Different breeds of dogs have different types of
traits and personalities that are characteristic of their breed. Right off
the top of my head if one says Beagle, I think of a
tail-wagging, happy dog with a mind of its own, who, if gets whiff of a
scent, will wander off in search of the critter on the other end of the
smell, not even hearing you calling him back.
German Shepherd, a loyal friend to the family who will thrive on
pleasing its owners. A Bichon Frise, a happy
tail wagging, soft coated, non shedding small dog who loves children but may
not be the easiest to house break. All breeds have characteristics common to
their breed.
One must always keep in mind; there is much more
that determines what that adorable puppy will grow up to be like. Because it
is characteristic for a Bichon Frise to grow up loving people, this does not
mean there are no Bichons who would never bite a stranger, and it does not
mean that all Cocker Spaniels love all
children. With in every breed there are always exceptions to the typical
temperaments and characteristics. After all, dogs are not computers with
commands built into them. They are living creatures whose environment and
surroundings affect their personality. The temperament of the parents also
has a great deal to do with the temperament of the dog.
With in the same litter of any purebred or
mixed
breed dog will be puppies with different personalities. Some pups are more
shy and timid while others are curious and like to explore, not afraid of
very much at all. Some puppies have a higher tolerance for pain and some are
very sensitive. The pups that are more sensitive are not the ones you want
to choose for small children. Some puppies may get spooked by loud noises
while others in the litter are not bothered. Some pups within the same
litter are going to be more submissive and easier to train, while others are
going to, by nature be more dominate, needing an owner who knows how to
remain the boss. Finding a good breeder is also important. If one breeds two
Cocker Spaniel adults with poor temperaments, there is a higher chance of
the puppies being born with poor temperaments.
It is always a good idea to give a puppy a
temperament test before you adopt. Perform the steps below.
NOTE: most pups will try and puppy bite your hands, this is not what you are
looking for, you will be looking for signs of annoyance.
1. Roll the puppy on its back and rub it's tummy.
How easily does it allow itself to be on its back with its tummy being
touched?
2. Gently squeeze its paws. Put the pup on the
ground and hold its two front paws, than hold onto its back paws. Restrain
the puppy for a minute, but do not hurt the puppy. Does it allow its
paws to be touched without getting annoyed or growling?
3. Play with the puppies ears, does the puppy mind
if its ears are touched and gently tugged at?
4. Hold the pups tail, does it allow its tail to be
tugged at?
|
Basically in this puppy temperament test you are going to
restrain and tug at the puppy. A puppy with a good temperament
will put up with a humans tugs and pulls. Be careful not to hurt
the puppy. Any dog in pain may react. |
|
|
You are not trying to hurt the puppy, but simply see
how well he tolerates being handled. Rolling the puppy
on its back is putting it in a submissive position. A dog with a personality
which is more dominating will not tolerate this as well as a puppy who is
more on the submissive side.
Do keep in mind, there is a difference between puppy
biting and dominancy biting. Puppies by nature will try and chew on you and
it may hurt. If a puppy is wagging its tail growling with its ears perked
playfully biting on you, this is a puppy thing and the puppy must be trained
not to "puppy play bite", but it is not a sign of a poor temperament.
However, if the puppy puts its ears back and growls and its tail is not
wagging, this may be a sign of a dominate dog. For example, I once went into
a pet store (not the best place to buy a puppy) and there was a Rottweiler puppy about 7 weeks old in a
cubical. I reached down to pet it and he turned around and looked at me with
his ears back. I then gave its fur a tug, not hurting the pup, he had a lot
of extra skin. The puppy. even as young as it was turned around and growled
at me. That was one puppy who will need an owner who can handle a dominate
dog; will forever test its pack order. His Rottie littermate didn't mind my tug to its
back, but rather seemed to enjoy the attention.
