There’s a weird myth in dog training, and I think we’ve all been guilty at one time or another, in telling another person that “It’s all in how you raise them”. For owners and handlers suffering under the constraints of [breed specific legislation] and often the little lauded shelter worker*** it becomes a truism comforting those who lack knowledge on their breeds or who’ve read into all the hype and media and simply come across as ignorant morons. For serious dog folk, sometimes it’s something we say just to shut people up.
I would go further and say that individuals amongst breeds can also vary widely in temperment and behaviour, and no it’s not all nurture.
Just go to a dog park, watch the golden retrievers and then watch the German Shepperds.
If you can not see a difference in behavior, you should not own a dog.
All religions are the same, all cultures are the same, all races are the same& therefore all dogs are the same. All a product of their environment…….d’ya think?
“All religions are the same, all cultures are the same, all races are the same& therefore all dogs are the same. All a product of their environment…….d’ya think?”
NOOOoooooope, you are wrong, it’s; All OTHER religions are the same, all OTHER cultures are the same, all OTHER races are the same& therefore EVERY ONE ELSE’S dogs are the same. All a product of their environment……:-)))
we do live in a us and them world, us being the “group” one belongs to, them being the rest of the world
As my late partner, a life-long crazy cat lady said of the puppy she and her daughter chose because his picture on kijiji was so cute, “Turns out my dog is a jerk.”
I have 2 Scottish Terriers that are litter mates. I got the male at 8 weeks. I got the female at 2 years old after she had a litter of her own. Though she is a little more aggressive to other dogs, they are exactly the same in every way.
I’ve always had good luck with mixed breed pound puppies. Have had lots of pure breeds as well, some good and some not so good, but the mixed breeds just seem to have more resistance to ailments and seem to live longer than the pure breeds.