Suomen Kennelliitto, the Finnish Kennel Club, keeps Finland's register of pedigree dogs. It reports that 37,538 dogs were registered in 2025, about 7 percent fewer than the 40,355 registered in 2024. The Labrador Retriever came first with 2,007 registrations. According to the club, it has been Finland's most registered breed every year since 2009.
The club's announcement names some places directly, and the rest of the top 10 comes from press reports of the same announcement. The club also notes that the figures may still change slightly. These are dogs registered in one year. Mixed breeds and dogs without papers are not counted, so the list shows which pedigree breeds were chosen in 2025, not how many dogs of each breed live in Finland.
Top 10 breeds in 2025
No. 1: Labrador Retriever
A friendly, food-loving retriever that needs daily exercise and is widely used as an assistance dog.
No. 2: Golden Retriever
A gentle, eager-to-please family dog with a long coat that sheds a lot and needs regular brushing.
No. 3: Jämthund (Swedish Elkhound)
A Swedish moose-hunting spitz; the Finnish Kennel Club says it is used mainly for moose hunting, and it had 944 registrations in 2025.
No. 4: Shetland Sheepdog
A small, sensitive and very trainable herding dog with a long double coat and a tendency to bark.
No. 5: Finnish Lapphund
A Finnish reindeer herding breed, fifth with 874 registrations according to the club.
No. 6: German Shepherd Dog
A loyal, intelligent working dog that needs training, a job to do and plenty of activity.
No. 7: English Cocker Spaniel
A merry, busy gundog of medium size that is equally at home in the field and the family.
No. 8: Finnish Hound
Finland's own hare and fox hound, eighth with 636 registrations.
No. 9: Jack Russell Terrier
A small, fearless and tireless terrier that needs plenty of exercise and something to do.
No. 10: Border Collie
A highly intelligent, intense herding dog that needs a lot of physical and mental work every day.
Reading this year’s list
The Finnish Kennel Club says there were no big changes in the top 10. It also points out that the top three were all originally hunting dogs: the Labrador, the Golden Retriever with 1,214 registrations and the Jämthund with 944. The Jämthund is a Swedish spitz, and the club says it is used mainly for moose hunting in Finland.
Two Finnish breeds are in the top 10. The Finnish Lapphund, a reindeer herding dog, is fifth with 874 registrations, and the Finnish Hound, bred to hunt hare and fox, is eighth with 636. Another Finnish breed, the Finnish Spitz, is just outside at No. 12 with 609.
The other places come from press reports: the Shetland Sheepdog at No. 4, the German Shepherd Dog at No. 6, the English Cocker Spaniel at No. 7, the Jack Russell Terrier at No. 9 and the Border Collie at No. 10. We do not give counts for these places. The list looks much like Sweden's, which shares the Labrador at the top and five other breeds. The difference is the strong showing of Finland's own breeds.
About the No. 1 breed: Labrador Retriever
- Size
- Large
- FCI group
- 8 · Retrievers, flushing dogs and water dogs
- Origin
- United Kingdom
Temperament
Labradors are steady, people-oriented dogs with a strong wish to cooperate. That is why so many work as guide, assistance and search dogs. Most are relaxed with strangers, children and other dogs. They need something to think about as well as exercise, and a bored young Labrador may chew or steal food. Consistent, reward-based training brings out the best in them.
Size and build
A medium-large, muscular dog with a wide skull and a thick otter tail. Males stand roughly 56 to 57 cm and females roughly 54 to 56 cm at the shoulder under the FCI standard. Most adults weigh about 25 to 36 kg. Coat colours are black, yellow and liver.
Daily care
Give at least an hour of exercise a day, plus nose work, retrieving or training games. In winter darkness, use a reflective harness or a light on walks. Keep dogs off thin lake ice, and dry the coat after wet or snowy outings. Brush weekly, and daily during the spring and autumn shed. Weigh food carefully, since Labradors gain weight easily.
Who it suits
Families, active adults and people interested in hunting, search work or dog sports who can give daily exercise and training. A Labrador is less suitable for people who are away for long hours, want a small dog for a small flat, or want a home free of dog hair.
Health in general terms
Hip and elbow dysplasia are the main inherited joint problems in the breed, and some lines carry inherited eye diseases. Overweight Labradors are more likely to have joint trouble, so keep your dog lean. Knee injuries can occur in very active dogs. Lameness, reluctance to jump or cloudy eyes are worth raising with a vet. Ask breeders about the parents' official hip, elbow and eye results.
This is general breed information, not medical advice. Ask a veterinarian about your own dog, and ask any breeder about the health tests used for the parents.
Why the Labrador Retriever is popular in Finland
The Finnish Kennel Club offers some context for the Labrador's popularity. It notes that the Labrador was first bred for hunting, and that today it is widely used as an assistance dog, a service dog and a rescue dog. Those roles show the qualities many families also want: a dog that is calm, reliable, easy to train and friendly with people.
The breed also fits Finnish conditions. Its short, dense double coat keeps out cold and wet, and it loves to swim in lakes in summer. It is happy to join berry and mushroom trips in the forest, or long ski outings in winter, and still settle down at home. For people who hunt, it retrieves waterfowl well, so one dog can be both a hunting partner and a family pet.
What these rankings measure
National kennel club breed rankings are registration rankings, not a census of the dogs living in each country. Only purebred puppies registered with the national kennel club are counted. Mixed-breed dogs, dogs from shelters and most dogs bred outside the club system never appear. Rules and fees differ between clubs, so the numbers are best compared within one country, not across countries.
Useful tools
See also: Brown bear: National Animal of Finland