All Dogs are Not the same

[YOLO]

I don't know how or when this pluralistic dogma came  into vogue,but it should be obvious to anybody, that dog breeds differ markedly. 
And owners need to know and understand the differences. 

This belligerent and wilful stupidity is behind many of tragedies we see involving dogs.  Dogs who are guilty of nothing worse that being exactly what they were bred to be.

Not all dogs are perfect for every task, so we need to compromise, and know their limitations.
 

Firstly there are the physical characteristics, which obviously vary markedly between breeds.  Size, shape, weight, length of jaw, shape of the mouth, relative muscle size.  These all impact what you dog can, and cannot do.

Then you have temperament, and yes it's a real thing.  Dogs of the same breed, whilst retaining the same physical characteristics, can be selectively bred over time to enhance or eliminate certain aspects of what you might call a dog's personality.  So regardless of physical characteristics, some dogs suited for working environments, some for guard work, some for vermin control, some for gun work, whilst others are suited to active families and others to a more placid existence.  I don't like to anthropomorphise, and the sad reality is that many dogs bred for "aggression"  may in fact have been selectively bred for fear & anxiety.

Finally there are what I think of as idiosyncrasies, or retained instinct.  Traits which, once observed, have been selectively kept and even enhanced.  We once owned a GSP, who yes, without any training or learned behaviour, began to "point" when she heard a strange noise.

This doesn't mean to say that you can't train a dog.  Obviously you can, and that training might enhance or even suppress some of the bred characteristics.

Anthropomorphising is a huge problem, as it tends to make us think of dogs in terms of Right & Wrong, Good v Evil.  We use terms like "vicious," "savage," or "aggressive". 
There are many snakes that will bite if threatened, but some of them can kill you.  We don't call them vicious or savage, we just warn the public and take precautions. 

All of which is why we need to understand the origins of our dogs, and what they have been bred to do.  I think we are often misguided because dogs are generally highly social and intelligent.  Most dogs are capable of forming strong social bonds, and becoming loyal and affectionate family members.  This often blinds owners to the other attributes.

 

In recent decades there has been a lot of indiscriminate breeding of dogs for hunting purposes.  This generally starts with crossing something with "high prey drive" with larger but more placid breed.  Dogs that prove efficient at bringing down pigs and roos are then bred from, and the cycle continues.  I'm not going to comment further on the barbarity of hunting for sport, except to say that a dog bred for its proficiency in attacking other animals, does not make a good suburban pet.  (Regardless of how loyal they may be to your family.)
Unfortunately these seem to form the bulk of the "rescue" population, and is it any wonder why?  Cute puppies that grow quickly into large loud, boisterous, dogs.

Edited February 16, 2022 by YOLO

[Rebanne]

57 minutes ago, YOLO said:

 

In recent decades there has been a lot of indiscriminate breeding of dogs for hunting purposes.  This generally starts with crossing something with "high prey drive" with larger but more placid breed.  Dogs that prove efficient at bringing down pigs and roos are then bred from, and the cycle continues.  I'm not going to comment further on the barbarity of hunting for sport, except to say that a dog bred for its proficiency in attacking other animals, does not make a good suburban pet.  (Regardless of how loyal they may be to your family.)
Unfortunately these seem to form the bulk of the "rescue" population, and is it any wonder why?  Cute puppies that grow quickly into large loud, boisterous, dogs.

Most sighthounds were bred to hunt, where do they fit in? Considering they make great household companions.

[sandgrubber]

9 hours ago, YOLO said:

In recent decades there has been a lot of indiscriminate breeding of dogs for hunting purposes.  This generally starts with crossing something with "high prey drive" with larger but more placid breed. 

Well said.  It's interesting to note that the hunting dog breeds of the past are different. Gundog breeds were (mostly) selected for biddability, trainability, and a soft mouth.  Hounds were (mostly) expected to be sociable with both humans and other dogs.  Rebanne also noted that sighthounds tend to be great companions.

 

In discussing maladaption, it's also worth noting than many dog breeds were bred to work on a regular basis and some get neurotic in sedentary settings.  Herding breeds come to mind.

[YOLO]

The overwhelming majority of dogs make "great companions. "  This has nothing to do with their suitability or otherwise for various roles.
If you're a farmer and need a dog to herd your sheep, then having a Kelpie as a "great companion" makes sense.  If you live in an apartment, it doesn't.

I mean, yes, sure, there are certainly breeds which over time tended to be bred for close association with their "masters" as opposed to others who were expected to live outdoor or even with their flocks.  But that doesn't reflect on their overall suitability as pets or otherwise.

And please understand, I'm not saying "you can't have breed X as a pet."
I'm saying that owners need to know what they are buying, and need to understand the dog's history, attributes, and what it is & isn't suited to, and how it will interact with your environment.

At least if you adopt a Greyhound as a pet, you know that you are getting a Greyhound.  You can research the breed, understand what it needs, and appreciate any adjustments or precautions you need to take.
The problem comes with people buying a "cute puppy" that is described as a "staffy cross" but in reality is a Pig-Dog.

Edited February 16, 2022 by YOLO

[coneye]

Think your dead right about  traits being bred out of dogs ,, i  especielly look at the german shepard dogs  ,  i look at a lot of them on the dog beach opposite my house and think poor buggers , they don't even look like  shepards , more like large  foxes or  jackals with a big hump ,, .. although i did see a beuty the other day  asked the guy who was the breeder and he was lucky enough he got him from the pound .... I spoke to a guy who actually trained dogs for security firms for a living , he was telling me  they have a BIG problem getting good stock ,  he explained most of what they get will not bite , that protective instinct has been bred  right out of them along with a lot of the other instincts that make a shepard a shepard  all in the name of  good breeding , .

 

He was telling me  that the ones he looks at to buy  cannot be trained to protect , and when they will bite 9 out of 10 times there fear biters , and therfore not to be trusted ,, we had a discusion about it and i bowed to his 40 plus years of training and breeding shepards ,,, dobes and rottys ,,,, he was adamant that breeders are  thinking there breeding aggresion out of these dogs when there actually breeding the    characteristics of that breed out of the breed ,,,, basicly because people want a rotty or shepard with  a golden retriver temprement and there being  catered for ,

 

We touched on the look epsecielly the hunchback look of a lot of shepards has opposed  to the dogs they import for breeding ,  that he put down to really two bad examples being bred ,  by people who just don't have the resources to bring in the good stock , ,,,, suppose these topics are alwayss open for debate