A vet's list of five breeds he'd steer clear of

A well-known vet has shared the five dog breeds he would never own, and some on the list may come as a shock, given they're firm favourites amongst dog enthusiasts.

Dr Amir Anwary is a practising vet in South Africa and goes by the name Amir The Vet. With nearly 967,000 followers on TikTok and approximately 460,000 followers across his two Instagram accounts - Dr Amir frequently shares animal-related content, particularly about dogs, on his social media platforms.

In one such reel entitled '5 Dog Breeds I Would Not Own As A Veterinarian', the animal expert has outlined the top five breeds of dogs which, in his opinion, would not make particularly good pets.

The doctor's rationale encompasses a range of factors - common health complications, dietary concerns, and the reality that as a practising vet, he himself wouldn't have sufficient time to provide certain dog breeds with the additional stimulation they desperately require.

In the two and a half minute clip, Dr Amir outlines the "five dog breeds that should be avoided as a veterinarian" and they are: Dachshund, Labrador Retriever, Shar Pei, Belgian Malinois, and French Bulldog, reports Birmingham Live.

"This can range from mild back pain to full paralysis of the hind limbs. It can be fixed with surgery, but it's extremely distressing and expensive, so I as a dog owner, would not want to risk getting a dachshund for this reason. 1 in 4 Dachshunds will be affected by IVDD, so it's a no for me."

"Secondly, they're very prone to getting overweight. This is actually a genetic thing with labradors. Now, you have the combination of a dog that loves to eat everything and is very food-motivated with a dog that also gets overweight when it eats anything.

"This is why labradors are always so overweight, it's nearly impossible to keep them skinny. I know as an owner, I will give them that extra treat. I may not be able to take them for a walk every single day because I work so much. My labrador would get fat - it's not for me."

"They also suffer with a condition called Entropion, which is basically where their upper eyelid folds in onto their eye, causing damage to the surface of the cornea. So I find this to be very unnecessary and I would not own a Shar Pei just for that reason," says the vet.

Explaining how this highly intelligent breed requires additional stimulation and is extremely "needy", the animal doctor shares: "These dogs are way too clever and require way too much mental stimulation and way too much exercise. There are not enough hours in my day to keep a Belgian Malinois happy and stimulated.

"If you don't keep them stimulated, they will become destructive. This is an extremely needy breed that I would not risk owning because I simply do not have the time to invest into this breed."

"I love French bulldogs, but they are allergic to planet Earth. If it's not allergies, it's back problems. If it's not back problems, it's breathing problems because of their brachycephalic (flat-faced) nature," the doctor says.

He further states: "I would not own a French bulldog purely because there's no way I can confirm it's going to be a healthy dog, and it's very possible I may be treating it for chronic conditions for the remainder of its life."