Sam Whitaker

Background

Sam leads breed research and editorial review at PickADogBreed. After eight years of focused study across breed genetics, canine behavior, and veterinary literature, Sam built the editorial process that powers every breed profile, comparison, and cost analysis on this site.

The work began as personal frustration — every breed description online read like marketing copy. Breeders write to sell. Kennel clubs write idealized standards. No one writes the honest version, including the trade-offs prospective owners actually need to understand. PickADogBreed exists to be that honest version.

Research Methodology

Every breed profile is built by triangulating multiple sources:

• AKC, FCI, and The Kennel Club (UK) breed standards
• Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) health database
• Peer-reviewed veterinary publications (JAVMA, Journal of Small Animal Practice)
• Breed parent club annual health surveys
• Direct correspondence with breed-specific rescue organizations
• Dr. Stanley Coren's intelligence research where applicable

Health-related content is fact-checked against published veterinary literature and primary-source health databases. Profiles are reviewed annually and updated when new health data, registration statistics, or scientific findings emerge.

Editorial Independence

All breed ratings and editorial recommendations are produced independently. PickADogBreed does not accept payment from breeders, breed clubs, or pet product companies to influence assessments. Site revenue comes from display advertising (Google AdSense) and clearly disclosed affiliate links — neither of which affects how breeds are scored or compared.

See our full methodology page for the complete editorial policy and corrections process, or read the About page for the broader team and mission.

Contact

For editorial questions, corrections, or research inquiries, email pickadogbreed@gmail.com or use the contact page.