The French bulldog may be the most popular dog in the city, according to the American Kennel Club (AKC) — and the arm candy of choice for celebs from Lady Gaga to Snoop Dogg -— but his cousin is on the rise.

The striking bull terrier — characterized by his large, egg-shaped head, perked ears and muscular stature — is having a moment. In the late ’80s, Spuds MacKenzie and his Budweiser commercials brought the breed some fame, as did Target’s mascot Bullseye in the aughts, but now the dog is going high fashion.

castings are exhausting..! Thanks for the snuggle @gigihadid 😘#nyfw A photo posted by Neville Jacobs (@nevillejacobs) on Sep 3, 2014 at 12:39pm PDT

Marc Jacobs’ pup Neville commands an Instagram following of more than 147,000 (@nevillejacobs), and his face graces popular loafers by the designer. Another bull terrier named Jimmy Choo, owned by Brazilian visual artist Rafael Mantesso, is featured on a new collection of accessories from the luxe label that is his namesake.

Mantesso has a whopping 259,000 followers on his Instagram account (@rafaelmantesso), which mostly features pictures of Jimmy (the dog, that is), and is publishing a book of photos called “A Dog Named Jimmy” in September.

Fans of the breed say it’s no surprise that the dogs have been embraced by the fashion world.

“Bull terriers are great models; they really want to sit still for a picture and seem to enjoy it, too,” says Lonneke Engel, 34, the recently retired face of Ralph Lauren and owner of a tan-and-white bull terrier named Vito. The 12-year-old dog attracts more than 5,000 fans to his Instagram feed (@vitothedog). “That’s why Neville, Jimmy and Vito have so many followers.”

Adopted from a shelter in Engel’s hometown of Eindhoven in the Netherlands, Vito became a local celebrity when Engel and her husband moved to Soho, the former model says.

“Everyone gets a smile on their face when they see him, because he is always happy and he has a very funny bull terrier walk,” she says.

Inspired by her pet’s popularity, Engel has written a children’s book about Vito’s adventures, which will be published soon.

But it’s not just the fashion set who is embracing the funny-looking Fidos.

In the last decade alone, the breed has jumped from 68th to 52nd in the American Kennel Club (AKC)’s popularity rankings.

spinning my friend to find the perfect position. we also work on saturdays . girando meu amigo pra achar a posição perfeita. a gente tb trabalha sábado A photo posted by @rafaelmantesso on Jul 11, 2015 at 9:41am PDT

“People are learning that the bull terrier, with proper socialization, is friendly, lovable and great with kids,” says AKC Vice President Gina DiNardo.

But the breed’s increased exposure does seem to be fueling its rising popularity. “There’s the ‘hot’ factor,” says Tom Guarriello, Ph.D. and founding faculty member for master’s in branding at the School of Visual Arts. “Who wants to be seen walking ‘last season’s dog’?”

The terrier’s appeal isn’t just fur-deep. Michael Vance, a longtime resident of Murray Hill, was drawn to the breed initially for its physical features, but it was its temperament that sold him.

“I always loved how they looked,” says Vance, 35. “[But] the odd descriptions of their personalities made me want one even more . . . They are so mischievous and neurotic at times, but also they’re so very silly and sweet and protective.”

His dog, Hoda Mae, is a delight.

“I laugh every single day with her,” he says.