I'm a Dog Trainer and I'd Never Own These 5 Breeds "Unless My Life Depended on It"
From the too "stubborn" to the too "serious," find out which dogs this trainer would avoid.
It's easy to imagine that you'd have no trouble bringing any four-legged friend into your family. But the reality is that not every dog is going to be right for you or your household. In fact, there are a number of dog breeds that take much more time and care than most people realize—which is why a dog trainer in Sydney, Australia, is now opening up about the breeds he would "never personally own" himself.
Elijah Boateng, who has been a dog trainer for four years, posted a video about the topic to his TikTok account @apexdogtraining on Dec. 28.
"Disclaimer: This is my opinion and personal preference," the trainer wrote in the caption of his viral video, which has gained over 2 million views so far. "I understand you may own one of these dogs, and they may be lovely."
Through his work experience, Boateng says he has identified a few dog breeds that he would avoid getting—despite having trained them several times in the past for clients. "This is not a list of dogs you shouldn't get, just dogs I wouldn't own after training and looking after many," he notes in the video.
Read on for the five dog breeds this trainer would avoid "unless [his] life depending on it."
RELATED: 14 Hardest Dog Breeds to Own, Doggy Daycare Worker Says.
1
Husky
The first dog breed Boateng says he would avoid is the Husky, which he calls "quite stubborn." According to the dog trainer, it's the temperament of Huskies that has him turning away.
"They feel to me like they still need to be in the wild rather than in people's homes," he says.
In a follow-up interview with Australia's news.com.au, Boateng added that huskies are actually the last breed he would ever own himself.
"I wouldn't have one of those dogs unless my life depended on it," he told the news outlet. "I don't love their personalities, I train a lot of them. They make a lot of my clients' lives very difficult … They're not the hardest dogs in the sense that they have the biggest energy levels, but they're the most dominant."
RELATED: I'm a Veterinarian and These Are the Top 5 Neediest Dog Breeds.
2
Maremma Sheepdog
The next breed Boateng calls out is the Maremma Sheepdog.
"These are very serious dogs," he says. "They're not fun to train. When you train them, it feels like you're forcing them to do stuff rather than working with them."
3
Pug
Perhaps you're thinking about getting a Pug instead? Boateng says there are a few reasons he would never go for this breed.
"It's just a very silly dog," the trainer says in his TikTok. "They have many health problems."
Speaking to news.com.au, Boateng elaborated more on this, speaking specifically about how many pugs suffer from breathing issues.
"I don't want a dog that I have to get a surgery for so I can keep them living. I want a dog that can survive on their own," he explained. "I just don't love [Pugs]. How they are, how they breathe, it just seems a little bit funny to me."
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4
Cavoodle
Cavoodles also come up on Boateng's list, despite being a "popular" breed.
"To me, these dogs are a little bit anxious and a little bit annoying. I don't love them," the dog trainer admits in his video.
At the time same time, Boateng told news.com.au that Cavoodles—a cross between a Poodle and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel that's also known as the Cavapoo—might still be a good pet for first time dog-owners.
"They're manageable, they're not going to kill anyone, they can't cause much damage, they're very food motivated and willing to train," he explained. "But for someone like me who wants a dog that I can properly train with a really sound temperament, they just always have an undertone of anxiety."
The last pick for Boateng is the Greyhound. While he says there is "nothing wrong" with this breed per se, he just thinks they're too boring for him as a dog trainer.
"[Greyhounds] are great for lifestyle but not if you're someone who's into training," Boateng shares.
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