Vet's four dog breeds first-time owners should avoid

Taking on a pet is a significant commitment, particularly for first-time dog owners who need to ensure they choose the right breed. Reflecting on his nine years of veterinary experience and encounters with thousands of dogs and their handlers, Ben The Vet advised potential dog owners on breeds to be wary of.

Through an Instagram post, he said: "Taking on a dog, whether it be via rehoming or as a puppy can enrich your life hugely - but is also a big commitment and takes time to adjust to, especially so if you have no previous experience of dog ownership. Any dog of any breed can be a handful but there are some that are more of a challenge than others, and in my opinion these four breeds fall in that category."

He addedd: "That's not to say they can't make good pets, they just require some extra considerations."

Border Collie

For the Border Collie, Ben cautioned: "Number one on my list is the border collie. Now these dogs thrive in a working environment but put them in an ordinary home and they can get really bored and that boredom can manifest itself as a lot of different problem behaviours, destructive behaviours, things like digging, barking excessively."

He said they could also have compulsive behaviours "like chasing their tail" or signs of aggression. He added: "If you've never had a dog before and don't really know what to expect they are a lot to handle now."

Beagle

The second on his list was the beagle. He said: "This might surprise a lot of people but the reason I've included them is they are quite a difficult dog breed to train. They have a tendency to be quite stubborn and as hunting dogs they follow their nose so they're into everything.

"They have a bit of reputation as an escape artist breed. You definitely got to have a secure garden if you have a beagle and it can be quite hard to teach them recall. So if we have a beagle there's a high chance you may not be able to walk them off lead."

Dalmatian

The vet's third breed to avoid is a Dalmatian. He said: "In the 90s after a re-release of 101 Dalmatians Disney cartoon they boomed in popularity over the following 10 years their popularity reduced by 97 per cent and that's because those people got Dalmatians because they looked really cute and were so well trained in the movies and then they realised actually this dog is a handful and then those people didn't get Dalmatians again - and all of those people would have been first time dog owners."

Husky

Ben said finally he wouldn't recommend huskies to first-time owners. He said: "Getting any dog is a big commitment and will change your life but getting a husky is on a whole new level.

"They need a lot of exercise, coat needs a lot of maintenance. These dogs are bred to pull sleds for long distances in cold weather so if you then put them in a home where they're gonna be left on their own for long periods of time and they only get a half hour walk once a day they're gonna get overweight, they're gonna get bored, they're gonna become a handful.

Ben mentioned that it's important to bear in mind this was just his opinion, speaking specifically about breeds which are 'not the best option' for novice dog owners. He said: "It's a different story if you had dogs before and you know what to expect."