KELPIES and cattle dogs are among the most popular breeds in suburban backyards as the capital's love affair with canines grows - about one in six households has a four-legged friend.
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Figures for last year show 4776 new dogs were registered in the ACT - up from 4558 the previous year.
In 2008, the ACT government introduced life-time registration for dogs with about 50,000 registered, but a spokeswoman from Domestic Animal Services said that meant there was no accurate figure for how many living dogs there were in the ACT.
However, Canberra vet Taryn Marconi said she would not be surprised if the one-in-six figure for households with dogs was much higher.
''We're an active city, people love their pets and love a reason for a walk in Canberra,'' Dr Marconi said.
The Inner South Veterinary Centre doctor said working dogs were not appropriate for small townhouse backyards because any dog not kept mentally stimulated would get destructive.
''If you are going to take a working dog as a pet, you have to be prepared to put in a lot of work in exercise and training and have an appropriate yard size. It's a pity seeing them sit in the yard all day not using that amazing mind.''
Kelpie and cattle dog breeder Ty Drury said she was not surprised by the popularity of her favourite breeds.
''They are so popular because they are Aussie icons. Cattle dogs are protective, loyal, smart and loving while the kelpies are playful, intelligent and always wanting to please you,'' Ms Drury said.
Last year, four people were fined for keeping unregistered dogs in the ACT compared with 12 in 2012, while rangers issued infringements to four dog owners for not desexing, down from 14 the previous year.
