Dog trainer shares breed he ‘wouldn’t have in family home’

An expert dog trainer has revealed he wouldn’t recommend one popular breed for a bustling family household.

Will Atherton, a canine behaviourist with more than 900,000 TikTok followers, regularly imparts wisdom about the best dog breeds for varying lifestyles.

Following a query from one viewer who asked “why do you hate spaniels so much?”, Will said in a recent video: “I promise you that isn’t the case whatsoever.”

Highlighting his own experiences, he remarked: “One of the things I enjoy more in the dog world more than nearly anything else is when I take uncle Sully [his dog] and we’re working out in the field, doing some gun dog stuff, and you see a spaniel beating up game, flushing through thick heather and thick hedgerows.”

He finds the sight of spaniels in their hunting element “beautiful”, and added: “There are not many things in the dog world that are more awesome to see than that.”

However, it is exactly this that makes them unsuitable for the family home, according to Will.

He said: “The problem is, when you bring that kind of energy into a busy family home, it rarely meshes very well. It wouldn’t mesh well at my home with my family and my lifestyle, that’s way too much energy.”

His candid video has amassed thousands of views, sparking a debate among his followers. One commented: “I have two spaniels and I completely agree with you to be honest.”

Another individual concurred: “100% agree! Our Springer is coming up to two years, needs super engagement and enrichment, thankfully she runs with me and that burns off a lot of that energy!”

Meanwhile, a third person admitted: “We got a cocker without much research and he hums with enthusiasm and energy, but we mesh somehow – he crazy though!”