Canine behaviourist Will Atherton has named three dog breeds he would never own himself, including one he describes as "more cat than dog".
Atherton, who runs the Will Atherton Canine Centre and Will Atherton Training Academy, has more than a decade of experience specialising in helping rescue centres with extreme behavioural cases. He shares tips for owners on his YouTube channel, Will Atherton Canine Training, which has more than 1.2 million subscribers.
In a video on the channel in late 2022, he shared the three breeds that, as a canine behaviourist, he could not go for.
French Bulldog
His first pick is the French Bulldog, a companion or toy dog that originated in Paris during the Victorian era. The breed is a popular pet in a number of countries, including the UK, and is known for its playful, friendly personality.
"Now don't get me wrong, a great French Bulldog can be a great dog, but with the boom in popularity, I'm seeing lots of French Bulldogs with lots of neurological problems, creating lots of incredibly difficult and challenging behaviours that are nearly impossible to fix," he said, adding that for that reason he would "steer well clear".
French Bulldogs are a brachycephalic breed, associated with a short skull and flat face, and are at elevated risk of health problems, including breathing issues.
XL Bully
His second pick, for "almost identical reasons", is the XL Bully, a type of American Bully that emerged in America in the 1990s. It was bred in part to produce a dog type well suited to being a companion while retaining the strength and imposing stature of its bull-breed ancestors.
However, the type has been largely banned in England and Wales following a series of deadly attacks. It is now a criminal offence to own or possess one unless you have a valid Certificate of Exemption.
Atherton said in the 2022 video that, like French Bulldogs, XL Bullies were "booming" in popularity, resulting in "overbreeding and bad breeding". He argued that "although the breed was bred for amazing purposes, of taking the intensity and aggression out of the Pitbull, unfortunately, bad breeders are starting to put that back into them, which is why we're seeing XL Bullies go as far as actually murdering people here in the UK".
Siberian Husky
His third and final pick is the Siberian Husky, a breed that emerged in the harsh Arctic climate of Siberia. Their insulated double coat, high energy and stamina make them well-suited to being tireless working dogs in brutally cold conditions.
While they can make good companions with training, their needs and stubbornness can make them overwhelming for owners. Atherton says they are "incredibly difficult to train" and that it is "incredibly difficult to fix any problem behaviours", describing them as "more cat than dog".
