7 Dog Breeds NO Dog Trainer Ever Wants to Train..

I've trained thousands of dogs, police dogs, dogs that bit people, dogs that try to bite me, and there are still seven breeds that make my stomach drop the second they walk through the Upstate Canine Academy. And here's the part that's going to sting just a little bit. Most owners pick these breeds for exactly the wrong reasons. They see a cute little puppy, they fall in love, and 18 months later, they're calling a dog trainer or they're calling me in tears. So today, guys, I'm going to do it. I'm going to pull back the curtain, and I'm going to tell you these seven breeds, professional dog trainers quietly dread and don't want to see walk through their doors and the mistakes owners make every single time, and the one type of person who can actually handle these dogs. And number seven, I've watched it break, experienced trainers. Let's get into it. We're starting with a fan favorite, and I already know that the comments are going to go crazy on this one because I've talked about it before, the Siberian Husky, gorgeous but dramatic. Talks back like a moody teenager and almost completely is uninterested in anything you have to say. And here's the thing people don't really understand about Siberian Huskies. They were literally bred to run for hundreds of miles, pulling sleds across the frozen literally nowhere, making a split second decision without a human telling them what they should and shouldn't do. This independence is baked into their DNA. So when you call your Husky and they look at you and then they just go because the gates open, that's just a Husky being a Husky. That's not disobedience. That's the breed working exactly as it's designed. The biggest owner mistake here, guys, which is really important, you guys need to listen up, is expecting a Husky to want to please you. They don't. Not in a way a Labrador Retriever will. A Husky decides whether your request is even worth its time. So who actually thrives with a Siberian Husky? Someone who's active, someone who likes to run, hike, bike daily and treats exercise as a non-negotiable. Someone who finds the sass funny instead of frustrating. And if you want a dog that hangs on your every word, this is not your breed. Now the next one I'm about to name is so loyal that it'll follow you to the bathroom. It'll follow you off a cliff and that loyalty is the exact reason why this dog is so dangerous in the wrong hands. The Belgian Malinois. If you've watched any military movie in the last decade, you've seen one. They are elite, for sure. They are brilliant, for sure. And they are way too much dog for the average household. People see a Malinois take down a bad guy on the big screen and think, I want that. No, you don't. What you saw was a dog with a working drive so dang intense that without a job, it will invent one. And you will not like the job that it picks, likely. This breed needs a purpose the way that we need oxygen. The classic mistake dog owners make, you might ask? Owners giving a Malinois a walk or giving them a big backyard and assume that's enough. For a Malinois, a 30 minute walk is a warm up. You need training drills, mental challenges, structured work every single day. Who does well with a Mal, honestly? Professionals, working handlers, serious dog sport competitors, people who live and breathe canine training. For the average family, this is a recipe for a heartbreak. These dogs are no joke. If you're still with me, okay, good. Because number three is the one nobody sees coming. Here it is. The smartest dog breed in the world. Seriously, you can Google it, chat, GBT it, do whatever you want. It's the smartest dog breed in the world. Yes, I'm talking about the Border Collie, aka the BoCo. And I'm telling you guys right now, these dogs are absolutely elite. Their intelligence is actually a trap because what most people don't really understand about the Border Collie is a smart dog isn't an easy dog. A smart dog is a dog that notices everything. They learn patterns instantly and gets bored faster than you can keep up. A Border Collie will master a command you spend a week training in about 10 minutes. And then they spend the rest of its life looking for stimulation that you can't provide because these dogs are literal working machines. They were bred to herd sheep literally all day or cows or anything, any livestock, kids even if you let them, controlling movement with relentless focus, guys. So in a normal home, they start herding kids, cars, joggers, the vacuum. They develop nipping habits, anxiety, and again, obsessive fixations or even on lights, which is heartbreaking to watch, which is why I tell people never use laser pointers. But the mistake dog owners make is thinking smart equals low maintenance and easy to train. It's the opposite of that, guys. The smarter the dog, the bigger job you owe it. So who wins with the Border Collie? Someone obsessed with engagement, agility, herding trials, advanced obedience, puzzle work on the daily. If your idea of a relaxing weekend is teaching your dog 15 new commands, congratulations, you found your soulmate. Now guys, the first three dogs, as they age and get older, like really anything, they do start to slow down, but they keep going all the way up until they're 11, 12 years old. But now we're going to flip the script completely because the next breed isn't too hyper, but so stubborn. You guys might already know what I'm about to say. This dog has made my list almost every time, which is the Akita, powerful, dignified, fiercely loyal to its family, and carved from solid stubbornness. Literally this dog, you guys, this is an ancient breed bred to guard and to hunt large game independently, not with their handler, not with some random person. They think for themselves. They don't ask for permission. And here's the part that trips people up the most. Akitas can be aloof to strangers, but intolerant to other dogs. The mistake I see constantly with these dogs is owners are charmed by their calm, quiet puppyhood, and they assume calmness means easy, or they see them in a TikTok, and then the dog hits adolescence, and the guardian instinct switches on, and they're suddenly a hundred plus pound dog making decisions about who's allowed in the house and who's not allowed in the house. Now that's okay for a dog that's supposed to be doing that as long as they have good discernment between who is friend and foe. Akitas demand early, consistent, confident socialization skills. If you skip that, you've got serious problems. Who handles Akitas well? An experienced, calm, confident owner, like we've talked about some of the other breeds. Who leads without bullying and forcing this dog to do anything? Someone who learns respect rather than demanding it. First time owner, absolutely not. Please don't. Just don't. Take a breath because the next breed, guys, is small and cute and adorable, and one of the most underestimated training challenges out there on the planet. I know, I know. Look at it. These cute little legs and that sausage little body is the Dachshund. Now this dog is from Germany. I've trained many of them. One of my clients, Aaron Judge, who plays for the Yankees, has a couple. They've been with me for years, and I've trained them and worked with them, and it might be just the most stubborn pound for pound dog on this entire list. No matter how cute and small they are, because the secret is, guys, people forget Dachshunds were bred to hunt literal badgers underground. Facing down an angry animal, literally in the dark tunnel, makes a dog completely fearless, determined, and completely convinced it's in charge, and that's adorable and a puppyhood, but it's a nightmare during house training or potty training or leash training or anything else. You get this cute little dog, you treat it like a baby, and then they ruin your life. Speaking of which, Dachshunds are notoriously hard to potty train, which I've done with a lot of them. Not because they can't learn, but because they decide it's their rules, and their rules only apply to them, and yours don't. They're brave to the point of recklessness and will bark at the biggest dog like a Great Dane without a second thought, guys. But the big owner mistake with these dogs is treating them like a delicate little lap dog and never setting boundaries. Small dog, big personality, zero rules. That's how you create a tiny tyrant who runs the household. Absolutely crazy, guys. I've seen it a lot. Who thrives with a Dachshund? Who thrives with these little cute devilish dogs? Someone patient with a great sense of humor, and also someone who's firm and consistent, but doesn't take the attitude personally. Treat them like a real dog, not a dang accessory, and they will surprise you. They will be a really cool working dog for you. But bringing them in, I'm like, oh, there's that dog. I know they already got treated like a baby their whole life. Here we go. All right, the next breed is one of the most popular family dogs in the entire world, and I'm about to ruffle some gosh dang dadgummit feathers, y'all. The Jack Russell Terrier, or the J-R-T. Tiny body, rocket engine, endless, relentless energy, nonstop, falls to the wall. If you've ever seen one of these dogs in action, you know they never stop. They were bred to chase prey into burrows and dig like their life depends on it, literally. And that drive, guys, this is what I talk about all the time, that drive doesn't switch off because you live in an apartment. You're like, oh, we're in an apartment? We're in a small area? They don't care. That's the thing. Like, these dogs don't care, like most dogs. The problem isn't intelligence. Jack Russell Terriers are sharp. The problem is the combination of high prey drive, high energy, and a stubborn streak that makes them want to do literally whatever they want to do and live their own life with or without you. They literally don't care, and it's at their full speed. Now, the mistake most owners make over and over again is underestimating them because they're little, like the Dachshund. They think a little dog needs a little exercise. Wrong. A bored Jack Russell Terrier will dig up your garden, escape your yard, and chase anything and everything that moves and bark for hours so your neighbors are really happy that you got this dog. This breed will out-energy almost any owner who is not ready. Who does a JRT suit? Let's think about this, okay? Someone genuinely active and engaged, like all the other dogs we've talked about, who can channel all that drive into games and sports and structured play. Give a Jack Russell a job and a workout, and it's brilliant. Leave it bored, and it'll redecorate your house. And now, guys, drum roll number seven, the one I warned you about. The breed has humble trainers, and I deeply respect this breed like any breed or any dog that I work with, and that dog, guys, is the Chow Chow. It looks like a dadgum teddy bear, a fluffy, lion-maned, cuddly teddy bear. And let's just stop right there. You get a dog that looks like a teddy bear? What's the problem with that? Well, the problem is, is it's not a teddy bear. This is one of the most independent and dignified breeds you will ever meet. I've worked with them. When I was a dog walker, I used to have them as clients. They are stoic. Chows don't crave your approval. They famously described as more cat-like than dogs, like the Shiba Inu, and they choose when they want affection. And the rest of the time, they prefer you to just respect their space, kind of like a teenager. Can't wait for that phase. But here's what makes them so tough, if you guys are interested, because, of course, you are. You're still here. Thank you for being here. They are intensely loyal to one person, typically, often wary of everyone else, or they just don't care about anyone else. They have strong guardian instinct, like some of the other dogs. Combine that with their stubborn nature and a low tolerance for repetitive obedience, you asking them to sit 10, 15 times, don't do that. And you've got a dog that simply won't work for treats the way most breeds do. The biggest mistake with these dogs, guys, is people buy this fluffy little puppy that looks like a freaking teddy bear, expecting a fluffy little cute puppy that looks like a teddy bear to stay like that. But it never dawns on them that socialization is really important, and by the time the dog matures, that aloofness has hardened into something much harder to manage. So who can succeed with a dog like a Chow? You guys probably know the sequence now, an experienced, calm, respectful owner who starts socialization day one, never relies on treats, never relies on force. Someone who understands this breed, gives them lots of mental and physical exercise, and that loyalty will come back tenfold, and you will have an amazing dog. Now guys, I've worked with every single breed on this list several, several times. I've been a professional for over a decade. My passion is helping dog owners better understand their dogs. I have tons of free dog training advice here on my YouTube channel with real people with real problems, and we get real results. Dogs come in barking on the leash, having a bite history, reactive, and it's important for you guys to understand that you guys have to understand your dog first before you can actually start training. I have tons of courses listed below that you guys can take. So guys, if you have a dog that's reactive on the leash, we got that course. If you have a dog that pulls you and drags you on the leash, we got that course. We have the off-leash course, and of course we have the Kickstarter course, which restarts your whole relationship no matter what dog you have. It's great for dog trainers. Hundreds of dog trainers have left reviews on that. Click the link below to check all that out if you guys want an in-depth understanding of dog behavior and training in real life with real dogs. Thank you guys so much for watching, listening, and paying attention to me. 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