It's no secret that there are breeds of dogs that are far more complicated than others, and breeds that should be owned by experienced dog-masters only - many other breeds fall into this category. But, what about breeds that are a little more forgiving for people who haven't owned a dog before, or have limited experience in reading dogs? This blog post is all about the breeds that are the best candidates for beginners!
After, we will go over 10 breeds that beginners should not bring in to their homes until they gain more experience - and this goes for all beginners, including trainers that haven't trained them before. These breeds are usually the most problematic for inexperienced owners.
Beginner Breeds
1) Labrador/Golden Retriever
Not surprisingly, the first breed that is great for beginners is the Retriever. These dogs are generally well balanced, forgiving, and gentle, and can tolerate some newbie mistakes without having too many detrimental behaviour problems. That being said, Retrievers can go sour very fast if they are not exercised enough. Retrievers need quite a lot of exercise; some need at least 6 hours of intense, high-level exercise every day, so if you are not an active person, and work most of the day, a Retriever is not the right fit for you.
2) Mastiffs
This addition might surprise you, but most Mastiffs are lazy, slow, and really easy going. They only need a couple hours of exercise every day, and when given a job or some kind of mental exercise, Mastiffs are very easy to manage. They are fine with spending most of the day on the couch with you. They do need more mental exercise than physical, meaning they need to use their minds every day, or they tend to get bored - and bring out behaviours like aggression or destruction to occupy their minds themselves. If you have a bit of a longer work day and prefer to have a dog that can be either active with you or lazy, the Mastiff is a great fit, but if you're not into brain games such as fetch, search, or training your dog to perform tasks, steer clear of the Mastiff.
3) Great Dane
Contrary to popular belief, Great Danes are actually very lazy, low energy dogs that can fit themselves into the space they need to fit in. That isn't to say they don't need exercise, but they need lesser than most large dogs - they can even handle skipping a day. Training wise, they do need a little extra vigilance, however as long as they get a good balance of mental and physical exercise, Great Danes make great pets. If you're the type to have changing shifts and can't always get them outside, this is the dog for you - however, if you can't handle at least 2 hours of walking when you can get out, this isn't a good fit.
4) Greyhound
While famous for how fast they can run, Greyhounds are actually pretty lazy. They love to run, but once they're done, they're done. You can easily tire a Greyhound out in an hour, and spend some time exercising the brain. Overall, Greyhounds are simple to train, and easy to tire out - excellent for those who are retired, or maybe don't work all day. However, Greyhounds don't do too well alone - and someone who works full time shouldn't consider a Greyhound.
5) Cocker Spaniel
These pups are usually very hyper, high energy dogs that very quickly spiral out of control - often becoming unruly. The realty is, Cockers just need to know what is expected of them, and plenty of activities. They suit a family where someone is home to be with them and keep them active, and even an active retired couple, or even a single part-timer. They can be left alone if they're exercised, but watch out - Cockers need three or four hours of activity and mental stimulation, so they aren't great for someone who works all day.
Breeds to Steer Clear of as a Beginner
1) Chihuahua
They might be small and cute, but these dogs have a lot of needs - exercise, mental stimulation, spot-on training, accurate behaviour management, and they're pretty smart - they know exactly what they can get away with. They might be little, but they can get out of control very fast in the hands of someone who can't read and respond to the very fast, minor queues that a dog is exhibiting. Chihuahuas need a moderate amount of exercise, about two hours every morning - but they need many hours of mental stimulation - upwards of four or more hours, and they need someone who can communicate immediately what is unacceptable. Most Chihuahuas are picked to be placed in a purse or bag and coddled like a baby, or over protected because of their size. This is very destructive to the breed, because they don't understand they are small - they also don't need coddling. Train them right, and you won't have a problem.
2) Bully Breeds (Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Terrier, Bulldogs, ect)
Everyone knows the media loves to demonize Pit Bulls Terriers and their cousins, blaming the breed instead of the owner. People are starting to realize that Pit Bulls aren't dangerous, but there are a select few that still believe they are incredibly dangerous killing machines. The honest truth with all Bully Breeds is they are not only stubborn and mentally slow, but they are also very unforgiving with training mistakes. If you miss out on behaviour management or communication that something is unacceptable, Bully Breeds tend to think they can ALWAYS get away with something, and often do it the second time with incredible stubbornness. They also need lots of exercise every day, both mental and physical - and only someone who can stay on top of behaviours should own one. That being said, most Bully Breeds are actually very well adjusted, patient, gentle, forgiving breeds that just simply need more guidance and exercise. There has never been a case where a Bully Breed has been at fault for an incident that wasn't directly caused by human lack of experience.
3) German/Belgian Shepherds
Being police dogs, Shepherds are bred to work, perform, and be "on" all the time. Because of this, even the pet lines of Shepherds have this trait. They need all day exercise and training, and on-the-ball owners that don't miss a thing. Most under-trained Shepherds become frustrated, and become aggressive or destructive because of lack of leadership. They do make excellent working dogs, and should be considered as such - not home pups.
4) Boxers
Take the most obnoxious pre-teenage boy you can think of, and put him on a sugar buzz, and there you have the Boxer. These dogs are very high energy, right up there with the Border Collie, and almost as intelligent. Boxers can and will get away with murder if you let them, and they need high intensity exercise and training with hallmark consistency every day. Without perfect leadership, Boxers turn hyper, destructive, crazy, and nippy, and without fast and effective intervention, you could have a serious situation on your hands, especially if your Boxer stops taking you seriously. It is most definitely a breed for those whom have had a few dogs in their life already.
5) Rottweilers
Originally intended as farm workers and guard dogs, Rotties are not for beginners. They do have a high please drive, but they lack intelligence. This makes them great guard dogs, but also very slow to learn, slow to change, and slow to adapt. Their owners must be able to know the "safe" line between guarding behaviour and dominance, and protection drive and aggression. Without the knowledge of that distinction, Rottweilers can become freight trains with no braking system. It takes an expert to bring them back to a safe level again, and it is far easier to prevent these behaviours before they become habits. The Rottweiler is not a beginner's dog.
6) Shih-Tsu
Small, not terribly hyper, and hypo-allergenic, these little mops are a popular choice among families and the retired, because they don't need as much exercise as most little dogs - or so they think. Shih Tsus were bred to be small personal alarm systems in China, during a time when women were not safe alone. Because of this, Shih Tsus have many generations of hyper, alarmist, possessive lines in their blood, and it shows. Shih Tsus are not very smart, stubborn, and usually bond with just one family member, usually becoming distant, ignorant, and aggressive towards anyone else. Shih Tsus often bark at and charge the door, any sound outside of their home, and generally any people that come near their chosen person. Once separate from that person, they become displaced, confused, and sometimes anxious to the point of shutting down. Shih Tsus actually need 2 to 3 hours of exercise every day, and some mental stimulation, but they also need a spot on owner that can communicate that it's alarmist behaviour is unacceptable after a certain point, and what to do with it instead.
7) Poodles and poodle mixes
Poodles are very popular - they can be mixed with everything to produce a curly, waterproof or water resistant coat, to pass on high intelligence, and poise - but with that poise and intelligence comes a double edged sword. Poodles are the third most intelligent dog in the world, but lack the please-drive that the Border Collie (number one) and German Shepherd (number two) have. This means the dog could care less if it is making you happy or not, which presents a common training problem - you have to teach the dog to obey you when it doesn't want to. Often, Poodles know exactly what's expected, and even a perfectly trained specimen can have this happen - but they decide that, nah, I'm not to listen today, I don't want to, and I don't have to. They can switch from taking you seriously to thinking you're useless in half a second. Most Poodles need to be trained with high value rewards instead of praise. They also need a lot of exercise and twice as much mental stimulation, which presents a problem if they're not interested in performing just because their human wants them to. Poodles need constant stellar attentiveness, and an experienced owner that knows how to manipulate a super-intelligent non-please driven breed.
8) Huskies/Malamutes
Sled dogs are growing in popularity south of Northern Canada, and as such, the demand is ever increasing, and back yard breeders are popping up everywhere. This is not only putting a strain on healthy breeding lines, but it's also polluting the genes, and causing massive problems. Many Husky or Malamute lines have a large percentage of wild wolf in them now, and most are not responsibly bred. Huskies and Malamutes are also high-drive performing working breeds that are bred specifically to run all day and pull heavy weight behind them, and when they don't have that job, their exercise needs goes through the roof - as well, behavioural problems arise. With wolf DNA in the vast majority of Huskies and Malamutes, due to the demand of puppies across North America, these dogs are very "raw" - they are wilder than other breeds, and need expert communication on pack mastery. These dogs should remain sled dogs or working dogs, and should never be used as a simple pet dog. They have the need to work right in their blood, and havoc ensues when these needs aren't met.
9) Collies/Heelers
Bred to run and corral animals, Collie and Heeler breeds are high energy, high intelligence working breeds that desperately need to heel and organize things. On top of needing six to twelve hours of high intensity running every day, Collie and Heeler breeds also have an intense desire to heel that has to be fulfilled - either on sheep, or the next best things - cats, children, ankles - anything that might flee from them and squeal. Collie and Heeler breeds shouldn't be kept outside of farms or a place where they can heel, and if they are, they need to have some form of herding outlet - even fetch. These dogs might be easy to train, but behaviour wise, they can go sour very fast if they do not have an outlet to heel.
10) Shelter Dogs
Everyone loves to rescue dogs - that satisfaction you get from helping a dog that has been forgotten or mistreated in some way, but let me caution you - these dogs always come with their own issues, sometimes severe - and because of that, they shouldn't be your first dog. You will need to know how to undo someone else's damage - and because new owners don't always know how to do this, it's far easier to start from a puppy that a responsible breeder has produced - because if you can't repair another human's damage on a dog, that dog might not trust or respect humans ever again.
That's everything for this blog, stay tuned for the next one!
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