If you’ve got a dog at home, you’ll know that they’re not just pets, they are family. They become a huge and very important part of your life for years, so when choosing what breed you want, there’s a lot of things to consider.
No two breeds are created equal, and each one has its different quirks and personality traits. But if you’re wondering what the very best type of dog is when it comes to family pets, then one expert has shared some valuable guidance. Will Atherton, a canine behavioural specialist, says there is one breed which he considers the ‘best on the planet’.
The ever-popular Labrador was named as the expert’s favourite breed of all time, especially as a family pet. The pro has ‘dedicated his life’ to keeping dogs out of shelters, and believes that if everyone’s first pet was a Labrador, there would be far less dogs abandoned in the world.
And there are plenty of reasons for this. Will says that the reasont that so many people have issues with their dogs is because they choose breeds that they are ‘woefully underprepared’ for.
Of course, every dog needs adequate care and training, but when it comes to Labradors, it’s a lot easier to do this compared to some other breeds.
Why Labradors make such good pets
According to Will, Labradors are the ‘best breed on the planet’ – and that’s ‘simply facts’. He said: “Labradors were bred to be amazing with people, hyper-intelligent, amazing with other dogs, to be calm, relaxed and stable, and to not have any form of aggression in them whatsoever.”
They also have a ‘huge desire to please their owners’, and an ‘incredible food and toy drive’, which makes it a lot easier to train them.
They are the ‘complete package’ in Will’s opinion, and they make the ‘perfect’ family pet. Although things can sometimes go wrong when training them, it’s ‘rarely’ a serious problem, and it’s usually pretty straightforward to solve any issues.
Labrador owners in the comments were very supportive of Will’s advice, with many sharing stories about their own pets.
One person said: “Lab-girl owner here, she is simply the best. My first dog and I love her to death.”
Another commented: “I totally agree. I have the best yellow lab girl I could ever wish for.”
And a third wrote: “Golden Retrievers have those exact same qualities. Both are amazing breeds.”
