In Photos: National Puppy Day

The British bulldog was originally bred for farm work and the barbaric practice of bull-baiting. Dogs would be set upon a tethered bull – with a dog winning if it grabbed the bull by the nose and dragged it to the ground, or losing if killed. The practice was outlawed in 1835.

Photograph: GK Hart/Vikki Hart/Getty Images

Cockapoos, also sometimes known as spoodles or cockadoodles, are a relatively recent breed, emerging in the 1950s. They are a cross between the cocker spaniel and the poodle and have become very popular although they are not officially recognised by the Kennel Club.

Photograph: Alamy