Dog trainer reveals 'king of all breeds' he'd have for the rest of his life

Professional dog trainer Will Atherton has named three dog breeds he 'absolutely loves' - and one of them is the 'king of all dog breeds'.

11:14, Mon, Nov 18, 2024 Updated: 11:14, Mon, Nov 18, 2024

Will Atherton Canine Training

Will Atherton (file) (Image: Will Atherton Canine Training)

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."

@iamwillatherton
The 3 dog breeds I love to work with more than any others! Now I have to admit you can lump the golden retriever in with the Lab, and the German Shepherd could be interchanged with Staffies as that decision is so close for me, and the Corso is purely personal preference for me specifically, but I can say that labs, goldens and GSDs are the favourite breeds to work with by pretty much every trainer I've ever worked with and consider a world class practitioner... so if you're unsure about your next dog maybe take the advice from the people who have done it thousands and thousands of times rather than your mate down the pub... And if you want my personal help check out my perfect breed consultation that's linked in my bio and we can work 1:1 on your next breed... and I promise I'm open to more than just those 3 breeds (but they will probably be one of my recommendations at least ) #dogtrainer #dogtraining #dogbreeds #dogsoftiktok #dog #dogs
original sound - Will Atherton

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.

Golden Labrador

Labrador (stock) (Image: Getty)

: Dog trainer shares breed he'll 'never own again' for 'heartbreaking' reason

: Dog trainer shares popular breed 'you do not want around children'

: Dog trainer shares common behaviour he would 'never teach his own dogs'

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".