There is yet more controversy in the dog world.

The faithful Labrador is likely to be replaced as Britain’s most popular breed, after 27 years at the top, by the French bulldog - a breed much loved by celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Victoria Beckham.

But the British Veterinary Association (BVA) has advised against owning and breeding from such dogs on the basis that they are brachycephalic, or flat-faced, which causes them to have health issues.

The rise of the breed has been a meteoric one, with only 670 French Bulldogs registered in the UK in 2007 rising to 21,470 last year, and the Kennel Club predicts that this number will increase further in 2017 overtaking Labrador registrations.

The BVA states that the breed’s health problems are numerous and debilitating, with the chief problem being an inability to breathe properly. Most French Bulldogs are unable to swim or give birth naturally due to their oversized heads, and their folded skin can lead to infections.

Puppy Contract

The popularity of the breed has led to unscrupulous breeders seizing upon an opportunity to make money, and so it is crucial that any prospective owner goes to a breeder who is registered with the Kennel Club and that they use the BVA’s ’puppy contract’. The contract is available on the RSPCA’s website - www.puppycontract.rspca.org.uk.

Perhaps not unsurprisingly the number of French bulldogs, and other toy breeds, being brought into rehoming centres in the UK has also increased, with owners realising that a ’dog is a dog’ no matter what its size.

The Dogs Trust states that it had nine of the breed brought in during 2014 and last year that shot up to 102. However, the trend has not impacted upon the ManxSPCA in anything like the same way, and when we have small dogs gifted into us we can generally rehome them very quickly.

Although Dolly isn’t a ’designer dog’ as such, and she wouldn’t want to be carried in a handbag, she is small and dainty.

She is only two, and full of life, and she knows lots of tricks - she really is a very intelligent girl and needs to be stimulated (and so being left alone for long periods is an issue for her).

She will need an active new home because she can walk and run for miles, and we recommend that she does not live with children or other dogs because she is very reactive towards her fellow canines. She makes up for her lack of love towards other dogs with her affection towards her human friends, and Dolly’s new owner will have years of fun with her provided they invest in further training.

If it’s an affectionate cat, rather than a dog, that you are looking for then look no further â?¦ we have two cats (not a pair) that have been receiving veterinary attention for several months.

They have both been fully tested and they have been given various medications, but the most likely underlying cause of their ill health is stress relating to being in a cattery environment.

The first of these cats is a handsome, very solid-looking, tabby and white boy called Bruno and he has been suffering from what could prosaically be called an ’upset tummy’.

He’s three years old and came to us because his owner became unwell and couldn’t look after him anymore. He’s very domesticated and clearly loves human company, and he’s not typically tom-like in that he’s a very clean cat with white bits that are very white!

Betty is the second of our cats and her stress-related problem means that she can sometimes urinate outside of her litter tray.

She has had treatment for kidney stones, which have now completely cleared up, but any new owner will need to take precautions when they first take her home and cover up soft furnishings. Betty, who is mostly black with white feet and a fluffy white chest, is incredibly affectionate and we think she is relatively young (although we can’t be sure of her age because she came in as a stray). She is also playful and mischievous, and so she will give her new owner years of love and companionship.

Why not come and meet our lovely cats and then go for a meal in the tearooms? The specials board always has something new and exciting on it. Tracey will be serving one of her ’signature dish’ roast dinners on Easter Sunday and while booking a table is not essential is it recommended (telephone 853409).