10 interesting facts about the most popular dog breeds

Get to know the most popular dog breeds in the UK a little bit more with these unique facts about the Labrador, French Bulldog, Cocker Spaniel and English Bulldog.

Interesting facts about the Labrador

1: Labradors have webbed toes which makes them great swimmers.

2: The Labrador breed actually originated in Newfoundland (Canada), not Labrador.

3: An animal bravery award was given to a Labrador named Endal in 2002. When his disabled owner fell unconscious, the dog pulled him to safety, covered him with a blanket, retrieved his phone and went to seek help after his owner regained consciousness. What a hero!

Interesting facts about the French Bulldog

4: The French bulldog doesn't come from France, but from England, Nottingham to be exact. When English artisans were losing their jobs during the Industrial Revolution, they fled to France where there skills were valued and brought their dogs along. France then became the breed's adopted country.

5: French Bulldogs don't do well on flights. Due to their flat face and short nose, they struggle to breathe and overheat and as many brachycephalic breeds have sadly passed away in airplanes, many airlines no longer accept them on board. 

Interesting facts about the Cocker Spaniel

6: This dog was originally bred to hunt birds, especially woodcocks. This is where the Cocker Spaniel's name comes from.

7: The English and American Cocker Spaniel are actually two separate breeds, with the main difference being in their head. Whilst the American Cocker Spaniel has a rounder head, the English one has a longer snout.

8: Whilst we are still not sure how, dogs are capable of smelling cancerous samples. In a study done with six dogs in England in 2004, a Cocker Spaniel named Tangle was the most successful at detecting cancer, with 56 percent accuracy. Researched kept working with Tangle and his success rate jumped to 80%.

Interesting facts about the English Bulldog

9: The breed was developed in England in the 13th Century for bull baiting (rounding up bulls for castration, but then it became a form of entertainment) until this activity got banned in the 19th Century.

10: Since then, the breed has changed a lot. Bulldogs no longer need to be tall, strong and aggressive. They became companion dogs and were bred to be smaller and less ferocious.