Footprint, Fidget, Bruiser, Kate and Little Nicky are no ordinary puppies. Like aristocrats of a dying house, they represent the last hopes of an ancient breed.

With fewer than 1,000 Glen of Imaal terriers left in the world, experts feared that the Irish dogs were on the path to extinction. Only 36 puppies were registered last year, making the terriers rarer than the giant panda.

Yet the Glen of Imaal are making a comeback. Eighty-one new pups have already been born in 2008, including this nine-week old litter, above, making it the best year for the breed in more than a decade.

Their owner, Adam Stoll, 44, from Edgware, North London, said of their birth: “I had a tear in my eye because it's such a rarity - it's like watching a miracle happen. We were shocked to see so many puppies. Their mum, Pebbles, gave birth to seven, but one was stillborn and the other was accidentally smothered by her siblings.

“They are absolutely beautiful and I'm hoping to sell them to people in London where they will hopefully produce more litters.”

The pups will have a price tag of up to £1,500 each. The decline of the breed has been blamed on the popularity of small designer dogs such as the shitzu, which numbers among its celebrity owners Paris Hilton and Britney Spears.

“There is no specific reason why the popularity of certain breeds goes up or down but we do know that celebrity choices and the public profile of breeds can have an effect,” said Caroline Kisko, of the Kennel Club.

“The Glen of Imaal terrier is a wonderful, active dog. They are spirited and courageous when called upon and need a strong and assertive owner to control them, but they are also affectionate and gentle pets.”

Over the past ten years an average of just 40 Glen of Imaals have been registered in Britain each year - putting them top of the Kennel Club's endangered list. But with double that number born in 2008 there is now renewed hope for the breed.

The dogs were first bred in Ireland to hunt foxes and badgers, but their traditional terrier instincts meant that they could also be trained to fight other dogs.

They have bowed front legs with feet that point outwards and grow to no more than 14in (36cm) high and 21in long. Some owners call it the “spare-part dog” because it looks like a combination of breeds.

Shaggy dog tale

— Glen of Imaal terriers may seem submissive but can take advantage of wishy-washy, non-alpha owners

— Size for size the appetite of a Glen is the same as a Great Dane.

— Their coat can reach 3in (7.5cm)

— The breed is sometimes referred to as the Miniature Irish Wolfhound

Source: Glen Services, a group set up to support Glen of Imaal terriers

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