Dog trainer shares ‘king of all breeds’ he’d have for rest of his life

A professional dog trainer has revealed his top three favourite breeds, including one he hails as the “king of all dog breeds”.

Canine behaviourist Will Atherton, who boasts more than 900,000 TikTok followers, is renowned for his dog training expertise and breed recommendations.

In a recent clip, Will said there are “three breeds that, as a canine behaviourist, I absolutely love”. He noted that every professional dog trainer has their preferred breeds to work with, as well as those they don’t like.

Topping his list was the Labrador Retriever, which Will regards as the “king of all dog breeds”.

He said: “If I could only have one [breed] for the rest of my life, it would be Labradors.”

The Cane Corso came in second, with Will expressing his fondness for mastiff breeds. He said: “I love mastiff breeds. They definitely are not suitable for first-time owners or many families, like the Labrador is, but they do provide a really unique bond and relationship, and guarding skills that I love.”

However, Will previously said he will never get another mastiff breed having had several that died young due to health complications. “It’s just too heartbreaking for me and my family to go through that process of losing dogs young, when there are other breeds like Labradors that are just so much more healthy and robust,” he said.

The final breed on his list was the German Shepherd, which Will described as an excellent “all-round” breed. He said they can make for excellent family pets as well as excellent protection dogs.

In the caption of his video, Will added: “You can lump the Golden Retriever in with the Lab.” He said Golden Retrievers, Labradors and German Shepherds are most professional trainers’ favourite breeds to work with, while the Cane Corso is a “purely personal preference for me specifically”.