This decision may come back to bite you.
A dog trainer has revealed the one dog breed he thinks is a “terrible choice” for owners: Springer Spaniels.
Will Atherton, a clinical canine behaviorist, said that the main reason he does not recommend the hunting dog is because they are “frenzied lunatics.”
“For some people, a Springer Spaniel might be a great choice and for some people they might be a terrible choice,” he said in a TikTok video amassing 549,000 views.
“I think the reality is that for most people the Springer Spaniel is a terrible choice.”
Breeds, he said, “have a purpose” — and Springer Spaniels are not meant to just sit pretty for social media or lounge on the couch.
“A lot of people get them because they look awesome, these ears are adorable and they match a Barbour jacket which makes it cool for Instagram pictures,” Atherton said.
“However, what they were actually bred for — which is to work non-stop like frenzied lunatics through barbed wire, thistles, fawns and all sorts, using their nose to non-stop be working — means that they don’t have a very good off switch.”
He added: “Bringing a dog like that to try and chill on the sofa with you is very hard to do and is rarely achievable which is why I see so many here with problem behaviors at my canine behavior center.”
Proud owners of Springer Spaniels, however, begged to differ.
“My springer is probably the laziest dog I’ve ever seen,” one user quipped in the comments.
“My springer just sleeps most of the time,” another person agreed.
“Mine is either running around like a lunatic or sleeping and chilling, just two extremes it’s great,” an additional user weighed in.
“My springer must be a bit dodgy because you’ll never meet a dog who wants nothing more than cuddle,” someone else wrote, “yes when he’s out he’s a lunatic but as soon as he’s home all he wants is sleep and hugs, love them.”
English Springer Spaniels are described by the American Kennel Club as “a sweet-faced, lovable bird dog” that has “energy, stamina and brains.”
The breed, which usually weighs around 40 or 50 pounds, is “built for long days in the field” and were “bred to work closely with humans,” meaning they “crave company and are miserable when neglected.”
