Labradors are officially man’s best friend, as the hounds marked their fifteenth year in a row as the most popular pooch in Britain. More than 45,000 of the dogs, whose full name is Labrador Retriever, were registered in 2006.

The top five mutts in the Kennel Club’s annual list remained the same, with Cocker Spaniels coming in second place. Next came English Springer Spaniels, then German Shepherds and Staffordshire Bull Terriers were fifth. Lots of people love labs because they usually have a good temper, and are devoted to their owners. They’re also good working dogs, with lots of them being used to help people with poor eyesight and to hunt for drugs and weapons.