THE fastest rising dog breed in Swindon over the past five years has been the French bulldog with the miniature smooth-haired dachshund following closely behind.

Many breeds have increased in popularity due to celebrity ownership and the breed's presence on Instagram, according to the Kennel Club, which released new figures today.

It found that popularity of the French bulldog is up 418 percent and is the most rapidly trending breed in the country, after a string of celebrities including Leonardo DiCaprio and Jessie J have been seen out and about with the breed.

The Kennel Club, which stages its Discover Dogs event at ExCeL in London on Saturday, said its statistics show a rise in 'fashionable' dogs in Swindon.

In line with the rest of the UK’s preferences when it comes to pedigree dogs, the Kennel Club statistics also reveal the Labrador retriever is still the most popular dog in Swindon, with other breeds such as the German shepherd and Staffordshire bull terrier gracing the top 10 most popular breeds over the last ten years.

See the UK’s most popular breeds throughout the different regions of the UK on the Kennel Club’s interactive dog map at www.thekennelclub.org.uk/populardogs.

Kennel Club secretary Caroline Kisko said: “We are not only seeing celebrity dog ownership influence Swindon’s choice of dog, but are now seeing dogs who are celebrities in their own right."