There are certain dog breeds that new owners should stay away from, according to a trainer.
Taking to social media to issue advice, the dog expert explained that first time owners may want to think twice before bringing home a puppy, especially when it comes to three breeds.
Posting on TikTok the trainer, named @southenddogtraining1, explained that he often sees people struggle with certain breeds that may come as a surprise. He advised that new owners should stay away from German Shepherds, French Bulldogs and Cocker Spaniels, explaining the reason why in the viral clip.
“Here are three of the most popular dog breeds we see that I do not recommend for first-time dog owners", he said before listing and explaining the three breeds he reckons should be avoided, reports the Mirror.
3. German Shepherd
"In at number three - the German Shepherd.
“The German Shepherd is a noble, loyal, smart, intelligent family dog, however, they are massively overbred and every other German Shepherd we see has dog reactivity and anxiety based issues.
“This is because people getting them for the first time often don’t know what they’re doing, as a result the German Shepherd can develop very, very fast."
2. French Bulldog
“In at number two - the French Bulldog.
“Bulldogs by nature are great with people and great with children, however they are prone to animal aggression and we see this a lot with French Bulldogs.
“A lot of French Bulldogs we see are massively overbred so they need operations to help them breathe and they can become possessive very, very fast because they have kind of become a pampered, desirable little pooch.
“Without knowing what proper socialisation is, the French Bulldog can become very headstrong and very problematic."
1. Cocker Spaniel
“Number one - the Cocker Spaniel.
“That’s right, it is the number one breed we deal with, super intelligent, super smart, super switched on, but if you don’t know how to manage a dog with such a strong work ethic, such a strong intelligence, it’s going to go round stealing things it shouldn’t and very quickly it can develop resource guarding."
The clip has proven controversial, with viewers taking to the comments to share their thoughts.
The TikTok has racked up over 1.4million views, with 51.4 likes, 1,716 comments and 1,751 shares.
One Cocker Spaniel owner was quick to defend their dog choice, commenting: "Our Cocker Spaniel is our first dog and is amazing, no resource guarding. Makes me sad to hear they are on this list.”
Another said: “Disagree highly with cocker spaniel, especially at #1. Our boy is brilliant, well behaved and so loving.”
A third spaniel owner wrote: “I have a Cocker Spaniel, he is amazing, first time dog, had him since a pup and had no issues with him.”
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