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Former pet industry worker warns against adopting these five ‘worst’ dog breeds

Woman on TikTok ranked the five dog breeds she would never own after working in the pet industry

Meredith Clark
New York
Thursday 16 June 2022 06:42 BST
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Why Do Dogs Love Squeaky Toys?

Dogs truly are a man’s best friend, so it makes sense that pet owners would get defensive if they were told their furry friend is one of the worst dog breeds to own.

A woman on TikTok has sparked a debate after listing the five dog breeds she would never own after working in the pet industry. The video, which received more than seven million views on the platform, caused many dog owners to defend their specific dog breed in the comments, while others agreed with her controversial opinions.

The TikToker, who goes by @chilicheesechelsea online, captioned her video with a disclaimer: “I love these breeds but I don’t want to own one of my own. Don’t come for me doodle moms…IT’S JUST MY OPINION!!!! (And a joke, I have a chihuahua lol)”

She began her list of top five worst dog breeds to own with none other than a Husky. According to the American Kennel Club, Siberian Huskies are a thickly coated northern breed developed to work in packs, which makes them get along well with other dogs. Huskies have both an undercoat of hair and guard hair, meaning they must be brushed weekly to help keep the double coat in good condition. However, this former pet industry worker had a different reason for not wanting to own this wolf-like dog.

“Completely unhinged and always screaming,” she said. And she wasn’t the only person to agree that huskies tend to be loud animals.

One woman explained that she didn’t understand the “husky hate” until she house-sat for a friend with the dog breed. “That damn dog was singing me the song of their people at 5 am every day,” she said.

Next on the list for top five worst dog breeds to own was a German Shepherd, which this TikToker cited as being “always the most anxious and FOR WHAT”.

German Shepherds (GSD) are natural guard dogs, but it’s this trait that tends to make them anxious as well. A blog for German Shepherd owners suggests that anxiety is an adaptive and evolutionary trait for these dogs, stemming from their need to be vigilant and cautious of their surroundings.

“Can confirm my GSD is anxious even after loads of professional training,” commented one TikTok user.

The third dog breed on her list of difficult pets to own was a Samoyed because of their “non stop barking” and that they are the “fun police”. Samoyeds are known for their all-white fur coat and infectious energy. They are playful dogs, which makes sense that they tend to bark quite often. However, that wasn’t the case for some TikTokers who claimed their Samoyed “never barks” but they do “howl sometimes”.

She then went on to add “literally ANY doodle mix” to her list of least favourite dog breeds to own because pet owners “don’t know how to handle their energy” making them “out of control demons”. Plus, the doodle mix dog breeds she’s worked with in the past were “always MATTED,” she said.

Doodle dogs are mixes between a poodle and any other dog breed. This year, poodles were ranked in the top five of most popular dog breeds in the United States, the first time since 1997. Labradoodles and goldendoodles are some of the most popular of doodle mixes because of their little-to-no shedding. But because doodles are a mixed breed, it’s impossible to predict how their coat will turn out, leading to matted fur if not groomed properly.

Many doodle owners took offense to their pet’s ranking as one of her least favourite breeds to own.

“Doodles are literally the sweetest and best dogs ever,” said one user.

“My doodle is the best dog I’ve ever owned,” another person said.

“Our doodle is literally one of the best dogs I’ve ever had,” a third user wrote. “As long as you actually take care of them they are literally the sweetest dogs ever.”

It also seemed that her opinion on doodles might not have been so controversial after all.

“I love doodle slander,” one person said, while another user wrote: “I’m so over the doodle phase”.

“I completely agree with you about the DOODLES,” a TikToker commented. “They are the WORST! As a dog walker, they were the WORST to walk. I’m glad someone said it.”

The final dog breed to be named number five on her list of worst dog breeds to own was not necessarily a dog breed, but any type of “small white dog with crusty eyes” for being “crusty little ankle biters”. This type of dog, notably a Maltese or Shih Tzu, have been subject to a number of viral memes over the years.

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