The Kennel Union of Southern Africa (KUSA) is the main registry for pedigree dogs in South Africa. Each year it publishes registration statistics together with a ten-year history. In 2025 KUSA registered 9,875 dogs, slightly more than the 9,695 of 2024. The French Bulldog was No. 1 with 1,230 registrations, a position it has held since 2022.
The figures count pedigree dogs registered with KUSA during the year. Many South African dogs are mixed breeds or were never registered, so the list reflects demand among buyers of registered purebred puppies. It does not show which dogs are most often seen in homes and gardens across the country.
Top 10 breeds in 2025
No. 1: French Bulldog
A compact, flat-faced companion with bat ears, happy in small homes but sensitive to heat.
No. 2: Rottweiler
A powerful, confident guardian breed that is devoted to its family and needs early training and socialization.
No. 3: Staffordshire Bull Terrier
A muscular, people-loving terrier of medium size, known for its affection toward its family.
No. 4: Golden Retriever
A gentle, eager-to-please family dog with a long coat that sheds a lot and needs regular brushing.
No. 5: Bulldog
South Africa's No. 1 breed from 2016 to 2019 and again in 2021, now back up to No. 5.
No. 6: Labrador Retriever
A friendly, food-loving retriever that needs daily exercise and is widely used as an assistance dog.
No. 7: Bull Terrier
A strong, playful terrier with a distinctive egg-shaped head and a clownish sense of fun.
No. 8: Rhodesian Ridgeback
Developed in southern Africa, the Ridgeback returned to South Africa's top 10 in 2025, climbing from No. 11 to No. 8.
No. 9: Miniature Long-haired Dachshund
A small Dachshund with a soft, flowing coat, often a little gentler than the smooth variety.
No. 10: Pomeranian
The toy-sized German Spitz: a lively fluffball with a thick coat and a watchful nature.
Reading this year’s list
The top three were the same as in 2024: French Bulldog, Rottweiler (863) and Staffordshire Bull Terrier (804). Below them the order shifted. The Golden Retriever rose from No. 5 to No. 4 and the Bulldog from No. 6 to No. 5, while the Labrador Retriever fell from No. 4 to No. 6. The Rhodesian Ridgeback, a breed developed in southern Africa, came back into the top 10 at No. 8 after placing 11th in 2024.
Strong, muscular breeds fill much of the list. The Rottweiler, the Staffie, the Bulldog and the Bull Terrier all rank in the top seven, and the Ridgeback adds another large, powerful dog. KUSA does not comment on why owners choose these breeds.
Small dogs are few. Apart from the French Bulldog, only the Miniature Long-haired Dachshund (No. 9, down from No. 8) and the Pomeranian (No. 10) are small breeds. The French Bulldog also took over from a close relative: the Bulldog was No. 1 from 2016 to 2019 and again in 2021.
About the No. 1 breed: French Bulldog
- Size
- Small
- FCI group
- 9 · Companion and toy dogs
- Origin
- France
Temperament
French Bulldogs are people-focused and like to stay close to their owners, often following them from room to room. They are generally good-natured with children and other pets when well socialized. Most are alert without being noisy. They can be headstrong, so brief, reward-based training works better than repetition and scolding.
Size and build
A compact, muscular small dog with a square head, a very short nose and upright bat ears. The FCI standard gives a weight range of about 8 to 14 kg. Adults usually stand roughly 24 to 35 cm at the shoulder, with males at the taller end.
Daily care
Heat is the main care issue in South Africa. Walk a Frenchie in the cool early morning or evening, keep it indoors or in deep shade at midday, and always leave fresh water out. Hot paving and sand can burn paws. Never leave one in a car. Keep the facial folds clean and dry, and fence off the swimming pool, because the heavy front end makes swimming hard.
Who it suits
Owners in flats, townhouses or homes with small gardens who are home often and can keep the dog cool. It is not a good choice for someone who wants a jogging or hiking companion, or for a household with no cool indoor space during hot spells.
Health in general terms
Flat-faced breeds often have narrowed airways, which makes breathing harder in heat and during exercise. Heatstroke is a real risk, so heavy panting, noisy breathing or collapse after activity needs urgent veterinary attention. The breed is also prone to back, skin, eye and ear problems. Ask breeders about the parents' breathing and spine health, and favor puppies from parents with more open noses and less extreme faces.
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 French Bulldog is popular in South Africa
KUSA publishes its numbers without commentary, so it gives no reason for the French Bulldog's lead. What the figures do show is a long local liking for flat-faced bulldog types. The Bulldog held the top place in five of the six years from 2016 to 2021, and the French Bulldog has led every year since 2022.
In general terms the appeal is clear. A Frenchie is small and sturdy, fairly quiet, and happy with modest exercise, so it suits townhouses and homes with small gardens. It is affectionate and comical with its family. The climate is the harder part. A flat-faced dog struggles to cool itself, so owners in warm regions need to plan the dog's day around the heat.
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: Springbok: National Animal of South Africa