The Real Sociedad Canina de España (RSCE) is Spain's national kennel club and keeps the official register of pedigree dogs. For 2024 it recorded more than 45,000 registrations and published its five most registered breeds. The English Setter came first with 3,455, followed by the Poodle with 3,133 and the Dachshund with 2,967.
The RSCE only named five breeds for 2024, so this page shows a top 5 rather than a top 10. When we checked, it had not yet published a ranking for 2025. The figures count purebred dogs entered in the RSCE register that year. Mixed breeds and dogs without papers are not included, so the list shows what buyers of pedigree dogs chose, not how many dogs of each breed live in Spain.
Top 5 breeds in 2024
No. 1: English Setter
An elegant, gentle bird dog with a speckled coat, bred to range widely and point game.
No. 2: Poodle
Up from 2,956 registrations in 2023 to 3,133 in 2024; a breed that suits the flats where, the RSCE notes, two thirds of Spaniards live.
No. 3: Dachshund
Rose from 2,649 registrations in 2023 to 2,967 in 2024 and kept third place.
No. 4: German Shepherd Dog
A loyal, intelligent working dog that needs training, a job to do and plenty of activity.
No. 5: Golden Retriever
A gentle, eager-to-please family dog with a long coat that sheds a lot and needs regular brushing.
Reading this year’s list
The top three kept the same order as in the RSCE's 2023 figures. The English Setter slipped slightly, from 3,506 to 3,455, while the Poodle rose from 2,956 to 3,133 and the Dachshund from 2,649 to 2,967. Fourth and fifth place changed hands: in 2023 the Golden Retriever (2,322) was just ahead of the German Shepherd Dog (2,296), and in 2024 the German Shepherd was fourth with 2,100 and the Golden fifth with 1,894.
The RSCE links the list to how people live. It notes that about two thirds of Spaniards live in flats, which favors small breeds such as the Poodle and the Dachshund. It also saw a slight rise in larger herding and hunting breeds in 2024, and in a later article it said larger breeds are gaining ground again. The top five reflects both sides: two small companions next to a bird dog, a herding dog and a retriever.
The 2023 top 10 gives an idea of what sits just below. It also included the Chihuahua, Labrador Retriever, German Spitz, Miniature Schnauzer and the Spanish Water Dog, which entered the top 10 for the first time that year. The English Setter also leads in Italy, where it is a traditional hunting dog.
About the No. 1 breed: English Setter
- Size
- Large
- FCI group
- 7 · Pointing dogs
- Origin
- United Kingdom
Temperament
English Setters are soft-natured, sociable dogs that tend to like everyone they meet, including other dogs. In the field they are keen and tireless. Indoors, once they have had enough exercise, many are calm and like to lie close to their people. They can be easily distracted by scents and learn best from a gentle, patient trainer.
Size and build
A tall, slim bird dog with a silky white coat finely flecked with colour, a pattern called belton. Under the FCI standard, males stand about 65 to 68 cm and females about 61 to 65 cm at the shoulder. Working dogs are often lighter than show dogs, and most weigh around 20 to 30 kg.
Daily care
A setter needs long daily runs off lead in a safe, open place, not only walks on pavements. For a dog living in a flat, that is a real daily commitment. In hot weather, exercise early in the morning or in the evening and carry water. In late winter and spring, keep dogs away from pine processionary caterpillars and their nests. Brush the feathering twice a week and check the long ears.
Who it suits
People who hunt, run or hike and can reach the countryside easily, and families who spend a lot of time outdoors. A setter is a poor fit for a busy household in a small flat with only short walks, or for an owner who wants a dog that stays close without recall training.
Health in general terms
The breed can inherit hip and elbow dysplasia, and some puppies are born deaf, so responsible breeders have litters hearing-tested. Long, heavy ears can trap moisture and lead to ear infections. Skin allergies and thyroid problems are also reported. Head shaking, constant scratching or stiffness after exercise are worth showing to a vet. Ask breeders for the parents' hip and elbow 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 English Setter is popular in Spain
The RSCE does not give a reason for the English Setter's first place. Its comments describe the list as a whole: small breeds suit the flats most Spaniards live in, and larger hunting and herding breeds rose slightly in 2024. The setter belongs to the second group, and it is the clearest sign of hunting dogs in the Spanish figures.
The breed was developed to search wide areas of open country and point game birds, and many setters are bred from working lines for people who hunt. Its size and energy make it an unusual choice for a small flat. Outside hunting, its gentle and sociable nature means it can also be a relaxed family dog, as long as it gets long runs in the countryside.
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: Spanish fighting bull: National Animal of Spain