By Chloe Dobinson,Danielle Kate Wroe
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Choosing the perfect dog breed can be a bit of a challenge. You want a pooch that will blend into your family effortlessly, one that you can train easily, and most importantly, have fun with. Dog behaviourist Will Atherton has spilled the beans on his TikTok page, revealing that if he doesn’t “see a breed very often” at his centre for “advanced behaviour modification”. This will mean it’s “probably a good sign they should be on your shortlist” as top breeds. “These are the three breeds that, as a canine behaviourist, I just rarely see have any bad behaviour problems,” he revealed, kicking off with a dog breed that he personally reckons is “the best in the world “. So, what’s Will’s top pick for a dog breed? It’s a Labrador retriever. He admitted that he does see quite a few of them in his training and behaviour centre, but it’s “often very minor behaviours and stems from them just being so loving and wanting to meet people, go see other dogs , and play with them that they might be pulling a little bit or jumping a little bit.” He mentioned that it was “dead easy” just to “dial those things in,” so he’d definitely endorse the breed overall. The PDSA concurs that Labrador retrievers are “devoted, affectionate, loving dogs that will happily get along with everyone. They’re obedient, quick to learn and eager to please, so training should be fairly easy”. These dogs require a minimum of two hours exercise per day, so you need to be ready to commit to this as well. Next on the list of top breeds was the English mastiff, with Will expressing his desire to “love to work” with more of these dogs. He stated: “I think that they’re one of the best breeds on the planet. However, they seem to come out of the womb just wanting to be a chill, laid-back, perfect canine companion”. The PSDA agrees, describing English mastiffs as “gentle giants – calm, good-natured dogs that tend to get on well with everyone. As with all breeds, early socialisation is important to ensure they grow up into confident, sociable dogs”. English mastiffs require at least an hour of exercise each day, but over-exercising them as puppies can lead to joint issues. Will’s final recommendation was the Cavalier King Charles spaniel. He couldn’t help but gush: “I think they’re one of the best small breeds on the planet.” He added: “If more people chose them instead of breeds that are working like cocker spaniels or Jack Russells, they’d save themselves a massive headache”. According to the PDSA: “Cavaliers are great little dogs that suit family environments. They’re known to be good around children because they’re so keen to please their owners and love the company of people.” These dogs need between 45 minutes to an hour of exercise daily, making them ideal for those with busy schedules. Before introducing any new dog into your family, be sure to do your research. Every pooch is different – so there is no guarantee that yours will be the right fit for your household. You should also make sure you have plenty of time to dedicate to training and socialising your pet, or behaviour problems could soon emerge.
