‘Stubborn’: Dog trainer reveals five dog breeds he’d never own

A Sydney dog trainer with years of experience has revealed the five surprising breeds he’d never own - including one he wouldn’t buy if his “life depended on it”.

A Sydney dog trainer has revealed the five dog breeds he’d never own, including those he considers “stubborn” and “boring”.

In a video posted on TikTok last week, Elijah Boateng, who has been a dog trainer for four years, shared huskies and the popular cavoodle, are among those he would avoid as pets.

“First off, we have the husky,” he began in the video, which has racked up over one million views.

“This is quite a stubborn dog, I don’t love the temperaments on them, they feel to me like they still need to be in the wild rather than in people’s homes.”

Sydney dog trainer Elijah Boateng revealed the breeds he would never own. Picture: TikTok@apexdogtraining

He said huskies feel like “they still need to be in the wild”. Picture: TikTok@apexdogtraining

Speaking to news.com.au, the 24-year-old said while he loves all dogs, huskies would be the last breed he would own.

“I wouldn’t have one of those dogs unless my life depended on it,” he said.

“I don’t love their personalities, I train a lot of them. They make a lot of my clients’ lives very difficult … They’re not the hardest dogs in the sense that they have the biggest energy levels, but they’re the most dominant.”

He said there were two occasions when he was training huskies and they began screaming uncontrollably as soon as he attached a leash to them.

“As soon as they thought they can’t get away and run off, they just started howling and screaming like they were going to die and it’s literally never happened with any dog.”

As well as Huskies, Mr Boateng said he’s never own maremma sheepdogs which are “serious dogs [that] are not fun to train” or pugs which can suffer from breathing issues.

“I don’t want a dog that I have to get a surgery for so I can keep them living. I want a dog that can survive on their own. I just don’t love [pugs]. How they are, how they breath, it just seems a little bit funny to me,” he said.

Mr Boateng said maremma sheepdogs are “serious” and “not fun to train”. Picture: TikTok@apexdogtraining

He also wouldn't want to own a pug due to their breathing issues. Picture: TikTok@apexdogtraining

Controversially, he also named cavoodle on the list, saying while they are great first dogs, they are also quite anxious.

“They’re manageable, they’re not going to kill anyone, they can’t cause much damage, they’re very food motivated and willing to train. But for someone like me who wants a dog that I can properly train with a really sound temperament, they just always have an undertone of anxiety.”

Lastly, he said greyhounds are “boring” dogs that are great for “lifestyle but not for someone who is into training”.

“Greyhounds are awesome … but it's not the kind of dog you want to train and do stuff with.”

Mr Boateng’s video sparked a mix response online, with some disagreeing with his judgments.

“[I’m] a greyhound owner [and] quite disappointed at how people turn against this breed,” said one person.

“My greyhound learned sit, stay, paw in 5 minutes!!” said another.

“Pugs are honestly the best dog breed. Love their personalities. Just got to make sure you get from a good breeder or rescue,” another person commented.

However others agreed with his view on huskies.

“As a husky owner I knew the husky would be on this list, they’re not for everyone, but the breed is rather misunderstood till you own one,” one person said.

“Huskies can be more stubborn than other dogs but are absolutely easily trainable, and hilarious. Mine would definitely not survive in the ‘wild’,” said another.

Mr Boateng said cavoodles are quite anxious. Picture: TikTok@apexdogtraining

He also suggested greyhounds weren’t the best for training. Picture: TikTok@apexdogtraining

When asked what dogs he’d prefer to own, Mr Boateng said as dog trainer he’d opt for working type dogs, including kelpies, golden retrievers and labradors.

However, he warned he often sees working dogs wind up in the pound and recommended those looking to invest in their first pet to consider more low-maintenance options including Australian bulldogs.
While he said he would personally never own a cavoodle, he admitted they were a good dog to buy as a first pet.

“The thing that I see all the time is people getting a german shepherd or kelpie and they get it and don’t realise how much dog it actually is. People say ‘I can’t handle this’ and then the dog goes in the pound.

“Dogs that I see that don’t go to the pound a lot are Australian bulldogs or cavoodles. They’re rarely ever in shelters because they’re manageable and easy to deal with, they’re the breeds I’d recommend.”