In this weeks blog post, I thought I’d talk you through my own experiences in training and working with Britain’s top 10 most popular dog breeds. In over 5 years of professional dog training, I’ve had the pleasure of working with thousands of dogs. Unsurprisingly, I’ve worked with Britain’s favourite dogs many times over. Of course, our lovely dog walkers Dan and Claire have worked with them extensively too. We’ve seen time and time again the best bits of each breed, as well their potential quirks and the most typical struggles people tend to have with these dogs. It goes without saying that people will have different experiences of each breed, but here’s our thoughts. 

Labrador Retriever

The Labrador Retriever is by far and away the breed I have trained most and who we have most in our group walks. I typically see them for puppy training and preventing them from jumping up and food stealing. Given their super temperament, it really isn’t surprising they top the list of Britain’s top 10 most popular dog breeds.
Best bits: Friendly, sociable, easy to train, affectionate, easy going and adaptable.
Worst bits: Greedy! Bouncy, lively as puppies/teenagers, shed lots of hair. Love water so will struggle to resist waddling in every muddy puddle they come across, like many gundogs.
Would I have one? Yes most definitely. 

French Bulldog

Best bits: Affectionate to their families, low exercise needs generally,
Worst bits: Often over bred and therefore prone to health problems including breathing issues, therefore more likely to have behavioural issues. I frequently meet Frenchies who are reactive to other dogs.
Would I have one? Not for me. The Frenchie has only joined the list of Britain’s top 10 most popular dog breeds in the past few years and unfortunately it does seem that they are a ‘trendy’ breed at the moment. Trends in breeds tends to lead to poor breeding and an over abundance in the breed in rescue centres subsequently sadly.

Cocker Spaniel

Best bits: Friendly, sociable, easy to train, affectionate, hard working, great for doing sports and activities with.
Worst bits: Prone to separation anxiety, resource guarding and can be very chasey. There is a big difference between working and show cockers with the show type typically being much more suitable for most pet owners, especially as a first dog. Cocker spaniels also have high exercise and mental stimulation needs.
Would I have one? Of course! Our boy Duke is Cocker x Springer Spaniel and I just adore the silliness and loving nature of a cocker spaniel.

Dachshund (Miniature Smooth-Haired)

Best bits: Low exercise needs, very portable due to their small size, apartment friendly, bond strongly to their people.
Worst bits: Prone to many health and behavioural issues due to poor breeding practices, especially since the pandemic. I must have worked with hundreds of miniature Dachshunds over the years and so often these little dogs are highly anxious and the main way they show this is by barking- a lot!
Would I have one? Not for me. I wouldn’t recommend a miniature smooth haired Dachshund to most people. But, I would instead recommend a standard sized wire haired Dachshund. These are much less likely to be over bred and are typically less worried about the world.

English Bulldog

Best bits: Easy going, great sofa dogs, loving, playful, low exercise needs. Great companion dogs.
Worst bits: Slobbery. Prone to breathing issues due to their short noses which may also cause other health and behavioural issues. Having a short nose and therefore less breathing room means these dogs can also be very noisy – and very loud snorers! 
Would I have one? Not for me due to their slobber! Often not particularly interested in training or long walks, both of which I love.

Golden Retriever

Best bits: Very similar to the Labrador Retriever unsurprisingly. Friendly, sociable, easy to train, affectionate, easy going and adaptable. Generally very solid temperament wise.
Worst bits: Often used as working dogs so will need a decent amount of exercise and mental stimulation so may not be suitable in every home. Will shed lots of hair so reasonable grooming and maintenance needs.
Would I have one? Yes definitely, great family dogs. 

English Springer Spaniel

Best bits: Highly trainable, intelligent, very affectionate and loving to people, often not that interested in other dogs, hard working, not very barky.
Worst bits: Similar to Cocker Spaniels, they are prone to resource guarding, separation anxiety due and can also have a high prey drive to their breeding. High exercise and mental stimulation needs.
Would I have one? Yes, even though our Duke is hard work, I absolutely love the breed!

German Shepherd Dog (GSD)

Best bits: Intelligent, loyal, great family dogs, highly trainable.
Worst bits: Due to their breeding for guarding they can be prone to reactivity to strangers and other dogs. As such they can be ‘pessimistic’ which can be a lot to handle due to their large size. Prone to guarding the home which may be problematic in residential areas. Will need plenty of exercise and an outlet for their work drive. Their long coats will need regular brushing and grooming.
Would I have one? Yes definitely. Our dog walker Claire has her own GSD, Casper, and my first family dog was a GSD cross. Dan has had several Shepherds on his walks over the years and has a real soft spot for the breed. 

Staffordshire Bull Terrier

Best bits: Fantastic family dogs as they are often easy going, playful and silly. They make great companions and are flexible in terms of how much exercise and mental stimulation they need. They’re usually quite happy with a run around the local park, whereas some other breeds may need much more. They need minimal grooming and coat maintenance. A great breed for nearly everyone!
Worst bits: The worst bit about a Staffie is probably their bad reputation! They have been used historically for unsavoury purposes unfortunately and still have a negative public perception sadly. They are a strong, powerful dog, but there is absolutely no evidence that the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is any more or less likely to bite or attack than any other breed.
Would I have one? Yes, you really can’t go wrong with a Staffie! 

Miniature Schnauzer

Of all the dogs on this list of Britain’s top 10 most popular dog breeds, the Miniature Schnauzer is the one I’ve worked with the least. This may be because they aren’t prone to many training and behaviour issues. It may also just be because they’re not particularly popular where we live in Kent. 

Best bits: Affectionate to their families and tend to bond strongly to their one person. Portable to their small size and tend to adapt well to apartment living due to their small size. Lower exercise needs than other breeds can still enjoy an adventure.
Worst bits: May be aloof and rather keep themselves to themselves rather than meet new people and dogs. May be barky due to their breeding. Will need regular brushing, grooming and coat maintenance.
Would I have one? Probably not, but only because the list of dogs I’d have first is so long! 

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