Posts Tagged ‘Temperament’
The Bernese Mountain Dog
History and origin of the Bernese Mountain Dog:
Originated in Switzerland, the Bernese Mountain Dog was bred for herding, guarding, drafting, and droving. His large, sturdy frame and long coat allowed him to perform in cold mountainous environments.
Description:
The Bernese Mountain Dog stands 23 to 27.5 inches at the shoulder and weighs between 70 and 100 pounds. He is a large breed and is similar to the Golden Retriever in structure, only heavier and bigger-boned. The shedding coat is medium-long, wavy, glossy, and thick and requires regular brushing to keep it in good condition. The Bernese is tricolored, primarily black with rust and white markings on the chest, muzzle, feet, and forehead.
About the Bernese Mountain Dog:
This large, beautiful, athletic dog is easily trained and makes a great watchdog and a good family pet. Though playful and gregarious as a pup, he tends to become more reserved and guarded as he matures. He is normally affectionate to his owner, but can be very suspicious of strangers. Some are very timid to the point of being phobic. This potential for extreme shyness can lead to a fear-based aggression that is difficult to modify. This breed also possesses a dominant, head-strong temperament. Stubbornness normally calls for a firm, consistent training technique, but many Bernese, particularly the females, can slip into a panicky mind-set if pushed, sometimes resulting in a bite. This tendency is usually a result of poor breeding practices, and may not be reversible.
A well bred Bernese Mountain Dog is trainable, but patience and precision are crucial. The Bernese needs daily exercise and is happier in a rural environment. Because of the potential for aggression, this breed is not recommended for families with children. Early socialization is important from day one, as well as handling and grooming. The Bernese Mountain Dog lives only ten to twelve years and can suffer from hip dysplasia and bloat. Anyone interested in this breed should visit numerous breeders and closely observe the parents and litter mates.
Feeding:
Recommended feeding for this breed is 1 ½ – 2 ½ cans (13.3oz) of high-quality meaty product with biscuit added in equal part or 5 cupfuls of a complete, dry dog food.
Ideal home:
A house with a fenced yard is important for the Bernese Mountain Dog. A strong, patient leader is mandatory, as well as early training, handling, and socialization. Families with children should at present avoid this breed, as should nervous, cautious, and over-bearing people. The elderly and the disabled may not be able to handle the Bernese Mountain Dog.
Inside The Mind Of A Dalmatian
Although a Dalmatian loves to ride in the car to just about anywhere, they’re not back-seat dogs in any other sense of the word. Their inner world contains wonders around every corner and no dangers that are quicker, tougher or smarter than they are. A Dalmatian is not a “porch dog” that sits and looks at a guest or visitor until some unknown cue prompts it to get up and investigate or greet. They are instantly curious about nearly everything and won’t hesitate to go see what’s up.
The Dalmatian breed standard calls for poise and alertness, and a stable, outgoing, and dignified temperament. You should understand that this translates into a dog that does not go wagging up to any stranger and lick them up one side and down the other. This means that when a Dalmatian meets strangers, he usually prefers to go up to them at his own pace, investigating fairly thoroughly before becoming the wagging, silly bouncing friend.
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Many people are so taken with the dog’s looks and bright expression that they forget introductions and manners. They’ll rush up to the dog, arms and hands extended, bending down, with body language that says to the dog, “I want to grab you and pet you and touch you.” The Dalmatian understands the body language to say “I want to grab you and hold you in one place and prevent you from moving around me and checking me out while I check you out.”
Throughout early history, the Dalmatian was bred to take control of the streets and make judgments on whether things were safe or not for the horses and masters. You can’t make judgments while you’re being held in one spot and examined. This isn’t to say that the Dalmatian’s instincts should dictate your routines, or that he can’t be trained to be appropriately sociable; however, they are more likely to meet someone by going through the steps of investigation and judgment before acting like a wagging fool.
What if they don’t like someone after investigation? Sometimes this happens, and most of the time it’s for reasons the owners can’t comprehend. When this occurs, it’s rarely an aggressive scene. The Dalmatian’s reaction is more likely to be one of avoidance, perhaps a quiet grumble or groaning and a move to the next room, from which he can keep an eye on things until the stranger leaves. Your first impression as an owner is to feel like scolding your dog for unsociable behavior the judgment of a Dalmatian has always turned out to have an element of soundness.
Should You Get A Poodle From The Humane Society Or Through The Newspaper?
Humane Societies: Humane societies are a good place to find assorted pups and dogs, but seldom offer purebred Poodles. Breed rescue organizations frequently monitor incoming dogs at shelters and pick up purebreds for placement through individual breed rescue. Shelters sometimes do have purebreds with all types of backgrounds and temperaments available for adoption.
The wonderful part of adopting a Poodle from a shelter is you’ll be giving a Poodle a chance at life. But keep in mind that you might learn less about a shelter Poodle than you would about a breed rescue Poodle who has lived with families in a home environment. Volunteer foster families are able to observe the dog closely to see how it interacts with kids, cats, and other dogs. Dogs in animal shelters typically live in kennels and, because of the number of incoming and outgoing animals, cannot be observed as closely. Also, though most shelters are extremely careful to adopt only healthy animals, there’s a chance you’d be taking home an ill Poodle.
Newspaper Ads: Whatever the town, whatever the newspaper, you will always find classified ads that read something like, “Adorable Poodle Pups for Sale.” Do such ads provide a good source for finding a Poodle? Most Poodle enthusiasts and reputable breeders say no. In most cases, these are advertisements from “backyard breeders.” Although some reputable breeders do advertise in this manner, it’s not common.
What’s a backyard breeder and why should you avoid one? Basically, a backyard breeder is someone who owns a Poodle and decides that breeding her dog with the neighbor’s Poodle would be a great idea. The result will be a fabulous litter of pups that could be registered and they will both make money! Any dog can be registered by a breed registry, but that doesn’t mean the dog is of sound mind and temperament. There’s little consideration for conformation, health, or temperament in backyard breeding.
Reputable breeders rarely advertise in local newspapers – they don’t have to. They usually sell pups by word of mouth, and pups often have homes well before they’re born.
The best advice about buying a Poodle through newspaper ads is this: Buyer Beware. If you’re set on buying a newspaper-ad Poodle, investigate the background of the advertiser and be prepared to ask a lot of questions about the pup’s medical history. Find out what hereditary diseases are common in Poodles and insist on seeing proof of health clearances.
What about ads for Poodles in dog or Poodle magazines? Serious, reputable breeders are more likely to advertise pups in well-respected magazines, but anyone, reputable or not, can buy an ad. In fact, many magazines have disclaimers, advising potential buyers to investigate puppy advertisers. Approach sellers in magazines the same way you approach newspaper advertisers – skeptically – and be sure to investigate the source for your potential Poodle.
Choosing A Reliable Poodle Breeder
Poodle Breeders
So you have decided that you want to buy a Poodle. You’ve made the big decision and you know you love Poodles. Now you need to ask yourself the inevitable hard questions.
1. Can you afford a Poodle? Not including the purchase price (after all, you may get one for nothing), you can expect to spend up to $1,000 a year on food, supplies, and vet bills. Professional grooming can raise the price even more.
2. Are you willing and able to spend time and energy playing with your Poodle, walking him, and just hanging out together around the house? A dog abandoned in even the most luxurious surroundings is not a happy dog.
If your answers are “yes,” you are still not finished. You still need to decide on the right Poodle for you. What qualities are most important to you – size, playfulness, health, age, temperament, looks? Do you want a dog to show, or just a loyal companion? Will you expect your Poodle to be a watchdog? Do tricks? Entertain the children? Sleep in till noon?
The most important element in choosing the right Poodle is finding a reliable source. This is a matter that requires the utmost care. A Poodle should not be an impulse buy. Do your research; a little extra time and thought now will save you months of heartache down the road. If you are looking for a puppy, seek out a responsible breeder. This is not always a simple task; few of them advertise in the newspaper, and none will be listed in the yellow pages. Since it is almost impossible to make a living by breeding dogs carefully and responsibly, most good breeders are enjoying an expensive hobby. The price of the puppies they sell barely covers their expenses. Yet, because good breeders usually breed from their homes and profit is not their main motive, the price you will pay for a good dog is usually no more than from a commercial establishment, and you’ll almost always get a better quality dog.
To find such a breeder, you need to ask around. Ask your veterinarian, groomer, or knowledgeable friends. Check with your local All-Breed Kennel Club or Poodle Club. If you don’t know how to find a breeder locally, go to the American Kennel Club’s (AKC’s) website for more information. Go to a nearby dog show and check the program to see if anyone showing Poodles lives near you (you can get a schedule online from the AKC). Take a look at their Poodles and see if this is the general type of dog you would like.
If you do see a dog you like, pick a quiet time (usually after the judging) to ask questions of the exhibitors. If they are hurried, ask for a business card and make arrangements to call or visit later on. Although you may get lucky and happen upon a likely litter at just the right time, you will almost certainly have to wait to get your puppy – maybe for as long as several months. If you insist upon a particular sex or color, your wait may be even longer.
Please note that going to a show breeder does not mean that you will be getting a show dog. A person interested in showing dogs will most likely take the time and care to have the necessary genetic testing done to prove that the dogs available are healthy and sound. Therefore, you will get a well-bred, healthy Poodle who has been tested, evaluated, and brought up in a home environment.
Socializing Your Golden Retriever
Socializing your Golden Retriever is very important. As you may already know, all dog breeds behave different in front of strangers, with some dogs choosing to ignore people altogether. They may choose to glance at someone, then go on to pay no attention to him. On the other hand, some dogs are the total opposite and love to meet everyone they can. These types of dogs love attention, and will take any attention they can get.
Some Golden Retrievers are happy with those they have come to know in their own family, or those they have selected to be friends. Others on the other hand, may feel comfortable just around those of the same sex. Most Golden’s like children, although there are a few rare cases in which certain types of Golden Retrievers like adults but not children. This is extremely rare, and is normally due to the way they were bred or raised.
When your puppy is between the ages of 8 weeks and 8 months, socializing him is extremely important. During this time, you should always do everything you can to ensure that your Golden Retriever meets other people. Although he may be shy at first and not have much interaction, he will eventually come around. You will need to be patient with him during these times, as he will need quite a bit of reassurance from you.
Your dog’s parents also contribute to socialization. If the parents of your Golden Retriever were good with people and other dogs, the gene could very well be passed on to your dog. On the other hand, if the parents were shy or aggressive dogs, those genes could be passed on as well. Pups inherit the traits of their parents ,which is why it is very important to make sure that the dogs being bred are compatible with each other – and share a passive temperament.
If your puppy was separated from his mother before he reached the age of seven weeks, he won’t learn many of the social signals taught to him by his mom and his siblings. Golden Retriever pups that are brought to a new home earlier than seven weeks will normally tend to end up nippy or aggressive around people. Although they may be aggressive towards people, they may be shy or fearful around other dogs, as they lack the social skills needed to be themselves.
Sometimes, if a puppy was injured or frightened during his early years, he can end up with a state of trauma. This type of thing leaves a huge scar in the mind of a puppy, making it very hard for him to get past it. Most Golden Retriever pups that have been injured or frightened by an individual never get past it. They may end up fearing humans in general, or being very aggressive towards them when they feel frightened. When you take your puppy home for the first time, you should always make him feel welcomed, and never let anyone or anything harm him.
To better socialize your Golden Retriever, you should always make sure that he gets plenty of interaction with other people and other dogs in his breed. This way, your Golden will learn how to socialize at any early age. When he gets older in life, he will carry these skills with him. Golden Retrievers that are sheltered or not given the proper amount of interaction will turn out shy towards people and other dogs. With your Golden Retriever being your companion for life – you should always ensure that he gets the socialization he needs.
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