Pet Tip of the Week: All About Breeds

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Pet Tip of the Week: All About Breeds

Saturday, October 31, 2009

By Dawn Watson

I once knew a lady who insisted she had the best dog in the world except for one thing: she could not control him on walks. The dog pulled so hard on his leash that the woman had fallen several times and now, she was hesitant to walk him, at all. When she told me he was a Husky it made perfect sense! I suggested, among other things, that she invest in a sled and save money on gas.

Photo: Dawn Watson with Tasha

Okay so you’ve just fallen in love with a “mutt”, a mixed-breed whose parentage is questionable. You can either spend big bucks and have his DNA tested or take an educated guess depending on how he looks and acts. But however you uncover his heritage it’s important that you know a few characteristics about breeds so you aren’t surprised by his antics, later on. Here are a few things I’ve learned about specific breeds over the last 35 years as a dog trainer:

Huskies pull. They are sled dogs.
Shepherds herd and will nip at your heels if you don’t go the “correct” direction.
Border collies need a job to do or they will destroy your home.
Mastiffs slobber & need lots of repetitive instruction.
Cane Corsos (Italian Mastiffs) need lots and lots of training.
Greyhounds are more feline than canine in attitude.
Chinese Cresteds are like Velcro; they just want to snuggle up next to you, always.
The Maltese can be yappy and snappy and needs lots of training.
Pit Bulls are intelligent and loyal: bad people make Pit Bulls bad. They are easily trained but not so easily re-trained when bad people have owned them.

As for Labrador Retrievers always being fun and gentle, the only dog that ever attacked me with the intent to do grave bodily injury was a yellow Lab. For the most part, however, Labs and Golden Retrievers seem to be two of America’s most popular breeds.

The Internet is a great source for finding out about breeds. Animal Planet’s show, Breed All About It, highlights a different breed each week and is very informative. But however you decide to do your research, be sure you are aware of the training issues involved before you decide to purchase or adopt a dog. Being informed will save you lots of trouble later on and will prevent a heartbreaking return to the shelter or breeder because Fido keeps bringing dead birds into the house (he’s a retriever!!!)

As always, Cleary’s Notebook encourages commentary so if you have questions please ask. Next week’s topic will be how to get your dog to properly greet houseguests.

Feel free to call me at 856-349-2508 or email me at [email protected] if you have questions about your dog. There is never a fee for a phone or email consultation!

Wado, udohiyu, (thank you very much, in the Cherokee language)

Dawn Watson

Brother of the Wolf , LLC

700 Market St

Gloucester City, NJ 08030

We offer Natural Training for Exceptional Dogs