Colchester Dog Census 2025
Results are in!
Thank you so much to everyone who took part in Colchester’s first ever Dog Census!
Many of you will know, I launched the census partly for fun, partly out of curiosity and (if I’m honest) partly to prove a theory that CO4 had more spaniels than any other breed!
I was wrong.
Instead, what emerged was a lovely snapshot of Colchester’s canine population, showing not only which breeds and names are most common but also how diverse things are postcode by postcode.
Who took part?
🧍 277 households
🐶 373 dogs registered
🐕 79 different breeds (28 of these were cross breed combinations!)
Of course, this wasn’t a scientifically weighted sample, just a community-led project that relied on local dog owners taking part. But it still gives us a brilliant flavour of Colchester’s dog-owning landscape.
Want to know how Colchester compares nationally?
I’ve included some UK-wide stats too so you can see how Colchester stacks up against the rest of the country (just in case you’re interested!).
Top breeds in Colchester
Across the 373 dogs registered, the five most common breeds were:
1. Mixed breed/mongrel
2. Cockapoo
3. Labrador retriever
4. Cocker spaniel
5. Dachshund
Mixed breed/mongrel came out on top, a catch-all that covers a whole range of brilliant one-of-a-kind dogs. If anything, it shows just how much variety there is across Colchester, even beyond the big-name breeds.
Cockapoos and Labradors followed closely behind (Cockapoos outnumbering the Labs by just one!). Before anyone shouts at me, I know a Cockapoo is technically a mixed breed but it was one of the options on the census and lots of people selected it. So for the sake of consistency (and curiosity), I’ve kept it separate from the broader ‘mixed breed’ category.
How does this compare nationally?
According to The Kennel Club’s 2025 data, the most popular pedigree breeds in the UK are:
1. Labrador retriever
2. Cocker spaniel
3. French bulldog
4. Miniature smooth-haired dachshund
Interestingly, French Bulldogs (who regularly rank third on national favourite breed lists) didn’t make Colchester’s top five. Only eight were registered in the census, along with a couple of Frenchie mixes. Cockapoos, on the other hand, aren’t on the national list (as they’re not a Kennel Club recognised breed), but still made it into Colchester’s top two.
Labs dominate CO7!
While Colchester as a whole showed a good mix of breeds, one postcode stood out for its loyalty to a single type.
In CO7, just over 1 in 3 dogs registered (36%) were Labrador Retrievers – the highest proportion of any one breed in any Colchester postcode.
No other breed came close to reaching that level of local dominance. It’s not quite a Labrador takeover, but it’s still a strong showing.
Whether it’s the open countryside, the love of a reliable family dog or just a happy coincidence, it’s fair to say CO7 is flying the flag for the nation’s favourite retriever.
Colchester's favourite dog names
Some names came up again and again across different postcodes, across different breeds too. The most popular were:
1.Bertie
2. Teddy
=3. Poppy
=3. Rosie
So, if you’re out in Highwoods, Castle Park, or the fields of Kelvedon and you call “Bertie!”, there’s a chance more than one dog will come running!
How does that compare to the rest of the UK?
Poppy regularly takes the top spot across UK-wide surveys and is often ranked as the country’s most popular dog name. Teddy is also a firm favourite, consistently appearing in the national top five, while Rosie tends to land somewhere in the top 10. Bertie, meanwhile, doesn’t appear in the top UK rankings at all – making our Colchester Bertie’s very special!
Our dog population is mostly young!
The majority of dogs were aged between 1 and 6 years, with 1 to 3 years old being the most common age group (32%).
That suggests a fairly young dog population across the area. It could reflect the post-lockdown puppy boom, with lots of people adding dogs to their households in the last few years. Or it might be down to more lifestyle-driven choices and more people working from home.
Either way, it’s a sign that there’s plenty of energy on Colchester’s walking routes right now (and likely a few chewed slippers too!).
Any breed trends by age?
When I looked more closely at the age of dogs by breed, a few interesting patterns emerged:
🐾 Cockapoos, Cocker Spaniels and Labradors appeared across all age ranges (from puppies to seniors) suggesting steady popularity over several years – a pretty good sign they’ve all been long-time local favourites.
🐾 Cavapoos (who didn’t quite make the top five but were pretty popular!) were mostly aged 7 to 10, with no puppies recorded. It’s possible that this could reflect a local trend that peaked a few years ago.
🐾 Dachshunds leaned towards the 1 to 3 year range, with just one puppy. That might indicate a wave of local popularity in recent years, but not necessarily a continued upward trend.
These subtle age patterns don’t paint a definitive picture (the size of the survey is too small for that), but they do hint a little bit at what points in time certain breeds have captured local hearts.
CO3 is the most breed-diverse postcode
CO3 had the widest variety of dog breeds registered in the census, with 22 different breeds making an appearance. That’s more than any other postcode area in Colchester.
It might be because CO3 is one of the more densely populated areas or perhaps it’s just home to the most eclectic mix of dog owners! Either way, if you’re a fan of breed-spotting on your daily walk, CO3 is the place to be, whether you’re into schnauzers, staffies, or spaniels.
CO7 is the least breed-diverse
At the other end of the spectrum, CO7 had the lowest variety of breeds recorded, just 10 in total.
That doesn’t mean there were fewer dogs (CO7 had a decent turnout overall), but it does suggest the area leans more towards tried-and-tested favourites. Labrador Retrievers alone made up 36% of all dogs registered in CO7, the highest proportion of any one breed in any Colchester postcode.
It could be down to the more rural setting, or simply the kind of dogs that suit the lifestyle and landscape in that part of Colchester. Either way, CO7 knows what it likes – and it likes loyal, dependable retrievers.
So, who's the most active?
CO7 didn’t just stand out for its love of Labradors – it also recorded the highest proportion of dogs walked more than three times a day.
Whether it’s thanks to the scenic countryside or just particularly active owners, CO7’s dogs are getting their steps in!
And finally…. the rarest pedigrees in Colchester
The following pedigree breeds were each recorded just once in the census, making them some of the most unique dogs in the borough:
Irish wolfhound, Cane corso, English setter, Belgian shepherd, Brussels griffon, Parsons Russell terrier, Brittany, Akita, Whippet, Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever, Pointer, Irish setter and Old English sheepdog.
Whether large, lean, curly or rare to spot on a local walk, these dogs stood out in the data for their uniqueness!
And that concludes the 2025 results!
Thank you once again to everyone who took the time to take part and indulge my geeky little dog brain!
As a small business it can be incredibly hard to put yourself out there in the local community, but Colchester you have proven to be awesome – I never dreamed a little idea I had when out dog walking would prove to be so popular!
I cannot express how grateful I am and how interesting I’ve found it all. I hope you’ve had some joy from it too.
About Ginger and Tails
I’m Holly, the human behind Ginger and Tails – a local dog walking and pet care service based in Colchester.
I specialise in small group dog walks and overnight pet sitting, covering the CO2 and CO3 postcodes. I can occasionally also cover CO1 and CO4 for overnight sits only.
I’ve got a few limited weekday group walk slots still available in CO2 and CO3 – but they’re going fast!
Overnight sits for 2025 are now fully booked, but I’m taking bookings for 2026. To keep things fair (and manageable!), I’m only taking early bookings for sits of one week or more for peak months (May to September). My availability is limited and I do prioritise my existing clients where possible, but I’m always happy to chat and see if we’re a good fit. Sits are only confirmed once we’ve met and agreed to go ahead and a deposit has been paid.
I’m fully insured, DBS checked, pet first aid trained, and totally dog-obsessed.
If you’ve ever waved at a dog before their owner…you’re my kind of person!
At Ginger and Tails my dog walks take place in a variety of scenic locations across country parks in Colchester.
Pet sitting in your own home is a great alternative to a cattery or kennel if your pet gets anxious staying in a new place.
