Kennel Club say Norfolk and Norwich terriers are "at risk"

Both Norfolk and Norwich terriers have appeared in The Kennel Club's list of most vulnerable dog breeds, some with fewer than 300 new puppy births a year. 

The Kennel Club, the UK's largest organisation devoted to dog health, welfare and training, says some breeds have such low numbers that they are completely unrecognisable to the British public.

Norfolk terriers are at risk of dying out with fewer than 450 new puppy births each year (Image: Keiron Tovell)

Common breeds such as Labradors, French Bulldogs and Cocker Spaniels make up 60pc of new registrations and lesser-known breeds are "at risk" of dying out completely. 

Norfolk terriers appear on the organisation's "At Watch" list which puts total births between 300-450 per year while Norwich terriers make the "Vulnerable Native Breed" list with fewer than 300 births per year. 

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Aiming to raise awareness for at-risk breeds, The Kennel Club said: "It is a concern because it means that breeds that might be the perfect fit for people's lifestyles are being overlooked in favour of other breeds that might not be, simply because they are not as well known.

"We find that people tend to choose a breed from the pool of breeds they have heard of before so it is important that if you're thinking about getting a dog you consider the lesser known breeds."

Lesser-known breeds of dog risk being forgotten as the public more often chooses well-known breeds as pets (Image: Newsquest)

Norfolk and Norwich terriers were first bred in the Victorian era as working dogs which were most often used as "ratters" to hunt rodents. 

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They are the smallest breed of working dog in the UK and first gained independent breed status in 1964. 

Two Norwich terriers, pictured centre and right (Image: PA Wire)

A Norfolk terrier can be distinguished from a Norwich terrier by its "drop ears", while the latter has "prick ears". 

The life expectancy of a Norfolk Terrier is eight to 14 years, with some growing as old as 17.