Too challenging for beginner

[corvus]

As I mentioned, I don't have breeds that are known to be handler sensitive, and that's because I tend to be loudly expressive sometimes.  I like a lot about some of the traditional herding breeds, but the intensity and pressure sensitivity are a turnoff for me because I know it clashes with my personality. I would have to work on myself as well as the dog. Easier to work on just one! 

 

Most sighthounds I meet are not in the habit of creating opportunities. They are plenty smart, but not terribly active or motivated, which makes them pretty easy to live with. If you can motivate them, they learn easily, but they are not as easily motivated as other breeds. What we often love about working breeds is that it is very easy to motivate them. They will work for all kinds of things, and throw themselves into it, and they do tend to look for opportunities. I guess the thing is it's hard to turn on or off parts of a dog's nature. So, if they are difficult to motivate, they might be easy to live with, but hard to train. If they are easy to motivate, they might be easy to train, but not so easy when they are not training, because they don't turn it off just because you're not harnessing it anymore. 

 

Dogs with anxiety disorders are hard to place anywhere. They don't act in ways that necessarily make a lot of sense in the first place. You can really see the difference when you work with dogs that have problems they have learned and that's it, and dogs that have problems that are related to all kinds of bigger problems with their emotional lives. The former are a pretty smooth ride and respond quickly and usually predictably. The latter are nearly always complicated and take a long time and suffer sudden and inexplicable setbacks and just when you think you are getting somewhere, they stall completely or a whole new problem appears.   

[huski]

It's not so much about which dogs aren't suitable for beginners but getting a dog that suits your life style and needs. The more drive a dog has the more potential it has to go right or wrong. The two biggest issues I see with dog owners are those that get dogs with either weak nerve or too much drive for their life style or skill level. You can upskill of course, but it's hard if that's not what you wanted to do. Novice owners I work with who get high drive dogs for sport for eg do very well with them as they have a purpose and need for a dog with more drive. 

[m-j]

On 8/19/2017 at 8:58 PM, corvus said:

 

Most sighthounds I meet are not in the habit of creating opportunities. They are plenty smart, but not terribly active or motivated, which makes them pretty easy to live with. If you can motivate them, they learn easily, but they are not as easily motivated as other breeds. 

 

This is why I like my Greys, they are teaching me about motivation, but if I don't have the time or inclination to train it isn't a pain. 

[Agility Dogs]

Interesting topic.  I've got Border Collies - 4 of them at present.  

 

1 of them I would say could live anywhere without a lot of effort.  One needs some help with his confidence around other dogs and to be looked after.  (He can be reactive, but nothing difficult.)  Both of these two would be quite OK in most homes IMO.

 

My older girl is the best of the lot, but does/did need stimulation and lots of work or she'd go a little mad and be hard to live with.  She was my first dog and anyone willing to take the time could have handled her.

 

My younger boy is not for the faint of heart.  He is from a strong working line, is a big dog and has very firm opinions on exactly how the world should work.  Needless to say he needs black and white clarity in his world or life with him is very difficult (just ask my wife...... ;) ).  He is not a 'beginners' dog as such, but at the same time the vast majority of people would not be able to/would want to manage him.   Like anything I think it comes down to the breeder matching the temperament/style of dog they have bred to the home they are going to. 

[Agility Dogs]

On 25/08/2017 at 0:34 PM, huski said:

It's not so much about which dogs aren't suitable for beginners but getting a dog that suits your life style and needs. The more drive a dog has the more potential it has to go right or wrong. The two biggest issues I see with dog owners are those that get dogs with either weak nerve or too much drive for their life style or skill level. You can upskill of course, but it's hard if that's not what you wanted to do. Novice owners I work with who get high drive dogs for sport for eg do very well with them as they have a purpose and need for a dog with more drive. 

LOL.  Just realised I agreed with you in my comment.  How odd.  ;P

 

[KobiD]

Our dog is a rescue, picked up at 8 weeks. Was listed as a BC x Staffy, but to be honest I don't see much if any of either in her. As she's matured she looks very Lurcher-ish hunting dog, and given we're in FNQ where pig hunting is very common I'd say there's a good chance she's a mix of mixes. At a year old now she's just shy of 20kgs, but very slender and muscular, with a short stiff coat. Looks very lab like from some angles, but also a bit sigh hound, in the hind legs and waist.

 

Anyway, back to topic. As a beginner trainer I really didn't know what I was getting into, nor do I really know if she has been a challenging temperament or not. I know I've had to put a lot of work into her, and continue to have to do so.. but I think that would be the same of any puppy.