Could the Queen's favourite corgi become a rare breed? Concerns raised after numbers fell by 10% last year

They are a royal favourite, but with their numbers steadily falling, there are concerns about the future of the corgi.

Only 333 Pembroke Welsh corgi pups - the Queen’s beloved breed - were registered last year, down from 371 in 2011, a drop of more than 10 per cent.

As a result, the breed remains on the Kennel Club’s ‘at watch’ list, while its more restful cousin, the Cardigan Welsh corgi is on the ‘vulnerable’ list with only 94 births registered last year.

The Pembroke Welsh Corgi breed remains on the Kennel Club's 'at watch' list

But it was much better news for other traditional British dogs, a 25 per cent increase in new English setter puppies registered in 2012, moving above 300 - the point at which a breed is deemed at risk of extinction.

It is one of several native breeds which may have seen a boost to numbers as Britons celebrated their heritage in the Jubilee and Olympic year, the club suggested.

The Old English Sheepdog has also seen a 7 per cent rise, with 429 puppies registered with the Kennel Club in 2012.

There was also good news for the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, which originates from Ireland. It has also come out of the ‘at watch’ list for the first time after its registrations went from 433 to 455 in 2012.

But there is less optimism amongst breeders of Pembroke corgis, which has seen a steady decline in numbers, with almost twice as many births recorded a decade ago.

Who could resist them? Labradors remain the most popular breeds, with more than 36,000 puppies born last year

English Setters have seen an increase in numbers

For her eighteenth birthday, The Queen was given a Pembroke corgi named Susan from whom numerous successive dogs were bred. Some were mated with dachshunds - most notably Pipkin, who belonged to Princess Margaret - to create ‘dorgis’.

At present, The Queen owns two corgis, Willow and Holly, and two dorgis, Candy and Vulcan, which travel with her to her various residences.

Corgi expert Diana King blamed regulations preventing the docking of tails for stymying the popularity of the dogs with breeders.

‘The decline is a real concern because it is a lovely breed. They are healthy and hardy, and often too intelligent for their own good,’ said Mrs King who has bred corgis for more than three decades.

‘The demand is there, I certainly can’t breed them fast enough. But many older breeders stopped once the rules came in that prevented tail-docking as they feel spoils the overall look of the dog.’

The Kennel Club yesterday said owners needed to choose a dog that fitted their lifestyle, and that lesser-known breeds are often a perfect fit.

Britain’s favourite dog remains the Labrador, which is of Canadian origin, with more than 36,000 puppies born last year.

The next two most popular types were native, with the Cocker spaniel and the Springer spaniel coming in second and third. In total, half of the top 20 breeds were actually foreign.

A spokesman for the Kennel Club said: ‘Although some of our British breeds still have a way to go there has been a resurgence amongst some breeds in 2012. This could be partly attributed to the patriotic fervour surrounding the Olympics and the Jubilee, but also because the Kennel Club’s Vulnerable Breeds list has been highlighting the plight of these breeds for a number of years.

‘People are now starting to realise there are 210 breeds of dog, which are all very different, and are doing a lot more research before the opt for the obvious choice.