I’m a dog trainer – five breeds new owners should avoid, the highest rate of biting is in a surprising culprit
A DOG trainer has shared the breeds she recommends steering clearing of if you’re an inexperienced owner.
The canine expert, who has been teaching obedience for three years, suggested some “easier” alternatives.
Amelia Steele (@ameliathedogtrainer) spoke to The U.S. Sun about the dog breeds she doesn’t recommend for first-time owners.
The first breed the UK-based pro discussed was the Belgian Malinois, which she said “has a lot of drive.”
She explained: “Even though they are easy to train if you don’t know how to direct that into something constructive, they can almost take over.”
The 27-year-old expert said that a Belgian Malinois is a working breed and instinctually wants to chase and bite at things.
“So when you have a puppy and they’re going to the biting phase it would be a lot worse with this breed,” she said.
The professional trainer also advised inexperienced owners against owning a border collie for similar reasons.
“Yes, they’re easy to train, but they also have a lot of herding drive,” Amelia said.
“So when you have a dog that is constantly trying to herd everything and you don’t know what the appropriate outlet for that is, it can become quite overwhelming.”
She warned first-time owners that farm dogs who failed at being sheepdogs are still working dogs.
Amelia added that these particular canines are often more difficult since they weren’t able to be trained to work on a farm.
Next, she cautioned against bringing home poodle mixes, saying that “the breeding industry has gotten out of control” with them.
While she acknowledged that a lot of the cockapoos and Labradoodles that she has worked with have been amazing, she revealed that she has seen a lot with neurological issues as well.
Amelia also referenced the tendency of poodle mixes to inherently resource guard, which is also known as possessive aggression.
“Out of all the dogs I’ve worked with I’ve seen a higher rate of biting in cockapoos,” she said.
The trainer blamed this trait on mixing high-drive working dogs with other high-drive working dogs.
“They don’t suddenly become chilled just because they’re cute and fluffy,” she explained.
Amelia also gave the example of Labradoodles for similar reasons.
“People think it’s a safe bet because Labradoodles are fluffy and they’re cute,” she said.
“But again, Labradors need a lot of stimulation, they can be prone to resource guarding, and the same with poodles so when we mix that it can cause a whole host of issues.”
Finally, she advised dog owners to be careful with any “flat-faced” breeds such as French bulldogs.
“Breeding has gotten very out of hand and they’re so popular, so we’re often seeing a very high rate of health issues in breeds like Frenchies and pugs specifically,” she explained.
Amelia clarified that she doesn’t recommend avoiding the breeds but wants to highlight the need to be careful and only work with good breeders.
“I sometimes will see it where they even struggle to breathe because of how they’ve been bred,” she said.
The dog expert recommends ensuring that breeders are ethical and spending a significant amount of time taking care of each litter.
She stressed that breeders who are working sufficiently to take care of and socialize their puppies tend to wait two to three years before having another litter.
Amelia advised anyone who suspects overbreeding is occurring to report the issue to an animal welfare organization.
These organizations also often have dogs available, which often already have their temperament tested and health issues evaluated.
And according to Amelia, there are countless breeds that are suitable for new owners or inexperienced owners.
The breeds she branded “easier” include golden retrievers, bichon frise, toy or mini poodles, and Labradors.