A veterinarian has gone viral on TikTok after naming the five dog breeds she would never own due to the cost of their maintenance or temperaments.
Dr Whitney Terrell, who is based in Alabama, sparked controversy on the video sharing app for choosing fan favourite breeds as ones she would not pick for herself.
In a video that has been viewed more than 8.4m times, she named Chinese Crested, chihuahuas, any flat-faced breeds such as pugs or Shih Tzus, German Shepherds and Goldendoodle, as dogs she would never own.
Explaining why she would not own a Chinese Crested or other hairless breed types, Dr Terrell said that the dog themselves “are fine”, but it’s her personal preference not to own a hairless dog or cat.
“They’re zitty [sic], they’re greasy… not for me,” she added.
As for chihuahuas, Dr Terrell described these small breeds as “ankle biters”.
“Would more than likely get bit [sic] if I had one, they’re usually a one-person dog,” she continued. “We’ve got a few [in our clinic] that are just super, super, super sweet. The rest of them are ankle biters.”
She also took issue with flat-faced, or brachycephalic breeds, which include pugs, Shih-Tzus, Boston terriers and English bulldogs.
Such breeds are at increased risk of breathing problems, as well as eye and skin conditions as a result of overbreeding.
In June, experts from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) suggested that the breeding of bulldogs in the UK could be banned if improvements to breeding practices are not made to help the dogs avoid debilitating conditions.
Dr Terrell said that while some of these dogs are “so cute, so sweet”, she would never own one because: “They can’t breathe. They literally cannot breathe.”
“They snore, I’ve already got a husband that snores,” she added. “[They also get] skin fold dermatitis, allergies, yeasty, smelly, gassy – it’s a no for me.”
Coming in second place were German Shepherds, as well as Belgian Malinois, which resemble the former breed.
The vet explained that while these breeds have the “potential to be really great dogs”, the vast majority of those who come to her clinic “want to bite your face off”.
She clarified that this was because they are not properly trained, and that she would not have the time to properly train a German Shepherd or Belgian Malinois herself.
“If you’re thinking about getting these dogs, don’t do it lightly because they need lots of training, lots of attention,” she warned potential pet owners.
Finally, Dr Terrell said she would never own a Goldendoodle, a popular cross-breed between golden retrievers and poodles.
“Some of these are sweet but a lot of them are crazy, crazy hyper, can’t sit still for two seconds,” she said.
“We’ve had some really aggressive ones as well, they’re just kind of squirrelly. Ear infections out the wazoo [sic], so expensive grooming… too high maintenance for me, I’d rather have a hound dog.”
Owners of the breeds mentioned by Dr Terrell were quick to defend their dogs in the comments, with many of them eager to talk about their Goldendoodles.
One person wrote: “I can’t believe the Goldendoodle is your number one! I’m shocked! I’ve had a ton of dogs in my lifetime. This is the best dog ever and best family dog.”
Another said: “Goldendoodle is literally the best dogs I’ve ever owned and ever been around. Literally like a human and ridiculously smart and sweet. Byeeee.”
“What’s all the hate on doodles [sic]! Our doodle is so smart and the kindest dog I’ve ever met. I won’t ever own anything different anymore,” a third added.
In a follow -up video, Dr Terrell named the five dog breeds she would actually own, including Great Pyrenees, German shorthair pointers, golden retrievers, mutts or mixed breeds, and Basset hounds.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments