I'm a vet – five dog breeds I don't recommend, the first looks cute but gets naughty & fat if not walked for hours a day | The Sun

A VET has revealed five dog breeds that he thinks people should think carefully about before deciding to own.

Ben (@ben.the.vet) warned that one of the most popular breeds is prone to becoming overweight if they aren’t given at least two hours of exercise each day. 

He has racked up over 187,000 followers on TikTok with his advice for owners of small animals. 

Ben went viral on the social media platform after identifying five canines that people frequently underestimate.

He said: “The first one I’m going to talk about is the Husky. 

“They are super cute puppies, beautiful dogs, and they can make loyal pets but they are really not for everyone.

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“A few years ago there was a massive boom in their numbers because they and similar wolf-like dogs were used in huge movie franchises and shows like Game of Thrones and Twilight.

“In the years that followed rehoming shelters saw more and more of these dogs being relinquished to them because their owners couldn’t cope. 

“They need lots of exercise, you have to remember that these dogs are bred to pull sleds long distances in cold weather conditions.

“So a five to 10-minute walk around the block is definitely not enough. 

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“If they are not kept active and stimulated enough they just get bored and start showing unwanted behaviors. 

“And they very easily become overweight, so unless you’ve got two hours free every day to exercise your dog a Husky might not be for you.

“Number two is rescued street dogs.

“I meet lots of pet owners that have rescued street dogs from Eastern European countries like Romania."

Ben said rescuing a dog from abroad can seem "like a really nice thing to do," but many of these dogs are not suited to life as pets. 

He added: “I’ve met many of them that are extremely anxious and have serious behavioral problems.

“Much of the time it’s because they haven’t been socialized with humans, this has to happen before the age of three to four months if the dog is not going to be scared of people.”

Ben explained why he thinks Cockapoos make “fantastic family pets” but shouldn’t be underestimated.

He said: “Some people think they are going to be automatically easier to have as pets because they’re a small dog.

“They are a cross between a Poodle which is highly intelligent and a highly energetic Cocker Spaniel, so they’re definitely not lap dogs.  

“There is also a common misconception that they are hypoallergenic and fine to live with for people with dog allergies but there is very little evidence to back this up.”

Ben advised people to reconsider owning a German Shepherd because they have a long list of health problems that they are genetically predisposed to.

He said: “Many of these can’t be tested for, but hip and elbow dysplasia is a massive issue in the breed and they can be screened for. 

“Make sure if you’re going to get one that both parents have been screened for these problems and have good results.

“They are often very protective of their owners and can be quite aggressive at the vets. 

“They are big boisterous dogs and so it’s really important that they are well trained at a young age, especially if there are any children in the house.”

He rounded up the list by warning that French Bulldogs are expensive to maintain.

Ben said: “A French Bulldog is a low-health status dog. The chances are that your vet bills over your dog’s lifespan are going to be significantly higher than average.

“Having a dog that is never fully well and may have a shortened life expectancy can also have a massive emotional strain on pet owners of these dogs.”

The video has been watched over 172,000 times with commenters agreeing with Ben’s observations.

One person said: “Completely agree re rescue puppies/dogs.

“A rescue let my family adopt a puppy, and we ended up spending thousands on training she was just a nightmare.”

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Another wrote: “Huskies are hard work, my brother runs with his for hours every day in the Lake District.” 

A third commented: “Yes! Cockapoo owner here who absolutely underestimated the need for mental and physical stimulation… he is a snuggle bug but also a genius athlete.” 

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