In this article, we’ll explore some of the most challenging dog breeds to train and keep. These breeds require a lot of attention, patience, and training, making them unsuitable for novice keepers. If you’re considering getting one of these breeds, be prepared for some sleepless nights and a lot of hard work. Let’s take a closer look at each of these breeds and the unique challenges they present.
8. Pit Bull
Unfortunately, this breed has a reputation for being aggressive due to poor owners who bred them for dangerous activities. While a properly trained breed is not inherently more dangerous than other breeds, it can be very moody. Pit bull tends to Forget about their strength, making it challenging to train for the first few months after they gain a certain size. This combined with their difficult temperament can make the breed a time vacuum for their trainers.
Pit Bulls also tend to have a hard time finding friendly neighborhood dog sitters for the following reasons: Societal misconceptions about the breed. If you’re thinking of adopting a Pit Bull, be sure to research the dog’s history and compare it to your experiences and family circumstances, especially if you have children.
7. Siberian Husky
Number seven on our list is the Siberian Husky, a breed known for its close ancestry with real wolves. Huskies are very active and require a lot of time investment. They were originally bred to pull heavy sleds across the icy sand dunes of Poland, necessitating long and strenuous exercise. Make sure they stay happy and healthy.
Huskies are also very curious, and if they are not stimulated, they will most likely flee your house and pursue their curiosity elsewhere. The breed’s pack orientation means that huskies respond differently to human-based temperaments. Their rank in the family. So when you’re lucky enough to be the new owner of a Husky, it’s crucial to establish yourself as the alpha of the family. Lastly, huskies shed a lot of coats, most huskies have several different coats throughout the year that cause them to blow often. Be prepared to invest in a good vacuum and dozens of lint rollers.
6. Rottweiler
Coming in at number six is the Rottweiler, which can be difficult for inexperienced owners due to its large size and athleticism. The feeding requirements/costs that come with this size and athletic tendencies are not something everyone can afford. The main difficulty with this breed is their stubborn stripes, there seems to.
Rottweilers have been known to stop cooperating during a good paw grip demonstration and growl when further attempts are made to continue training. Coupled with the fact that the breed probably won’t take any orders from people they don’t consider their owners. If you’re considering hiring a third-party trainer, there’s trouble.
5. Bullmastiff
Fifth place goes to the Bullmastiff, a breed that can easily topple even the largest of humans with little effort. With this size, the usual things about exercise and feeding still matter. The real problem with Bullmastiffs owners is their stubbornness. They are notoriously difficult to train. And often forgetting that they are a dog at all.
This breed also has great difficulty socializing with other breeds and often refuses to mix with other animals within their species, displaying hostility or aloofness. If you’re considering owning a Bullmastiff, prepare to drool and a lot it.
4. Chinese Shar-Pei
Coming in at number four is the Chinese Shar-Pei, which looks downright cute and cuddly, but is anything but. Shar Peis are very territorial and have a hard time socializing with almost anything that moves. This, combined with their antisocial personality, makes it difficult for them to the owner does not show hostility when receiving any guests in the home.
Proper training can alleviate these problems, but it is important to understand that this element is only part of the breed makeup and usually does not disappear completely, making the Shar Pei a real challenge for local dogs nursery.
3- Afghan Hound
Next in third place is the Afghan Hound. This breed is known for having a cat-like mindset/personality, which makes them very intelligent and self-centered. This can be very difficult for typical owners who expect obedience or constant companionship. The breed is being trained.
They don’t give in to tasks until they’re disinterested or distracted, until they’re fed up and refuse to repeat tasks you know they’re capable of. In other words, this breed is probably the least dog breed on the list and not for the faint of heart.
2. Basset Hound
The second breed on this list is the Basset Hound. These dogs are notoriously difficult to home train and can take longer than most people can tolerate. The breed’s name itself is a clue to their nature as hunting dogs, which means if your dog smells something interesting.
Get ready to be dragged around your favorite dog park because your dog will ignore all your commands. Both of these behaviors are difficult to break without constant effort and experience training dogs.
1. Chow Chow
Finally we have the number one difficult breed the Chow Chow. This breed is also plenty for any owner. Chow Chows are very stubborn and short-tempered, occasionally showing flashes of aggression, especially towards strangers and other dogs.
Chow Chows also need a lot of attention and their Needs for attention and aggressive tendencies eventually lead to jealousy. This is when a dog’s most negative qualities come out and they become jealous of their owner’s interactions with other humans. This can lead to very negative interactions with your Chow Chow and any other dog that could come into your life.
In conclusion, keeping a dog is a big responsibility, and some breeds require more work than others. While all dogs are inherently good dogs, some breeds can give you sleepless nights if you lack the necessary experience. The varieties mentioned in this article start with Training and owning is especially challenging and requires a lot of concentration, patience and discipline. If you’re considering getting one of these breeds, make sure you’re ready for the commitment and hard work it will take.
In conclusion, researching and understanding the breed’s unique characteristics and requirements before adopting is critical. While some breeds may be more challenging than others, with proper training, patience and focus, any dog can make a great companion. always remember to keep a dog is a privilege and it is our responsibility to ensure they live their best lives.
You hit the nail on the head with the Chow Chow. But, after having Chows for 40 years, my last Chow/Lab mix was the perfect dog. She wasn’t very sociable but never growled at any human. Very shy but was very obedient. I miss her every day.
You need to add the Jack Russell Terrier to this list! Don’t get me wrong, they are awesome dogs but if you don’t have the patience, energy and commitment to live with one of these they will drive you crazy. No matter how much exercise you give them, they just don’t seem to get tired. They have so much energy that they seem to be powered by a nuclear reactor.
I owned a rottweiler when I was 17 years old. It was incredibly easy to train him, the only thing you had to keep in mind was to be very firm, cuz the dog was defiant even as a pup. He really wanted someone to teach him his place, and after those first months, the dog never, I mean NEVER was defiant again. He was an amazingly sweet, obedient and intelligent dog. Unfortunately his health was so delicate he passed away when he was only 8 years old.
Technically our first dog is a chow-chow (he is 14 months old now). Not discouraged by many negative reviews out there (of having a chowchow for the first dog), I found our puppy is cooperative, friendly to all people, and getting along well with our lifestyle – he tags along in long car drives, does morning and afternoon short walks. As expected, our chowchow is not as active as most dogs, and quite independent. It is a feat that suitable to our routine – which leaves plenty of rooms for each to be alone as well as together. We trained him to be nice to people, and he is especially friendly to kids and other dog owners. He is a very tidy dog, dislike dirty places, and does his potty very neatly. He is very attached to us as well as other friends & family members. Unlike usual reviews, our chowchow even does few tricks.
As a 25-year-old girl, I bought a Rottweiler puppy without knowing the breed. I took special lessons about rottweilers and i trained the dog for two years. It wasn’t easy at first, but we survived and lived happily for 9.5 years when my Dino died of bone cancer. It was 2007 and I still cry a lot for my big canine-baby. I agree that you need to be prepared before choosing a Rottweiler.
The sweetest dog I ever had was a rescue pitbull mix. She also appeared to have some Razorback and German Shepherd in her. We believe she was bred to create a vicious dog and the moron breeders got a puff ball instead. I still miss her to this day!!
I feel (as a vet tech) bulldogs should be on this list. They often come with multiple medical issues that require expensive veterinary care and dedicated home care by their owners. Also (as a pit bull mom) I agree with a lot of what was said. They are very loving, but powerful. First time dog owners might not be ready for that. But (as a shelter vet tech) many that come from questionable backgrounds are still very trustworthy animals. Please friends, don’t judge dogs by their looks.
My first dog in this life was a Rottie. She was basically a babysitter dog. She passed 10 years ago and I still miss her.
My chow was the best dog I ever had. Everything said here was true though. I also loved how protective of her territory she was. Family that came over a bunch and got to know her were eventually accepted. Family that didn’t were not. We had to put her outside when they came over, but it also stopped those family members from just “stopping by” unannounced. She looked like a pissed of bear when she would growl at them, so they got very good at calling ahead of time. Huge plus! lol.
My experience with the rottweiler is that of intelligence, gentleness, and loyalty. I’ve worked in rescue, grooming, and boarding. The rottie is in it’s own class, far and above most breeds. I have had one as a pet for nearly 12 years now, when she dies, I will never get another dog. She is irreplaceable and set the bar too high.
A breed that I absolutely love but have had to watch closely and stay on top of is the akita. They are actually more like a roommate than a pet. They are very sensitive, and there are some human behaviors they do not suffer gladly. They do not need excessive exercise, but they do need regular walks and a lot of companionship, and they are extremely intelligent. Akitas do not take well to rough handling/discipline, but they have a tendency to take over if you don’t assert yourself as the boss. They aren’t bog barkers, so when they do bark, it probably indicates something is wrong. They do not usually have very expressive faces, so it is necessary to pay attention to body language. I have taken in 4 akitas whose owners could no longer handle them, but they actually make excellent friends and companions. They have proven very adaptable. They just need a lot of love and attention.
My chow chow was literally a dream dog . So calm and easy , never an issue : she was amazing.
My first dog, Blitzie, was a Rottweiler. He was super easy to train, and made me a Rottie lover for life.
My family’s first dog was a German shepherd/Akita and he was the smartest, sweetest dog I have ever seen. We got him as an 8 week old when I was 7 from the local animal shelter. My dad held him in his hand and was told they thought he was perhaps a border-collie mix. My sister was going on 5 and my brother was born a few weeks later. Even as a small puppy he was protective of “his kids.” My Nana came to visit and help my mom shortly after my brother was born. She went to pick up my brother and he didn’t bite her but he put his mouth over her hand, letting her know he wasn’t sure about her holding “his pup” yet. He only had basic dog training (which he learned crazy fast), yet acted like a well-trained police dog but not in an aggressive way. I was walking him once when I was somewhere around 12 and 14. A couple was having car trouble and stopped at the curb across the street from us. My dog stopped and sat facing them and ignored my constant coaxing for him to move even when I used the “treat” word. He never barked at them or showed even a hint of fear or aggression toward them, just silently watched until they got back into their car and drove off. Only then did he stand up and look at me like “OK. It’s safe now. We can go home.” He was also a nanny dog. When my parents would have other families over, many had small children who would climb all over him, pull on his ears and tail and he would just lay there and let them do whatever they wished. And when my mom had a medical emergency and had to go to the hospital in the middle of the night, a neighbor came over so me and my siblings wouldn’t wake up to find our mom gone (my dad was also gone on deployment.) He knew of our dog but had never actually met him so he came armed with a hockey stick and a bag of jerky. Our dog wouldn’t accept the jerky and didn’t give him a warm welcome, but he didn’t attack. Rather, he spent the rest of the night in the hallway in front of me and my siblings’ rooms not allowing him to come near us while we were asleep. We also ran something of an animal shelter in our home as my sister was frequently bringing in stray cats and dogs into the house. He never showed any aggression towards other animals, even ones invading his home and territory. Just wanted to share this as people I talk to about him are frequently surprised when I tell them that he was part Akita and tell me that they’ve heard that they are aggressive and even “mean.” I know that he is probably an exception to the rule but I doubt he was the only one. It is important to take a dog’s breed into account so you can be sure that you can meet their needs, but try not to let it make you prejudice against them.
Sheba-Inus are very stubborn, hard headed breed. I would replace the Rottie in this list with a Sheba-Inu.
As for Pitpulls, I’ve had two personal experiences as pets (a few months each due to being illegal) and many others at the shelters, they are extreme loyalists. They take their obedience and loyalty to their owners to the extremes. They are fixated on pleasing their owners to the point of being overzealous. I’ve had German Shepherds, Labradors, chows, rottie mix, wolf-dogs, etc… and no dog takes the overzealous loyalty quite like pitpulls do. These are dogs that aren’t afraid of getting bullets to the face if it means defending and keeping the family alive. Owners of this breeds who don’t know this will have a difficult time training them, especially with socializing them with other breeds and people. I love how they are compact mid range size dogs but with the might and strength of a large dog. They are pure muscles for their size. They have a bad reputation due to bad people exploiting and misusing them. They are illegal in Miami. Such a shame. That overzealous loyal nature could do a lot of good too.