lothian, said: “The Sexual Health team are well used to carrying out high volume testing, and I am delighted that we could use these skills, experience and expertise to scale up our staff testing service.

“The model we have developed here is easily replicated, and our team are working with others across the organisation to enable this to happen.”

Housing provider receives vital donations from local distilleries

A SCOTTISH housing provider has been overwhelmed by the kind gestures of two distilleries who have donated hand sanitiser to allow key workers to continue to safely work with vulnerable older people amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bield Housing & Care has received two very generous donations from The Port of Leith Distillery and Loch Lomond Group who have collectively donated over 120 bottles of hand sanitiser to a variety of developments across the central belt.

Lynne Douglas, Chief Executive at Bield, said: “We have seen a global shortage in hand sanitiser over the past month which has resulted in it being extremely difficult to get vital pieces of equipment that our key workers need to carry out their duties.

“When we were made aware of these two kind donations we were overwhelmed and really appreciative. The donations will enable our key workers to continue to work with some of the most vulnerable people in our communities while also keeping our staff safe.

“The health and wellbeing, of both customers and staff, is our highest priority and we will do everything we can to minimise the risk of infection in our developments and support the Bield community during this difficult time.

“We’d like to extend our thanks to The Port of Leith Distillery and Loch Lomond Group who really have shown us – we are truly all in this together with their kind gesture.”

Ian Stirling, Director at The Port of Leith Distillery, said: “We’ve suddenly found ourselves in a position to be able to help the incredible NHS workers, carers and other frontline workers who have to continue their incredible work despite the risks that they face.

“We hope the main supply chain will soon catch up, but until it does, we’ll continue to produce sanitiser for those people who’re doing the real work of looking after our community.”

Colin Matthew, CEO at Loch Lomond Group, said: “We are delighted to be able to help frontline services during these difficult times.

“We have supplied many thousands of bottles of our WHO specification Hand Sanitiser free of charge to over 150 organisations, associations and charities including Bield, who are doing a wonderful job in difficult circumstances.”

Bield appreciate the continued understanding and support of customers, families and staff as we work together to positively contribute to Scotland’s response to coronavirus.

A designated e-mail address Hello@bield.co.uk and phone number 0131 273 4000 has been set up to deal with queries and questions.

To find out more about Bield and its developments, visit www.bield.co.uk or follow on Facebook @bieldhousingandcare and Twitter @BieldScotland

Extra support for people affected by drug and alcohol use

Extra support for people affected by alcohol and drug use during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been announced by the Minister for Public Health Joe FitzPatrick.

Funding of £166,000 from the Scottish Government will support:

• a programme to increase access to naloxone in new settings, including investment in kits to add to the existing outlets for naloxone supply
• increased capacity within the Know the Score helpline and webchat service
• a COVID-19 publicity campaign signposting support for alcohol and drug users during the pandemic
• funding to link people with others in recovery through the Scottish Recovery Consortium

Help will also be available for those affected by another’s alcohol and drug use through the Supporting Families Fund. This includes a discretionary emergency fund for families, online wellbeing activities, family meals, wellbeing packs and counselling support.

Mr FitzPatrick said: “Responding to the coronavirus pandemic is one of the biggest challenges of our lifetime and it will disrupt so many lives like never before. Protecting and supporting everyone during these unprecedented times is our priority.

“We’ve worked closely with organisations on the frontline to create this package of measures to ensure we continue to support those affected by alcohol and drug use.

“By working together and observing the latest guidance, we can all play our part in keeping everyone safe.”

Ric sings his heart out to raise money for Heart Research UK

A long term supporter of national charity Heart Research UK is hosting a live Facebook concert to raise funds for the charity and help to raise the spirits of the nation.

Ric Cipriani, from Cheltenham, will be grabbing his guitar and singing his heart out from 7 – 8pm tomorrow (Wednesday 8 April), live on Facebook.

Ric first became involved with Heart Research UK six years ago, after his grandfather sadly passed away due to heart disease.

Since then, he has raised over £15,000 for the charity, running marathons, dressing us as Santa, and playing charity gigs. Ric will also be taking part in this year’s London marathon alongside his son, Daniele.

Ric had initially planned to do a number of physical gigs in the UK as well as the United states to raise funds, but this was postponed due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.

So, he is taking his skills to the web and asking participants to make a donation to Heart Research UK instead.

“I love singing, and this is a great way for me to try and raise some much-needed funds for a charity that is very close to me, and also try to make some people smile in these difficult times,” said Ric.

“I have friends all over the world who will be tuning in, especially my family over in Italy who I hope will all be singing along with me.

“After my grandfather passed away, I knew I wanted to help his memory live on. I’ve also recently lost a dear friend to a heart attack, so it’s really important to me to be able to raise funds for such a vital cause.

“Because I’ve been involved with Heart Research UK for such a long time now it’s always fun to try and think of new ways to support them!”

Music fans can expect an eclectic mix of tunes, ranging from Eric Clapton and U2 to Radiohead, Fleetwood Mac and Oasis.

All the money raised will support Heart Research UK’s pioneering medical research into the prevention, treatment and cure of heart disease, the nation’s single biggest killer.

You can sign up to watch the event here – https://www.facebook.com/events/151990389473700/

Universal credit: Emergency boost needed

The last few weeks have seen an unprecedented change in the economic situation of the UK (writes the TUC’s KATE BELL). Since the Prime Minister announced a full ‘lockdown’ on the 23rd March, economic activity in the UK has been rightly restricted in the service of protecting public health.

The TUC has clear priorities throughout this crisis. First, to ensure that public health is protected. Second, to protect workers’ jobs and livelihoods.

Following calls from the TUC and unions the government has announced welcome schemes to try to keep people in work. Protecting jobs must be the first step to protecting incomes and ensuring the country can get back on its feet when the crisis subsides.

But there is still more to do to ensure everyone who is sick gets the income support they need and support the livelihoods of those who do lose their jobs.

Our safety net has been dramatically undermined after years of underinvestment. The UK has avoided mass unemployment since the recession of the early 1990s, and the devastating unemployment of the early 1980s. Those experiences left deep scars, which we are still seeing the legacy of today. It is vital the government does everything it can to keep people in work now.

But even in the 1990s, our safety net was stronger. In 1993, the last time the unemployment rate went over 10 per cent, the basic rate of unemployment benefit was worth around a fifth of average wages. In 1984, when unemployment was over 11 per cent, the benefit was worth a quarter of the average wage. And in 1979, it was worth 30 per cent of the average wage. Today – even after the welcome recent increase by £20 a week – the basic rate of universal credit is worth around a sixth of average weekly pay (17 per cent).

The UK system also compares poorly to the support provided internationally. In most European countries, unemployment benefits are related (at least in the initial period of unemployment) to previous wages to cushion income shocks, ranging from 60 per cent of previous wages in Germany to 90 per cent in Denmark.

In a new report we call for a new plan to fix the social safety net, building on our previous reports on sick pay, a job retention scheme, and support for the self-employed. We call on the government to urgently raise the basic level of universal credit. Restoring ‘replacement rates’ to the level seen before the long dismantling of the safety net began in the 1980s, would mean increasing the payment of universal credit to £165 a week – around 30 per cent of average wages.

But we think the government should be more ambitious to protect against this income drop. We recommend raising the basic rate of universal credit for this period to the value of 80 per cent of weekly earnings at the national living wage – or £260 a week.

In addition government should:

Suspend any conditionality requirements with universal credit, as well as parts of the application process. Applications for universal credit are being delayed by the need to carry out a telephone appointment with a work coach. The requirement to hold a phone interview should be suspended, in addition to any work-related conditionality within the Universal Credit system.
Remove the savings rules in universal credit to allow more people to access it.
End the five week wait by converting emergency payment loans to grants.
Significantly increase Child Benefit payments. Child Benefit is the simplest, quickest and most effective way to get money to households with children. The level has long been too low. This payment would also recognise the additional costs many parents will face with having children at home because schools are closed.
Ensure nobody loses out as a result of these changes. The benefits cap should be lifted so that these increases do not just mean a change in the composition of the benefits someone receives. As well as this, no one on legacy benefits should lose the protection of the managed transition to UC as part of this change.
Remove the minimum hours requirements in working tax credits. Families still claiming tax credits must work a minimum number of hours to be eligible. This rule should be removed with immediate effect.

Government has acted swiftly to protect jobs. But for those who do lose work it’s vital the safety net is strengthened – fast.