You know how it is. You're e-chatting on your phone and sometimes pictures speak louder than words. You want to say something about your pet, but all you have is a handful of generic dogs representing every canine, from Alsations to Chihuahuas to Cocker Spaniels.

Now, just in time for World Dog Day, charity Dogs Trust has come to the rescue with a brand new set of emoji representing the 23 most popular breeds, based on Dogs Trust data and pet population figures.

The images are based on real dogs in the charity's rehoming centres, and the app, which presents the emoji keyboard as a shortcut when you open chosen messaging apps, has a serious message behind it, aiming to highlight the volume and variety of rescue dogs in need of loving homes.

Adrian Burder, CEO of Dogs Trust said: “While we fully support the recent updates to diversify the emoji keyboard, with nine million canines in family homes across the country, we also feel deserve that same representation.

“We see so many wonderfully different every day, we wanted to share this with the public!”

And let's face it - whose online life wouldn't be enhanced by a tiny picture of a French Bulldog? Dogs Trust Emoji is available to download for free on Apple iOS and Google Android, scroll down for instructions.

The 23 Most Popular Dog Breeds

1. Beagle

2. Bichon Frise

3. Border Collie

4. Boxer

5. Chihuahua

6. Cocker Spaniel

7. Crossbreed

8. Dachshund

9. Dalmatian

10. English Sheepdog

11. French Bulldog

12. German Shepherd

13. Great Dane

14. Greyhound

15. Husky

16. Jack Russell Terrier

17. Labrador

18. Pug

19. Rottweiler

20. Shar Pei

21. Shih Tzu

22. Staffordshire Bull Terrier

23. Yorkshire Terrier

To Share Directly from the Dogs Trust Emoji Keyboard App

Step 1: Open Dogs Trust Emoji App

Step 2: Tap “show me the emoji” to view a list of all of the Dogs Trust emoji

Step 3: Tap on an emoji, then select the messenger app or social network to share with

To Share from Within a Messaging App:

IPHONE

Step 1: Open Settings

Step 2: Go to General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add a new keyboard…

Step 3: Select Dogs Trust Emoji Keyboard > Select Dogs Trust Emoji Keyboard > Allow Full-Access

Users can then launch the keyboard from any messaging app by taping and holding the globe icon on the bottom left corner of their keyboard and selecting Dogs Trust Emoji keyboard.

ANDROID

Step 1: Open the Dogs Trust Emoji Keyboard App from your app screen

Step 2: Tap on the menu icon at the bottom left corner and select “settings”

Step 3: From the settings menu, you can select the specific messaging and social apps that will display a shortcut to the Dogs Trust Emoji Keyboard

Step 4: Open any messaging app which you selected in step 3

Step 5: Tap on the Dogs Trust Emoji shortcut icon within the messaging app

Step 6: Select the emoji you would like to share, then tap on a conversation thread or contact name to share it with your friends

Images: Dogs Trust