advertisement
23 October 2023
There’s a lot of discourse and opinions about the best dog breeds and of course, we tend to be biased about the breeds we’ve grown up with or know the best as being the best. However, when you’re on the front lines of doggie health and wellness, such as TikTok user @ben.the.vet, you tend to have a better understanding of the dogs with the best temperament and typically the least amount of health issues. He caveats to say these are not the healthiest possible dog breeds, every dog breed has some issues that they’re prone to, but health is certainly a factor in his considerations. That being said, here are the top 5 dog breeds Ben the Vet claims he would consider if he were ever to get one.
“They may not look very cuddly, but on the whole, they are really gentle dogs, and there are so many of them leading homes after their racing careers end. They are unfortunately renowned for having very bad teeth, so I put in the effort from the beginning to get them used to having their teeth brushed. They’ll happily plod along on a walk, but they like the opportunity to Sprint around, so I’d make sure that I give them that time and opportunity.”
“For me, if I were going to get a small dog, they’d probably be my top choice. In my experience, they’re quite affectionate little dogs, and compared to some other terriers, I find maybe they form slightly stronger attachments with people. Their physical appearance isn’t exaggerated in any way, and on the whole, they tend to be quite robust health-wise, although like all breeds there are some issues they’re prone to such as luxating patellas, and they can get a type of cramping syndrome. So I would definitely speak to the breeder about whether the parents have been screened or had any kind of history of those problems.”
“This is a bit more of a nice choice. There aren’t a lot of them around, but I just have found that the ones that have met tend to have a really lovely temperament. They’re again moderate and unexaggerated in their appearance, but they can be prone to some joint issues such as hip dysplasia. So I would definitely ask if the parents have been hip-scored. They do need lots and lots of exercise and stimulation, so I would only get one if I had time to take them out for two long walks every day.
“I just think that they’re amazing family dogs. They’re gentle, affectionate, loyal, and funny. Again, they’re moderate in their appearance. They’re not exaggerated in any way, and we know exaggeration can be bad for health, so that’s good. However, I’m slightly conflicted about them because they are, unfortunately genetically prone to quite a few different problems. One of their biggest issues is joint problems, so I would definitely make sure both parents have been hip and elbow scored with good results and have been screened for inherited eye issues. These would not be a guarantee that they would reduce the risk of my puppy being affected. They’re also very prone to getting fat, so I’d be extremely careful to keep them trimmed.”
“When I say mongrel, I mean proper licorice, all sort mixed breed where you can’t tell what they are. The downside is that you don’t get the predictability in terms of adult size, temperament, activity levels that you get with a pedigree dog. But what you do get is diverse genetics and a dog that, by virtue of being less inbred, is less prone to diseases that have an inherited component than a dog that comes from a narrow gene pool. And for me, as a vet, that’s really important.”
There you have it! Of course, this is just one vet’s opinion, but it always helps to have some perspective from someone with boots on the ground. If you want more spicier takes about breeds he would NOT consider, check out his TikTok account at @ben.the.vet
@ben.the.vet By popular demand – here are 5 dog breeds I would personally consider as a vet getting a dog #dogsoftiktok #veterinary #learnontiktok #woof #benthevet ♬ MOMENTS IN LIFE – Turreekk
advertisement
