5 DOG BREEDS YOU’LL LOVE

THESE PAWSOME POOCHES WILL BE YOUR BEST FRIENDS FOR LIFE

As a vet, I get asked a lot about my thoughts on various dog breeds – what’s good, what’s great, what’s not. Frankly, it’s a difficult question because we all have different life circumstances and personal preference. It isn’t fair just to say “they are all like this or that” – and there are certainly individual dogs I’ve met that break the mould. However, after 15 years as a vet, there are some dogs I have come to love. So here is my secret list, of breeds I personally adore!

GOLDEN AND LABRADOR RETRIEVERS

Topping the list is the goldie and Lab. Goofy, playful, kind, loyal and protective, they’re the best friend you’ll ever have. The downsides of these breeds is the never-ending shedding and their propensity to become overweight. They also need a lot of training and are going to be very hard work when they’re young – right up until about five years old! Their tendency to develop joint issues and dreaded cancers isn’t ideal either (make sure you have pet insurance) but these dogs make excellent loyal, trustworthy family dogs and great companions for those with a moderately active lifestyle.

WEST HIGHLAND WHITE TERRIERS

I love quite a few of the terriers including the border terrier (another favourite that I can’t fit on my list) but I think of all the terriers, the little Westies steal my heart. Full of personality, and like many terriers are independent, protective and brave, Westies are medically very hardy and apart from their skin issues are a great little breed. They can be quite stubborn and hard to train (so they aren’t out there winning any obedience awards) but they are guaranteed to make great companions and give you a daily laugh.

GREYHOUND

These gentle little souls ask for nothing and give so much. They are even tempered, well mannered and quiet but social. Yes, they have crummy teeth and need a lot of dental care, and they often don’t live as long as we would hope, but they really are loving, gentle souls that do well as family members. They do have thin skin so they tend to get injured easily and have a propensity to get corns in their paws which can be frustrating to fix, so it’s worth making sure you have enough funds put aside to care for these gentle giants.

POODLE

Poodles are energetic, loyal, full of personality, intelligent, easy to train and oh-so cute, so a great choice for families. They are prone to dental issues (in the case of toy poodles), skin problems and sometimes joint issues, but overall they are a medically hardy breed. Cavoodles (a cross between the cavalier and the poodle) are also a great mix – there’s a good reason they’re currently Australia’s most popular dog – but the toy poodle is my all-star favourite.