A renowned dog trainer has named three breeds he wouldn’t have around young children.
Canine behaviourist Will Atherton, who boasts more than 900,000 followers on TikTok, regularly shares dog training advice videos. He also offers guidance on which dog breeds might be best suited to his followers, based on their lifestyle and the breed’s temperament.
In a video that has been viewed more than 9.3 million times, Will discloses what he considers to be the “worst dog breeds for families”, discussing how each breed could potentially pose a risk to young children.
“My job is helping fix dogs when they’ve gone terribly wrong,” he explained. “So which are the breeds I see that happen most often to, that you as a family member might want to steer well clear of?”
Caucasian Shepherd
Will highlighted the Caucasian Shepherd as a problematic breed, but noted that “any of the giant livestock guardian breeds” can be troublesome.
He elaborated: “Yes, they can be protective of the family, but they’re much better suited to live outside on a farm. And if you try and bring them into the home, they might not have the patience or the ability to get away from children that they find frustrating.” Will also pointed out that such situations often result in “bites on children”.
Belgian Malinois
Despite the Belgian Malinois being capable of “crazy feats of obedience and training”, Will doesn’t believe the breed is suitable for families with children. He explained: “They bite children, they hurt children, they have no off switch and they want to be go, go, go all the time.”
Dogo Argentino
Turning his attention to the Dogo Argentino, Will expressed his fondness for mastiff breeds but cautioned that he hears about the Dogo Argentino “going wrong with children” more than any other.
It’s worth noting that the Dogo Argentino is among the five dog breeds banned in the UK, alongside the Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Fila Brasileiro, and most recently, the XL Bully.
