‘I’m a dog trainer – very intelligent breed wants to please’

Choosing a dog can be a tough decision – and it’s not one that you should take lightly. You want a dog that will integrate within your family, and one you can commit to training and walking.

If you’re looking for a “highly intelligent” breed that also has a lot of love to give, then one dog trainer has just the breed. Will Atherton took to TikTok to share the “three dog breeds that as a canine behaviourist and dog trainer” he “loves to work with”.

First up, he shared that he loves working with retriever breeds like the labrador retriever or the golden retriever, saying he had to “package them up as one choice” because there was no way he could choose between them.

According to the PDSA, Labradors are devoted, affectionate, loving dogs that will happily get along with everyone. They’re obedient, quick to learn and eager to please, so training should be fairly easy. It’s worth noting, though, that they are amongst a group of breeds classed as ‘Category Two’ by The Kennel Club. These are breeds of dog that have been highlighted as having ‘points of concern’ – visible features which, if exaggerated, might potentially affect the breed in the future and cause health and welfare concerns.

Golden retrievers are usually real big softies and can make a great addition to a home, shares the PDSA, noting that can happily fit into family life if they are socialised properly. They are gentle but need to be treated with respect by all members of the family, including young children, as like any dog their patience will eventually run out.

Both of these dogs need a minimum of two hours exercise per day, so if you’re considering them, it may be worth keeping that in mind.

Next up on Will’s list was the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. “They are some of the sweetest, kindest dogs that are literally overflowing with love and can’t give it away enough,” he gushed.

The PDSA shares that Staffies are stocky and solid dogs with seemingly boundless energy, which makes them the perfect pet for active households. They do best when there is someone around the home all the time to keep them company – otherwise you might find your furniture pays the price!

Staffordshire Bull Terriers need a minimum of an hour of exercise each day.

“Last but certainly not least is the German Shepherd. The absolute king of all-rounder dogs,” Will gushed. He added that these pooches tend to be highly intelligent and willing to please.

The dog trainer continued: “Now, where the retriever breeds don’t have any guarding instincts, they tend to be a bit more playful and happy-go-lucky; the German Shepherds with those guarding instincts tend to be a little bit more stoic and serious.

“Which, for me, I really enjoy, but they also come with insane intelligence, a desire to please their handler, incredibly resilient and just a joy to work with”.

The PDSA says that German Shepherds are very loyal, intelligent and love to be kept active, so can be easy to train. They suit very active households as they need a lot of exercise every day.

They are great dogs for owners with a lot of experience and time as, like most dogs, they can get bored easily. They need at least two hours of exercise per day.

When choosing a dog breed, make sure you’ve done enough research and that the dog will fit into your lifestyle before taking them into your family. Remember, a dog is for life.