Does The Breed Of A Dog Matter

[aussielover]

Yes breed matters, otherwise you may as well just get any old breed, cross-breed or mix.

I don't really think a lab could make as good guard dog as a GSD, if you mean bitework is involved. I'm sure it could be done, but there would be fewer labs suitable for this purpose than GSDs or mals or other typical police dogs.

[nightgrace6]

Breed matters sure, but just as people have been quick to label different dog breeds so I have I, putting most of the swfs I meet into the "horrible" category and this I believe is from owners constantly encouraging their cute, skittish, scared behaviour.. I think the onus these days is mostly on the owners, dogs have come a long way and not all of them have kept their original characteristics and attributes..

[Sandra777]

Yes some breeds are less likely to observe the 'normal' laws of dog society and offer lots of appeasement gestures, they'd rather just get to the fight at the end. This is definitely a genetic trait BUT is this dog aggression or dominance?

Can you explain why, in your opinion, it would make a difference? It's not my experience that dominant dogs are more likely to fight, but let's say for the sake of the discussion that they are, why would it make a difference?

It doesn't make any practical difference to the outcome but the OP is asking about dog aggression specifically which is why I suggested there could be another reason why dogs fight or ''attack''

Dominant dog approached in a threatening, non-respectful way by another dog and it won't fight? Not in my world

[sandgrubber]

I have a German friend who did Schutz with boxers (in Germany) to Level 5. He now has Labradors in Australia. He says they'd be hopeless as guard dogs. As for blowing coat . .. Labbies do . . . and they make an awful mess.

Yes, I believe that a Lab could be just as good at being a guard dog as a GS is. And yes I believe an Akita could be just as good as an assistance dog as a Lab. However, there are other factors for ruling them out - for example, a dog that blows coat really wouldn't be the best choice for an assistance dog.

Edited March 28, 2011 by sandgrubber

[sandgrubber]

The Brazilian standard for the Filo brasilioro calls for aggression toward strangers. In specialty shows it is acceptable for them to bite the judge.

The breed was bred for catching cattle rustlers and runaway slaves.

Breeders who take the temperament standard seriously will reject a pup if it isn't growling and showing fierceness to strangers at 12 weeks.

I think you will find many of these answers on breeders websites, and breed standard. Some standards require the dog to be reserved, others call for an outgoing temperament etc. I cant think of any breed standard that calls for human aggression though so well bred dogs should not be aggressive towards humans (In an ideal world full of fairies and unicorns of course)

[nightgrace6]

And in my experience Sandra its the scared cornered unsociable dogs that "fight" or "attack"..

[minxy]

I have a German friend who did Schutz with boxers (in Germany) to Level 5. He now has Labradors in Australia. He says they'd be hopeless as guard dogs. As for blowing coat . .. Labbies do . . . and they make an awful mess.

Yes, I believe that a Lab could be just as good at being a guard dog as a GS is. And yes I believe an Akita could be just as good as an assistance dog as a Lab. However, there are other factors for ruling them out - for example, a dog that blows coat really wouldn't be the best choice for an assistance dog.

Really? I've never heard of my friends Labs blowing coat

[Monah]

And in my experience Sandra its the scared cornered unsociable dogs that "fight" or "attack"..

I agree. The most dominant (I dont like that word...confident? powerful personality? respected?...) dogs I've had have never ever fought. They only had to enter the street, walk past, look at another dog and the other dogs would be like putty in their paws... No need to ever do more than look.. an approaching dog was always ignored.

Obviously the breed and purpose of a dog matters, up until recently the purpose of the dog was THE reason to breed it to a standard.

[Sandra777]

And in my experience Sandra its the scared cornered unsociable dogs that "fight" or "attack"..

A CORNERED/TRAPPED scared dog yes - but have you ever had a truly scared dog approach you or your dog and instantly attack??

There are many reasons a dog will defend itself - not all are true ''aggression'' which is what the OP is discussing I believe

[Odin-Genie]

I just noticed in your poll that you include ''pedigree'' with ''training'' and ''circumstances.''

I don't.

Pedigree is breeding, breeding is breed. Pedigree is a record of breeding.

Training and circumstances are environmental factors Pedigree is a genetic factor. They do not belong together, maybe that is skewing the poll results?

Sorry Greymate. Perhaps I used the wrong word. What I intended to convey was whether training, circumstances and how it is bred (as in BYBs or ethical breeders) determine a dog's behavior and that there is no breed predisposition.

[Aidan3]

Yes some breeds are less likely to observe the 'normal' laws of dog society and offer lots of appeasement gestures, they'd rather just get to the fight at the end. This is definitely a genetic trait BUT is this dog aggression or dominance?

Can you explain why, in your opinion, it would make a difference? It's not my experience that dominant dogs are more likely to fight, but let's say for the sake of the discussion that they are, why would it make a difference?

It doesn't make any practical difference to the outcome but the OP is asking about dog aggression specifically which is why I suggested there could be another reason why dogs fight or ''attack''

Dominant dog approached in a threatening, non-respectful way by another dog and it won't fight? Not in my world

The wonderful thing about truly dominant dogs is that they are so rarely approached in a threatening, non-respectful way by another dog and even more rarely need to do anything other than ritualised aggression to end it, but I get your point. Yes, there are many reasons for dog (and human, and cat, and bird, and ...) aggression.

In my opinion every animal has the right to reasonable self-defence, and normal dogs are very reasonable in self-defence. The law doesn't necessarily agree, though.

[Odin-Genie]

I have a German friend who did Schutz with boxers (in Germany) to Level 5. He now has Labradors in Australia. He says they'd be hopeless as guard dogs. As for blowing coat . .. Labbies do . . . and they make an awful mess.

Yes, I believe that a Lab could be just as good at being a guard dog as a GS is. And yes I believe an Akita could be just as good as an assistance dog as a Lab. However, there are other factors for ruling them out - for example, a dog that blows coat really wouldn't be the best choice for an assistance dog.

Really? I've never heard of my friends Labs blowing coat

They don't 'blow coat'. But they do shed a lot and mess up the floors a lot. I actually find it easier to manage the shedding of my northern breed who blows his coat compared to my sister's lab who sheds all year all over the floor.

[Mason_Gibbs]

I have a German friend who did Schutz with boxers (in Germany) to Level 5. He now has Labradors in Australia. He says they'd be hopeless as guard dogs. As for blowing coat . .. Labbies do . . . and they make an awful mess.

Yes, I believe that a Lab could be just as good at being a guard dog as a GS is. And yes I believe an Akita could be just as good as an assistance dog as a Lab. However, there are other factors for ruling them out - for example, a dog that blows coat really wouldn't be the best choice for an assistance dog.

Really? I've never heard of my friends Labs blowing coat

They don't 'blow coat'. But they do shed a lot and mess up the floors a lot. I actually find it easier to manage the shedding of my northern breed who blows his coat compared to my sister's lab who sheds all year all over the floor.

I agree labs shed heaps i am forever vacuuming

[Greytmate]

And in my experience Sandra its the scared cornered unsociable dogs that "fight" or "attack"..

In my experience it is the scared, the unsociable, the nervous, the injured, the tired, the intolerant, the defensive, the overexcited, the hungry, the resource-challenged and the prey-driven dogs that all might attack or fight.

Some of those traits are strongly bred for in breeds, some of those traits exist in particular breeding lines without having been bred for, some are as a result of environmental factors and some are just what fairly normal dogs do in an extreme situation.

[OSoSwift]

Yep breed matters.

If I had wanted another dogs that would guard I most certainly wouldn't have got a Whippet!

[sandgrubber]

Many Lab people use the term "blow coat" . . . many labs have one or two periods a year when hair comes out in clumps and you're better off brushing it out than allowing it to fall. My choco girl goes bronze before she blows coat. For a humourous description see the Lab Brats blog at http://dogblog.8pawsup.com/2008/05/agh-blowing-coats.html

I have a German friend who did Schutz with boxers (in Germany) to Level 5. He now has Labradors in Australia. He says they'd be hopeless as guard dogs. As for blowing coat . .. Labbies do . . . and they make an awful mess.

Yes, I believe that a Lab could be just as good at being a guard dog as a GS is. And yes I believe an Akita could be just as good as an assistance dog as a Lab. However, there are other factors for ruling them out - for example, a dog that blows coat really wouldn't be the best choice for an assistance dog.

Really? I've never heard of my friends Labs blowing coat

They don't 'blow coat'. But they do shed a lot and mess up the floors a lot. I actually find it easier to manage the shedding of my northern breed who blows his coat compared to my sister's lab who sheds all year all over the floor.

I agree labs shed heaps i am forever vacuuming

[minxy]

Many Lab people use the term "blow coat" . . . many labs have one or two periods a year when hair comes out in clumps and you're better off brushing it out than allowing it to fall. My choco girl goes bronze before she blows coat. For a humourous description see the Lab Brats blog at http://dogblog.8pawsup.com/2008/05/agh-blowing-coats.html

Thanks Sandgrubber. That's what I assumed they did, like most breeds they lose more hair with the change of seasons. Same as our retriever does.

[WoofnHoof]

Of course there are behavioral differences between breeds, this is a measurable and quantifiable characteristic, there was a study done which observed behavioral characteristics including aggression, and found that there was a distinct correlation between the closeness of appearance of a dog to it's gray wolf ancestor the closer it's behaviour. There are also genetic indicators which show that some breeds are more primitive than others, that does not always correlate with aggression however, as others have said the purpose of the breed plays a huge role in the likelihood of strong aggressive tendencies showing themselves.

There are also morphological issues as some breeds/individuals may tend nip (not just small breeds) and depending on whether they are capable of much damage will also impact on whether it is considered dangerous (by the general public I mean not doggy people on DOL ).