A VET has revealed the five dog breeds that he'd never personally own.
Ben Simpson-Vernon, 31, from Chigwell, Essex, explained how working in the veterinary industry has made him "really fussy" when it comes to dog breeds and admits "it's a bit like choosing a name for your child."
He says: "You rule out so many names because of X, Y and Z reasons and you're left with a surprisingly small list of options and a very long no list."
Ben goes on to reiterate that it's just his opinion and that he'd still consider rescuing one of these dogs if they were in need, but noted he just wouldn't buy them as a puppy.
First up on the list of dog breeds he'd never own is the Dobermann.
"Now I've met many lovely Dobermanns but it's shocking how many of them get a kind of heart disease called dilated cardiomyopathy," he explains in a post shared to TikTok (@ben.the.vet).
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"It's over half of them so the majority of Dobermanns get this kind of heart disease.
"It typically has quite a poor prognosis and I've actually seen a Dobermann drop down dead in front of my eyes before I could intervene because of this problem.
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"That was a traumatic enough experience for me never to want one."
Ben says that the second breed on his list may surprise people – the Border Collie.
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"They're quite healthy, they're a bit prone to epilepsy but I just find they don't adapt very well to the sedentary life of being a pet," he explains.
"Their brains need to be constantly stimulated, they want to work, and if they aren't kept busy they can go a bit loopy.
"I've seen a lot of Collies that are anxious or develop compulsive behaviours like twirling around in circles."
He goes on to say how he'd get one if he was a sheep farmer but he's not, so doesn't think his lifestyle would give them what they need.
The third breed on Ben's list is the Boxer.
"I've met lots of sweet ones but the list of problems that they're genetically prone to is pretty shocking," he explains.
Another breed that Ben admits he'd never own is the Great Dane.
"I think I'm just not a big dog person at heart," he says.
"My car isn't big enough, my house isn't big enough, the vet bills are huge because all of the drug doses are done by weight, which costs more money.
"Also, they only live until the age of 7 and I just think I'd find it hard to love a dog and then lose them in that short space of time – but each to their own!"
Ben concludes by noting that number five is a "hard one," before pointing out how the Flat-coated Retriever is a "wonderful family dog."
He says: "I just know too much.
"If you're a veterinary oncologist you'll see a lot of these dogs because they're very prone to a type of aggressive cancer called histiocytic sarcoma.
"They are the poster child of this disease.
"Around 50% of all flat coats die of cancer and OK they have to die of something, but I'd just want to avoid this heartache if I can."
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