A renowned canine behaviourist has pinpointed the most difficult dog breed to train in the world.
Will Atherton, a dog training expert with more than 900,000 TikTok followers, frequently shares videos offering guidance on suitable breeds, proper training techniques, and identifying behavioural patterns in dogs.
In a recent video, Will tackled the question: “What is the hardest dog breed I’ve ever had to train?” With extensive experience working with thousands of dogs and hundreds of breeds, Will is well-equipped to provide an informed answer.
He says the dogs that are hardest to train tend to be the breeds that have been “bred to work very independently”. He went on: “You combine that with violent or guarding tendencies, and it often means – not necessarily that they’re harder to train – but the potential for things going wrong goes through the roof.”
Will identified livestock guardian breeds, such as the Caucasian Shepherd and Turkish Kangal, as fitting this description “perfectly”. However, he also singled out the Siberian Husky as a popular breed that consistently proves “challenging” to train. Will said: “It’s why you will rarely, if ever, see practising dog trainers or canine professionals actually owning them. And my opinion is that they are more cat than they are dog.”
People recounted their personal encounters with Huskies in the comments section, largely concurring with Will’s perspective. One person said: “As a third time Husky owner I partially agree with that statement. They sure are stubborn and independent, though very smart, they just get bored, really.”
Another shared: “Yep! My Husky has been through three trainers. He listens most of the time…” And a third said: “I stumbled into owning a Husky. I love him but he’s A LOT to deal with. He’s not a cat … more an energetic toddler who drank a venti coffee.”