When asked what the most dangerous dog breed is, a canine expert gave what some people might think is a pretty surprising answer.

Let’s be honest, there’s been plenty of dangerous dog chat over the past year and a lot of us probably have our own preconceptions over certain breeds.

The beginning of 2024 saw the introduction of the XL Bully dog ban which made it illegal to breed, sell, advertise, abandon, re-home or allow an American XL bully dog to stray in the UK.

It comes after a number of brutal attacks took place last year, with a man recently charged over the death of a grandma.

However, this canine behaviourist believes there is a different answer to what makes the most dangerous dog.

His answer might surprise you. (Getty Stock)

Will Atherton shares dog training tips and advice on TikTok and in one video he explained he gets asked what breed is the ‘most dangerous’ all the time.

He explained he’s worked with ‘countless’ breeds of ‘countless different behaviours’ including ‘incredibly dangerous’.

“There might be a few different breeds I could give the answer to,” Atherton said.

“But the reality is that the most dangerous breed is the one that hasn’t been trained properly. It doesn’t have a loving leader in its life able to navigate and direct it through life safely.”

Yep, the expert added that ‘all dogs have the ability to bite’ and ‘to be dangerous’.

An untrained dog can be the most dangerous. (Getty Stock)

While the bigger and stronger the breed means the harm they can cause is ‘more significant’, Atherton reckons there’s no solid answer.

“The reality is, if you don’t train your dog properly, you very well could have a dangerous dog,” he added. “Whether it’s a chihuahua all the way up to an English mastiff.”

So, big or small, a dog can be dangerous.

And users commented to say: “Great video, I hate the misconception that some dogs are just inherently ‘bad dogs’ when it’s the owners who determine their behaviour as they grow up.”

Many echoed: “The most dangerous breed; HUMANS.”

Previous figures from Merseyside Police racked up a list of the five most dangerous dog breeds in the UK, based on the number of bites suffered.

Ranking in at fifth was the Rottweiler with German Shepherds taking fourth place. Pit Bull Terriers came in third, having been banned in the UK back in 1991. Staffordshire Bull Terriers are second and the breed listed as most dangerous, perhaps surprisingly, is the Jack Russell.

The dog owner who admitted his pet ‘would attack anyone who approached it’ has become one of the first known XL Bully owners to be prosecuted in Sussex.

Patrick McKeown failed to comply with the Dangerous Dog Act, which came into place on 1 February 2024.

The new law made it a criminal offence to own an XL Bully type dog in England and Wales unless the animal has a Certificate of Exemption, amid a recent surge in dog attacks in the UK.

The 40-year-old’s pet, called Sully, was discovered by police in the back garden of McKeown’s West Sussex home, as they came to visit him on a different matter.

McKeown has since confessed to one count of possessing a fighting dog without any exemption at Worthing Magistrates Court last month.

The former builder told the Daily Mail: “Sully was an amazing dog, he never did anything wrong, never bit another dog. He was great with kids, he just looked a bit scary.

Facebook/Patrick Mckeown

“I’d applied for an exemption certificate but because of the big backlog of cases I haven’t yet received one. Sully was insured – despite what was said in court – and I’d booked him in to be neutered but the procedure hadn’t yet been carried out.

“The law is the law but it’s a strange crime. The authorities put Sully to sleep two weeks ago. He was three-years-old and I’d had him for two of those years.”

He was told by the court to complete a one-year community order, with 100 hours of unpaid work.

The dog owner was also ordered to pay £85 worth of costs and a £114 surcharge.

Chief Inspector Simon Starns said: “This was one of the first cases of its type to be prosecuted in Sussex.

“It demonstrates to the public that owners have a responsibility to ensure that they comply with the new laws which are now in force.

“We continue to work closely with partners to ensure dogs are kept safe through responsible ownership and to reduce the risk to the public.

“We continue to ask all dog owners to comply with Government guidance on the ownership of the XL Bully breed of dog.

Facebook/Patrick Mckeown

“This includes ensuring that all XL Bully breed dogs are muzzled and kept on a lead held by someone aged over 16 when in public places.”

This comes off the back of XL Bully owners in Scotland now being able to apply for a special certificate to allow them to legally keep their pets.

Community safety minister Siobhian Brown said: “These new safeguards are being introduced to protect the public while giving XL Bully owners time to comply with the new rules.

“I would encourage XL Bully owners who wish to keep their dogs from August 1 to apply for an exemption certificate in good time.

“The Scottish Government continues to work with Police Scotland, local authorities, the SSPCA and others to ensure our communities are kept safe.”

XL Bully owners in Scotland can apply for the certificate by post or online for £92.40.

What happens to XL Bully’s once they’re confiscated?

Since February 1 this year, owning an XL Bully has become a criminal offence in England and Wales unless owners have an exemption certificate, which they need to apply for.

Unregistered pets will be taken and owners possibly fined and prosecuted.

Seized dogs will be taken to kennels as they await a court to decide if they should either be destroyed or deemed not a danger to public safety.

Deciding on what kind of dog would fit in with your family is no easy feat, given the fact that there are hundreds of different breeds to choose from.

Prospective pet owners have to do a host of research to work out whether they can handle all of the behavioural, health, exercise and nutritional needs of certain pooches.

As we all know, a dog isn’t just for Christmas – and you need to be 110 percent certain that you are ready to take on a four-legged friend before you start shopping for chew toys.

That’s why a veterinary nurse is warning animal lovers about the dangers of owning a popular dog breed in the UK, as the adorable balls of fur can also be quite a challenge to care for.

Sussex-based Tara Evans, who has been giving care to canines at Vita Health since 2018, wants to ensure that people are fully aware of all the potential problems which may come with owning this particular breed.

Stars including the likes of Frank Sinatra, Mickey Rooney, Emma Bunton, Teri Hatcher and Gloria Hunniford have owned this silky-coated breed before and they certainly make super cute sidekicks.

The dogs are known for being the perfect addition to families as they are affectionate, loving and gentle, however, they are also prone to some complicated health issues.

The popular breed have a lot of complicated health issues (Getty stock image)

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are known to suffer from a variety of problems, including breathing conditions, hearing and vision impairments as well as hip dysplasia and arthritis.

But Tara said the most sinister ailment they tend to suffer from is heart disease, or more specifically mitral valve disease (MVD).

MVD, which occurs due to a problem with one of the valves inside the heart, usually begins as a heart murmur which later progresses to heart failure.

The condition, which is particularly common in small breeds, reportedly effects Cavalier King Charles Spaniels 20 times more often than other dog breeds, according to PETA UK.

More than half of these animals develop MVD by the time they turn five, while most of them start having visible symptoms by the age of ten.

Common signs of this incurable disease include coughing, low energy, a slow pace during walks, rapid breathing, weight loss and suddenly fainting – so make sure you keep a close eye on your pet.

The leading cause of death of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels is MVD (Getty stock image)

Veterinary cardiology specialist, Dr Rachel James, explained: “The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has long been a very popular breed of dog in high demand, due to their loving and placid nature making them perfect family pet.

“We know that sadly at least 50% of CKCS have evidence of MVD disease by the time they are five, with 98% of dogs affected in their lifetimes.

“However, we can help our clients when selecting this breed to choose a puppy that is less likely to develop MVD at an early age, by utilising the heart testing scheme (Doppler heart testing).”

Calling on prospective owners to do their bit, Dr James said they should be ‘asking to see test results for the parents, grandparents, and even better great grandparents too, on both maternal and paternal sides’ of your pup.

“In addition breeders need more support and education to encourage the use of the heart testing scheme and how this can enable them to choose the best dogs to breed from,” she continued.

“Furthermore we should be encouraging breeders to breed from dogs only when they are at least 3 years of age.”

The Kennel Club also have a heart scheme for Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, too.

A diet which allows you to cut out eating fruit and vegetables in favour of meat and dairy may sound like fiction dreamed up by a stubborn teenager; however, it is in-fact a very real health trend being adopted by a growing number of adults.

But just how safe is the carnivore diet?

One person who’s built a huge following out of only consuming the two food groups is Bella, a former vegan who goes by the username @steakandbuttergal on social media.

In recent videos, Bella has credited her diet for regulating her menstrual cycle and improving her mental health.

“I haven’t eaten a single carb, piece of fruit or vegetable in six years and I’m not dying of low energy, nor have,” she tells her 421,000 Instagram followers in the clip.

The carnivore diet has sprung up on social media (Getty Stock Images)

Bella isn’t the only person to implement such a drastic diet, with several women interviewed by US magazine Women’s World also claiming to have lost as much as 145 pounds from eating only animal products.

Phrases such as ‘#carnivorediet’ or ‘meatfluencers’ on social media platforms are also filled with people claiming the lifestyle has improved their physical and mental health, with media personalities such as Joe Rogan, Jordan Peterson and others all championing meat filled plates.

However, it’s important to note there is currently very little clinical evidence – with a survey being conducted via social media on 2029 participants in 2020 – or supporting arguments in favour of a carnivore diet, despite individuals supposedly seeing short term improvements.

And several dieticians and nutritionists have even spoken out against eating such a restrictive diets, citing concerns about vitamin deficiencies and increased cholesterol.

“Instead of completely restricting yourself to a carnivore diet or a vegan diet, I would recommend concentrating on diversity and variety,” Reema Pillai, private nutritionist at Dietitian Fit, told LADbible.

But just how safe is it to cut out so many food groups? (Getty Stock Images)

Pillai went on to explain that eating only animal product ‘is not a healthy diet to maintain long term for the general population’ due to the exclusion of key nutrients.

One of these key nutrients is fibre, which Pillai explains can only be found in plant foods.

“There are numerous health benefits linked to the regular consumption of fibre including regular bowel health, reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, improved cardiovascular health and reduced risk of some types of cancers.” she said.

“Therefore, removing fibre from the diet is dangerous and will increase the risk of a multitude of health conditions, including heart and liver disease.”

The nutritionist went on to explain that complications from following restrictive diets may take years to show up, which could explain why promoters of the diet haven’t reported experiencing any adverse health impacts.

“Many of those who follow a carnivore diet are oblivious to health issues for a long time,” she said.

“For someone who is young and maintains a healthy body weight, cholesterol levels may not seem elevated until years into the future, where the extra consumption of saturated and trans fats has lead to a build up of plaque in the arteries, causing severe increases in cholesterol.”

Pillai continued: “Unless you have been advised to follow a certain restrictive diet by a qualified health professional, consider the overall diversity and quality of your diet before deciding to severely restrict food intake.”

Looks like the best – albeit the most boring – piece of diet advice you can do is play it safe and follow the food pyramid blu-tacked to the wall of our school classrooms.

What does the NHS say?

Guidance from the NHS, a healthy and balanced adult diet should consist of at least five portions of fruit and vegetables, high fibre foods such as potatoes, rice or bread, dairy (or dairy alternatives), a source of protein and unsaturated oils.

Consumption of eating red or processed should be limited to 70g of either per day, with Cancer Research UK warning that processed and red meats are carcinogens which have been linked to an increased risk of bowel cancer.