Least Loving Dogs: These are the 10 least affectionate breeds of adorable dog that may turn down snuggles
There are a whopping 221 different breeds of pedigree dog to choose from, alongside numerous crossbreeds, so there's plenty of thinking to do before you select your family's latest addition.
There's even academic guidance to seek out, with Psychologist Stanley Coren's book 'The Intelligence of Dogs' ranking breeds by instincts, obedience, and the ability to adapt.
One thing to take into consideration is that some dogs simply aren't as affectionate towards their owners than others.
It doesn't mean that they won't make a loyal and valued pet, just that if you are looking for a dog that will happily cuddle for hours you should look elsewhere.
Here are the 10 least affectionate breeds of dog, according to the American Kennel Club.
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1 . Afghan Hound
The Afghan Hound is one of the world's oldest breeds of dog - and also one of the most elegant. This is a dog that was bred to hunt though, and they are highly selective when it comes to who they offer affection to. Generally aloof, they will be completely disinterested in strangers and tend to create a bond with a single person who they will deign to tolerate. Photo: Canva/Getty Images Photo Sales
2 . Chow Chow
The Chow Chow may look incredibly snuggly but they are known to be almost cat-like in their behaviour - fiercely independent and largely eschewing cuddling, petting or patting. Photo: Canva/Getty Images Photo Sales
3 . Basenji
It's fair to say that the Basenji is a very unusual breed of dog. As well as not being particularly affectionate to its owners and completely ignoring strangers, it is also the only dog that doesn't bark - instead making an odd yodelling sound. Photo: Canva/Getty Images Photo Sales
4 . Alaskan Malamute
Bred to pull sleds huge distances over frozen tundra, the Alaskan Malamute has a strong work ethic and independent spirit that's not conducive to snuggling up on the sofa for an evening watching television. Photo: Canva/Getty Images Photo Sales
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The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- The Herald Scotland
How would I tell students about Gaza? The same as every genocide
As many of you know, before becoming a journalist I spent more than ten happy and successful years teaching English. In Scotland, that means having near total freedom to build a curriculum for your students and, influenced by those who taught me, I have always believed in presenting challenging literature and new writers that students might not have encountered before. One such author was Chinua Achebe, who is best known for his seminal novel Things Fall Apart, which remains the most widely translated and studied novel to have come out of Africa. But Achebe wasn't just a novelist. During the Biafra war – a brutal and too-often forgotten conflict in which more than one million people were starved to death in a besieged and blockaded territory – he wrote poetry that was subsequently published as a collection entitled Beware, Soul Brother. Although many of his poems are extremely powerful, there is one that stands out more than others: Refugee Mother and Child. Read more Lessons to Learn: The text offers a vivid and brutal snapshot of the plight of the Biafran people, distilling their suffering into the experiences of a young mother caring for a starving child 'she soon will have to forget'. Amidst the horror of a refugee camp she holds a 'ghost smile between her teeth' as she tends to the 'rust-coloured hair left on his skull', an act carried out 'like putting flowers on a tiny grave'. It is, above all, a stunning representation of pure love, dedication and dignity in the face of unspeakable pain. When teaching this poem I would very often use a photo by Don McCullin to help students fully develop their understanding and responses. Taken in 1968, Starving Twenty Four Year Old Mother with Child, Biafra is one of the most harrowing images ever produced by one of the world's great photographers, and features a young, emaciated woman looking straight into the camera as her starving son tries to feed at her visibly empty breast. Like Refugee Mother and Child, that photo shines an unflinching light on the best and worst of humanity, showing us both extremes of which we are capable. And last week, we saw that again in the now infamous photo from Gaza. Once again, a mother holds her starving child with love and dignity; once again, she does so under the shadow of the deliberate starvation of desperate, innocent people; once again, this all happens as the world looks on. Read more: Horrifying images are clearly the tipping point for public outrage over Gaza The image of a Gazan mother holding her starving child shocked the world (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images) When I taught about Biafra, students would ask why it was allowed to happen, why the world watched as a deliberate campaign of starvation was waged against a civilian population, why innocent children were left to face the most horrific suffering. Similar questions came up when I taught about Rwanda, which I often did using former BBC journalist Fergal Keane's utterly astonishing reflective essay, Spiritual Damage. It is a text that always elicited powerful responses from students who, as with Biafra, often knew little or nothing about a genocide in which up to a million people were slaughtered, many of them hacked to death by their neighbours. Keane writes about the smell of death seeping into his clothes, his skin, and his soul. He confronts the racism that was (and still is) used to excuse 'a final solution of monstrous proportions' as being simply a manifestation of 'ancient tribal hatred' or, even worse, just something that Africans do. At one point, he explains that his belief in the ultimate triumph of good over evil was 'whittled away' in Rwanda, suggesting a slow and painful change that took place massacre by massacre, body by body, machete wound by machete wound. He also refers to the colonial roots of the violence, the role of German troops who 'tutored Rwandan peasants in the arts of massacre', and the fact that the Americans – who successfully demanded that UN troops were removed from Rwanda once the genocide had begun – had 'bickered over the funding of armoured vehicles' that might have saved lives. The wider implication was never lost: countries like ours didn't just let it happen, they were complicit. Often our discussions would lead us to talk about Christine Shelley, the US State Department official who admitted that 'acts of genocide had occurred', and then could not or would not answer when asked the obvious follow-up: 'How many acts of genocide does it take to make genocide?' Asked if she had been given 'specific guidance' not to use the word genocide 'in isolation', she offered a waffling, technocratic response that even today, more than twenty years on, remains sickening. Why wouldn't they use the term 'genocide' or even properly consider the possibility? According to a then-secret, and now declassified, memo from the US Dept of Defence, legal officials were worried that doing so would require the government 'to actually 'do something''. And that, too, is now happening again, as so-called world leaders refuse to call a genocide by its true name, and in doing so make themselves, and their countries, and all of us, even more complicit in the escalating horrors that are unfolding. One day I might go back to the classroom, and if I do I will still teach about historic injustices, but I will also end up teaching about Gaza. Perhaps I'll use the work of Refaat Alareer or Hiba Abu Nada, both killed by Israeli airstrikes back in 2023. And it will all happen again. I'll be asked why the world didn't stop it. I'll be asked why presidents and prime ministers justified the horror, and why they refused to use the word genocide. I'll be asked why we left children to be starved to death in their parents' arms. And the worst part is that the answers will be the same as well.
Scotsman
a day ago
- Scotsman
30 surnames that prove you could be descended from real Vikings
Think your family came over with the Normans? This fearsome Viking re-enactor is a reminder that many northern and Scottish surnames trace back to Norse invaders. | Canva This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. Think you're pure Scottish? You could be wrong. These 30 surnames still common in Scotland and the north of England may point to Viking ancestry - is yours one of them? Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Think you're pure Scottish? You might be surprised. Many Scots have Viking ancestry woven into their DNA, especially in places like Orkney, Shetland, the Hebrides and Caithness where Norse settlers didn't just raid, they stayed. And it's not just in your blood. It might be in your name. Research from the University of Leicester and the People of the British Isles project found that parts of northern and coastal Scotland have some of the strongest traces of Viking genetics in the UK. Families in these regions often carry surnames with direct Norse origins, passed down through centuries. Want to see if your name is one of them? You can start your Viking ancestry journey with MyHeritage DNA and explore your family tree in minutes. Here are 30 surnames with strong Viking links, all of which still appear commonly across Scotland. 1. Raven From the Old Norse Hrafn, meaning 'raven'. The raven was a powerful symbol for Norse warriors and is often linked to the god Odin. This surname reflects its deep cultural and mythological roots. 2. Gunn Derived from gunnr, the Old Norse word for 'battle' or 'war'. Found widely across northern Scotland and Orkney, it's also the name of an old Highland clan with Viking origins. 3. Harold / Harald A classic Viking name carried by leaders like King Harald Hardrada, who famously died at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066. It means 'army ruler' and was popular in both Scandinavian and Anglo-Norse cultures. 4. Ormsby A toponymic name meaning 'Ormr's farm' – Ormr being a Norse personal name meaning serpent or dragon. The suffix -by was used by Vikings to denote a farmstead or settlement and still appears in dozens of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire place names. 5. Thoresen / Thorburn Derived from Þórr, the Norse god of thunder. Names beginning with 'Thor' usually signal a Norse origin and indicate ancestry that honoured or referenced Thor's might and protection. 6. Haldane From Old Norse Halfdan, meaning 'half Dane'. A real surname still found in Scotland, possibly referring to someone born of mixed Norse and native ancestry. Wondering if your surname could link you to the Vikings? You can trace your family tree and find out with MyHeritage DNA – click here to begin 7. Croft From the Norse kropt or kroft, referring to a small enclosed field or farm. The word became rooted in Scottish and northern English landscapes and eventually surnames. 8. Scarth Likely from the Norse word skarthi, meaning 'notched' or 'hare-lipped'. Common in Orkney and parts of Yorkshire. The Scarth family appears in 16th-century land records tied to Norse-descended farming families. 9. Clegg Believed to be from kleggi, meaning 'haystack' or 'mound'. A stronghold surname in West Yorkshire, especially around Rochdale and Oldham. 10. Birkby A compound of birk (birch) and by (settlement). Still found as both a surname and a place name in North and East Yorkshire, tracing back to Danish or Norwegian farming outposts. 11. Tait Common in the Borders, Shetland and Orkney. Possibly from Old Norse teitr, meaning 'glad' or 'cheerful' – a rare example of a Norse name denoting personality rather than place or lineage. 12. Skene A Scottish surname from Aberdeenshire, sometimes traced back to a Norse word for a blade or dagger. The clan motto is 'Virtutis regia merces' – 'virtue is the reward of valour' – further hinting at a warrior heritage. Your family tree could be bigger than you ever imagined — and DNA testing can help you trace its many branches. | Canva 13. MacAulay A Hebridean and Highland name from the Norse personal name Áleifr, meaning 'ancestor's descendant' or 'heir'. Evidence suggests the MacAulays may descend from Viking settlers who integrated with Gaels. 14. Main Found in northern Scotland, particularly Caithness and Orkney. Possibly derived from mæinn, the Old Norse word for 'strong' or 'forceful'. 15. Ketill This personal name meant 'kettle' or 'cauldron' but was commonly used for a helmet in a poetic or symbolic sense. It appears in Norse sagas and survives in names like Kettlewell or Ketilson. 16. Eirikson / Ericson / Eriksen Means 'son of Erik' – one of the most common Viking naming patterns. Erik comes from Eiríkr, meaning 'eternal ruler'. Leif Erikson, son of Erik the Red, is believed to have reached North America centuries before Columbus. 17. Sanderson A northern English patronymic meaning 'son of Sander', itself derived from Sandarr, a Norse personal name related to defender or protector. 18. Foss From Old Norse foss, meaning 'waterfall'. Found in surnames and place names in Yorkshire and Cumbria – often near rivers or rocky outcrops. 19. Thwaite A suffix in dozens of northern English place names like Braithwaite and Micklethwaite. From þveit, meaning 'clearing in the woods' – a sign of Norse agricultural colonisation. 20. Askew Believed to come from askr (ash tree) and skogr (wood), likely referencing a settlement near a wooded area. Found in Lancashire and Yorkshire. 21. Osmond From Old Norse Ásmundr, meaning 'divine protection'. A name passed down by Norse settlers who brought both pagan and Christian influences. 22. Rigg From the Old Norse hryggr, meaning 'ridge'. Found widely in hill-country surnames across Cumbria and the Dales. 23. Rawlinson 'Son of Raoul' – with Raoul or Ralph descending from Ráðulfr, a Norse name meaning 'wise wolf'. A surname common in Lancashire and northern England. 24. Ulf A powerful Norse name meaning 'wolf'. While rare today, it appears in Domesday Book records and some East Anglian settlements in the former Danelaw. 25. Ingerson A patronymic meaning 'son of Inge' or Ingvar, both linked to the Norse god Ing or Yngvi, associated with fertility and prosperity. 26. Janson Means 'son of Jan', with Jan being a Norse adaptation of Johannes. Still common in the Netherlands and northern UK. 27. Colby A compound of Kol (meaning coal or dark) and by (village). Found in Lancashire, Cumbria and parts of Lincolnshire. 28. Halcro Unique to Orkney and Shetland, with deep Norse roots. Believed to derive from a personal name and farm site occupied during the Viking period. 29. Gunnarsen Means 'son of Gunnar', from gunnr (war) and arr (warrior). A classic Norse warrior name that still appears in Scandinavian communities. 30. Leifson Means 'son of Leif'. Leif means 'heir' or 'beloved'. The most famous bearer is Leif Erikson, who explored North America long before the modern age of discovery. Did your name appear? Or maybe one from your extended family? It could be the start of a fascinating journey into Norse ancestry and the Viking history of the North. With MyHeritage, it's free to begin building your family tree. You can also order a DNA kit and discover your genetic connection to Scandinavia, Viking settlements and more – all for just £33. This article was produced with the support of AI tools to assist in sourcing and structuring information. All content has been reviewed, verified and completed by a National World journalist prior to publication. Canva Uncover your family's hidden connections with an exclusive MyHeritage DNA kit £ 29.00 Buy now Buy now Every generation, your family tree branches wider — yet most of your extended relatives are strangers to you. A DNA test can help change that. MyHeritage DNA doesn't just estimate your ethnic makeup; it connects you to real living relatives and uncovers the stories of your ancestors' journeys. From Viking roots in Orkney to Sephardic Jewish heritage, or even surprise half-siblings, your DNA holds the key to discovering the family you never knew you had. 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Scotsman
a day ago
- Scotsman
30 surnames that prove you could be descended from real Vikings
Think your family came over with the Normans? This fearsome Viking re-enactor is a reminder that many northern and Scottish surnames trace back to Norse invaders. | Canva This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. Think you're pure Scottish? You could be wrong. These 30 surnames still common in Scotland and the north of England may point to Viking ancestry - is yours one of them? Sign up to our History and Heritage newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Think you're pure Scottish? You might be surprised. Many Scots have Viking ancestry woven into their DNA, especially in places like Orkney, Shetland, the Hebrides and Caithness where Norse settlers didn't just raid, they stayed. And it's not just in your blood. It might be in your name. Research from the University of Leicester and the People of the British Isles project found that parts of northern and coastal Scotland have some of the strongest traces of Viking genetics in the UK. Families in these regions often carry surnames with direct Norse origins, passed down through centuries. Want to see if your name is one of them? You can start your Viking ancestry journey with MyHeritage DNA and explore your family tree in minutes. Here are 30 surnames with strong Viking links, all of which still appear commonly across Scotland. 1. Raven From the Old Norse Hrafn, meaning 'raven'. The raven was a powerful symbol for Norse warriors and is often linked to the god Odin. This surname reflects its deep cultural and mythological roots. 2. Gunn Derived from gunnr, the Old Norse word for 'battle' or 'war'. Found widely across northern Scotland and Orkney, it's also the name of an old Highland clan with Viking origins. 3. Harold / Harald A classic Viking name carried by leaders like King Harald Hardrada, who famously died at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066. It means 'army ruler' and was popular in both Scandinavian and Anglo-Norse cultures. 4. Ormsby A toponymic name meaning 'Ormr's farm' – Ormr being a Norse personal name meaning serpent or dragon. The suffix -by was used by Vikings to denote a farmstead or settlement and still appears in dozens of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire place names. 5. Thoresen / Thorburn Derived from Þórr, the Norse god of thunder. Names beginning with 'Thor' usually signal a Norse origin and indicate ancestry that honoured or referenced Thor's might and protection. 6. Haldane From Old Norse Halfdan, meaning 'half Dane'. A real surname still found in Scotland, possibly referring to someone born of mixed Norse and native ancestry. Wondering if your surname could link you to the Vikings? You can trace your family tree and find out with MyHeritage DNA – click here to begin 7. Croft From the Norse kropt or kroft, referring to a small enclosed field or farm. The word became rooted in Scottish and northern English landscapes and eventually surnames. 8. Scarth Likely from the Norse word skarthi, meaning 'notched' or 'hare-lipped'. Common in Orkney and parts of Yorkshire. The Scarth family appears in 16th-century land records tied to Norse-descended farming families. 9. Clegg Believed to be from kleggi, meaning 'haystack' or 'mound'. A stronghold surname in West Yorkshire, especially around Rochdale and Oldham. 10. Birkby A compound of birk (birch) and by (settlement). Still found as both a surname and a place name in North and East Yorkshire, tracing back to Danish or Norwegian farming outposts. 11. Tait Common in the Borders, Shetland and Orkney. Possibly from Old Norse teitr, meaning 'glad' or 'cheerful' – a rare example of a Norse name denoting personality rather than place or lineage. 12. Skene A Scottish surname from Aberdeenshire, sometimes traced back to a Norse word for a blade or dagger. The clan motto is 'Virtutis regia merces' – 'virtue is the reward of valour' – further hinting at a warrior heritage. Your family tree could be bigger than you ever imagined — and DNA testing can help you trace its many branches. | Canva 13. MacAulay A Hebridean and Highland name from the Norse personal name Áleifr, meaning 'ancestor's descendant' or 'heir'. Evidence suggests the MacAulays may descend from Viking settlers who integrated with Gaels. 14. Main Found in northern Scotland, particularly Caithness and Orkney. Possibly derived from mæinn, the Old Norse word for 'strong' or 'forceful'. 15. Ketill This personal name meant 'kettle' or 'cauldron' but was commonly used for a helmet in a poetic or symbolic sense. It appears in Norse sagas and survives in names like Kettlewell or Ketilson. 16. Eirikson / Ericson / Eriksen Means 'son of Erik' – one of the most common Viking naming patterns. Erik comes from Eiríkr, meaning 'eternal ruler'. Leif Erikson, son of Erik the Red, is believed to have reached North America centuries before Columbus. 17. Sanderson A northern English patronymic meaning 'son of Sander', itself derived from Sandarr, a Norse personal name related to defender or protector. 18. Foss From Old Norse foss, meaning 'waterfall'. Found in surnames and place names in Yorkshire and Cumbria – often near rivers or rocky outcrops. 19. Thwaite A suffix in dozens of northern English place names like Braithwaite and Micklethwaite. From þveit, meaning 'clearing in the woods' – a sign of Norse agricultural colonisation. 20. Askew Believed to come from askr (ash tree) and skogr (wood), likely referencing a settlement near a wooded area. Found in Lancashire and Yorkshire. 21. Osmond From Old Norse Ásmundr, meaning 'divine protection'. A name passed down by Norse settlers who brought both pagan and Christian influences. 22. Rigg From the Old Norse hryggr, meaning 'ridge'. Found widely in hill-country surnames across Cumbria and the Dales. 23. Rawlinson 'Son of Raoul' – with Raoul or Ralph descending from Ráðulfr, a Norse name meaning 'wise wolf'. A surname common in Lancashire and northern England. 24. Ulf A powerful Norse name meaning 'wolf'. While rare today, it appears in Domesday Book records and some East Anglian settlements in the former Danelaw. 25. Ingerson A patronymic meaning 'son of Inge' or Ingvar, both linked to the Norse god Ing or Yngvi, associated with fertility and prosperity. 26. Janson Means 'son of Jan', with Jan being a Norse adaptation of Johannes. Still common in the Netherlands and northern UK. 27. Colby A compound of Kol (meaning coal or dark) and by (village). Found in Lancashire, Cumbria and parts of Lincolnshire. 28. Halcro Unique to Orkney and Shetland, with deep Norse roots. Believed to derive from a personal name and farm site occupied during the Viking period. 29. Gunnarsen Means 'son of Gunnar', from gunnr (war) and arr (warrior). A classic Norse warrior name that still appears in Scandinavian communities. 30. Leifson Means 'son of Leif'. Leif means 'heir' or 'beloved'. The most famous bearer is Leif Erikson, who explored North America long before the modern age of discovery. Did your name appear? Or maybe one from your extended family? It could be the start of a fascinating journey into Norse ancestry and the Viking history of the North. With MyHeritage, it's free to begin building your family tree. You can also order a DNA kit and discover your genetic connection to Scandinavia, Viking settlements and more – all for just £33. This article was produced with the support of AI tools to assist in sourcing and structuring information. All content has been reviewed, verified and completed by a National World journalist prior to publication. Canva Uncover your family's hidden connections with an exclusive MyHeritage DNA kit £ 29.00 Buy now Buy now Every generation, your family tree branches wider — yet most of your extended relatives are strangers to you. A DNA test can help change that. MyHeritage DNA doesn't just estimate your ethnic makeup; it connects you to real living relatives and uncovers the stories of your ancestors' journeys. From Viking roots in Orkney to Sephardic Jewish heritage, or even surprise half-siblings, your DNA holds the key to discovering the family you never knew you had.
