Do you dogs match the Breed Descriptions?

[JacksonsMom]

Do your dogs match most breed descriptions of them? How much do they differ, if at all? Or are they totally different than most breed descriptions?

Jackson matches a Silky *almost* to a tee (even though he's most likely a Yorkie -- sooo many people think he's a Silky and I tend to too).

Silky description.... bolded parts are exactly Jackson.

The Silky Terrier, or "Silky," is an energetic, curious, happy, busy, self-assured and loving dog who bonds every strongly with his owner and family. He loves attention and craves your companionship, and he wants to go everywhere and do everything with you. He is not a dog you can leave alone, either inside or outside the house. When bored or ignored he becomes mischievous, and especially loves to dig up your yard! He is a spunky, high-energy dog who is affectionate but doesn't necessarily like to cuddle or be fussed over. He prefers to romp and play with you, and loves ball games and chances to run and play outdoors. He has a great deal of stamina, and needs brisk, daily walks. When outside, he should always be leashed or in a safely fenced area, as he has very strong chase instincts and will run away after small animals. He can also be aggressive toward other dogs, and occasionally suspicious toward strangers. He makes an excellent watchdog because he is alert, suspicious, and intensely protective of his family and territory, and has a very keen sense of hearing. He will warn you with loud, high-pitched barks when he hears or sees something unusual. He can bark too much--in fact he loves to bark!--and must be trained not to do this. He will be barky and standoffish with strangers at first, then after a short while grow comfortable with them. He loves to go out into the world and makes a very good traveling companion. He is easy to train and a quick learner, although he may occasionally be obstinate, and doesn't always obey you. He can be difficult to housebreak. He needs firm and patient training with lots of love, praise and rewards. He is not good with small pets; he is much better at catching rodents than living with them! He can live with a cat if he is raised with it as a puppy. He gets along well with older, well-behaved children, but may not do well with those who are too young and rough with him. He basically doesn't shed, and so would be a good pet if you are a clean-freak.

The only thing he's NOT is aggressive with dogs and was pretty easy to housebreak.

My dad and stepmoms Dachshund is almost exactly a Dachshund description too.

The Dachshund is a bold, tenacious, devoted, loving and protective dog. He has lots of energy and can be an intense pet to live with, but he is also playful, fun, happy and outgoing. He loves to be part of everything and needs lots of attention and scratches from you. He bonds very closely to his owner and will follow you around, and can sometimes be jealous if your attention isn't on him. He's fairly sociable, but reserved and suspicious with strangers. He makes an excellent and dependable watchdog because he's a quick, relentless barker--and because his bark sounds like it's coming from a much larger dog! He's high-energy and needs a regular though moderate amount of daily exercise and play-time inside the house, or outdoors. He is not an outdoor dog, though, and shouldn't be left alone in a yard. If bored, he will dig or chew. He will chase small animals and so needs to be kept on a leash for walks. He is generally fine with other dogs, especially other dachshunds, but he should be socialized with cats while still a puppy. He is not good with younger children; he is better with older children who understand that he can snap or bite when excited. He can sometimes be possessive of people and toys. He can be mischievous: he likes to chase balls without bringing them back! He shouldn't be allowed to jump too much when he plays, or down from high furniture. He needs patience to train because he can be stubborn, and is sometimes only interested in learning what suits him. He is hard to housebreak. He can gain weight quickly, so you need to be careful not to overfeed him. He's a medium-shedder, and might not be a good pet if you are concerned about dog-hair in the house.

Credit: http://www.allsmalldogbreeds.com/

[Picklepaige]

Reecie (a lab) does not at all.

She doesn't like kids, she doesn't like strangers, she doesn't jump or dog or chew or be obnoxious like labs tend to do, she has never in her life retrieved anything, she doesn't play. She is a very aloof dog. She acts just like the neighbor's Shar Pei, to be honest.

And I have no idea what Maggie is, but she got all the good qualities of whatever went into her

[MicksMom]

Originally Posted by Picklepaige

Reecie (a lab) does not at all.

She doesn't like kids, she doesn't like strangers, she doesn't jump or dog or chew or be obnoxious like labs tend to do, she has never in her life retrieved anything, she doesn't play. She is a very aloof dog. She acts just like the neighbor's Shar Pei, to be honest...

Aa, but jumping, chewing and obnoxiousness isn't in the breed standard. That simply comes from either people not doing their homework before picking a breed and/or not the best breeding.

This isn't all of the breed standard, but the bolded parts pertain to Caleb.

General Appearance
The Labrador Retriever is a strongly built, medium-sized, short-coupled, dog possessing a sound, athletic, well-balanced conformation that enables it to function as a retrieving gun dog; the substance and soundness to hunt waterfowl or upland game for long hours under difficult conditions; the character and quality to win in the show ring; and the temperament to be a family companion. Physical features and mental characteristics should denote a dog bred to perform as an efficient Retriever of game with a stable temperament suitable for a variety of pursuits beyond the hunting environment.

The most distinguishing characteristics of the Labrador Retriever are its short, dense, weather resistant coat; an "otter" tail; a clean-cut head with broad back skull and moderate stop; powerful jaws; and its "kind," friendly eyes, expressing character, intelligence and good temperament.
Above all, a Labrador Retriever must be well balanced, enabling it to move in the show ring or work in the field with little or no effort. The typical Labrador possesses style and quality without over refinement, and substance without lumber or cloddiness. The Labrador is bred primarily as a working gun dog; structure and soundness are of great importance.

Size, Proportion and Substance
Size--The height at the withers for a dog is 22½ to 24½ inches; (Caleb is 23 1/2 inches) for a bitch is 21½ to 23½ inches. Any variance greater than ½ inch above or below these heights is a disqualification. Approximate weight of dogs and bitches in working condition: dogs 65 to 80 pounds (Caleb weighed in at 70 pounds in November; bitches 55 to 70 pounds.

The minimum height ranges set forth in the paragraph above shall not apply to dogs or bitches under twelve months of age.

Proportion--Short-coupled; length from the point of the shoulder to the point of the rump is equal to or slightly longer than the distance from the withers to the ground. Distance from the elbow to the ground should be equal to one half of the height at the withers. The brisket should extend to the elbows, but not perceptibly deeper. The body must be of sufficient length to permit a straight, free and efficient stride; but the dog should never appear low and long or tall and leggy in outline. Substance--Substance and bone proportionate to the overall dog. Light, "weedy" individuals are definitely incorrect; equally objectionable are cloddy lumbering specimens. Labrador Retrievers shall be shown in working condition well-muscled and without excess fat.

Head
Skull--The skull should be wide; well developed but without exaggeration. The skull and foreface should be on parallel planes and of approximately equal length. There should be a moderate stop--the brow slightly pronounced so that the skull is not absolutely in a straight line with the nose. The brow ridges aid in defining the stop. The head should be clean-cut and free from fleshy cheeks; the bony structure of the skull chiseled beneath the eye with no prominence in the cheek. The skull may show some median line; the occipital bone is not conspicuous in mature dogs. Lips should not be squared off or pendulous, but fall away in a curve toward the throat. A wedge-shape head, or a head long and narrow in muzzle and back skull is incorrect as are massive, cheeky heads. The jaws are powerful and free from snippiness-- the muzzle neither long and narrow nor short and stubby. Nose-- The nose should be wide and the nostrils well-developed. The nose should be black on black or yellow dogs, and brown on chocolates. Nose color fading to a lighter shade is not a fault. A thoroughly pink nose or one lacking in any pigment is a disqualification. Teeth--The teeth should be strong and regular with a scissors bite; the lower teeth just behind, but touching the inner side of the upper incisors. A level bite is acceptable, but not desirable. Undershot, overshot, or misaligned teeth are serious faults. Full dentition is preferred. Missing molars or pre-molars are serious faults. Ears-The ears should hang moderately close to the head, set rather far back, and somewhat low on the skull; slightly above eye level. Ears should not be large and heavy, but in proportion with the skull and reach to the inside of the eye when pulled forward. Eyes--Kind, friendly eyes imparting good temperament, intelligence and alertness are a hallmark of the breed. They should be of medium size, set well apart, and neither protruding nor deep set. Eye color should be brown in black and yellow Labradors, and brown or hazel in chocolates. Black, or yellow eyes give a harsh expression and are undesirable. Small eyes, set close together or round prominent eyes are not typical of the breed. Eye rims are black in black and yellow Labradors; and brown in chocolates. Eye rims without pigmentation is a disqualification....

Color
The Labrador Retriever coat colors are black, yellow and chocolate. Any other color or a combination of colors is a disqualification. A small white spot on the chest is permissible, but not desirable. White hairs from aging or scarring are not to be misinterpreted as brindling. Black--Blacks are all black. A black with brindle markings or a black with tan markings is a disqualification. Yellow--Yellows may range in color from fox-red to light cream, with variations in shading on the ears, back, and underparts of the dog. Chocolate--Chocolates can vary in shade from light to dark chocolate. Chocolate with brindle or tan markings is a disqualification...

Temperament
True Labrador Retriever temperament is as much a hallmark of the breed as the "otter" tail. The ideal disposition is one of a kindly, outgoing, tractable nature; eager to please and non-aggressive towards man or animal. The Labrador has much that appeals to people; his gentle ways, intelligence and adaptability make him an ideal dog. Aggressiveness towards humans or other animals, or any evidence of shyness in an adult should be severely penalized.

[Pops2]

Olive the dane, yes plus good hunting drive
Sonic mostly

[Shai]

This reminds me of the time I was explaining to DH what conformation is (ie. adherence to the breed standard). We only had Kim at the time, and after mulling over my description he asked, "So, does Kim fit her breed standard?"

Hehe.

I cannot say if Mira fits every description of FCRs on the net, as I haven't read them all, but I do know some are contradictory so I'm guessing she does not. But going by the breed standard as laid down by the FCR Society of America -- yeah she falls within the breed standard.

Kim and Web? They wrote their own standards. So according to themselves they are the best examples in the world of their respective breeds

[kady05]

Not in the "may be DA" or "have high prey drive" categories. None of my dogs are even the slightest bit DA, and they all love small, furry animals. They really don't have "Terrier" personalities either, IMO anyway.

Everything else though, pretty much.

[MandyPug]

The Pug is a gentle, sensitive, happy, outgoing, playful, loyal and deeply loving dog. He wants to be near you, to sit at your feet, to sleep on the couch with you or follow you from room to room. He prefers human friendship to all other kinds of companionship, and is a sweet, affectionate and warm companion. Even though he has a good bark, he doesn't generally make a good watchdog because he is instantly welcoming and cheerful with visitors, and may not recognize a stranger or intruder. He is not a yappy dog, although he can be mischievous at times, and loves to clown and show off for people. He loves to be cuddled and petted, too, and needs a great deal of attention. He can become anxious or jealous if your attention is given to something other than him. He needs to be near people, and is not a dog who can be left alone or kenneled all day. He is very sensitive to cold and heat, and needs to be inside where the temperature can be controlled. He loves to lounge around the house and he sleeps a great deal, but he is not a truly lazy dog. He is rambunctious and always ready to play. He needs a walk every now and then. You should be careful not to exercise him too much or he will begin to wheeze. He gets along well with other pets. He has a special affection for children, and is gentle, patient and dependable with responsible young ones. He loves to eat! So you must be careful not to feed him too much, and help him get enough exercise, or else he will become fat. Because of his flat face, he wheezes, snores, snorts and sneezes. The wrinkles around his face need to be cleaned regularly. Even though he is eager to please you, he isn't easy to train, because he can be easily bored by repetitious exercises and because he is very sensitive to harsh tones and commands. He wants to understand you, but sometimes he can't, so you have to be gentle in your training methods with him. He can become stubborn and willful if you aren't careful. He is an extremely high shedder, and so would not be a good pet if you dislike dog hair and vacuuming frequently.

According to that site? She matches quite a bit. However most Pug folks interpret mischievous as pissing on the couch rather than clever plotting like i do.

[Dekka]

I find most breed profiles are like horoscopes so they match most dogs of even the most remotely related to the breed.


So yes all my dogs fit the general breed profile descriptions except they are not high energy around the house. Heck the whippets are rowdier than the jacks...

[thehoundgirl]

Buster does NOT. He is so lazy and has no drive at all except for food of course lol.

Dixie well I am I not sure about the schnauzer part of her..but they are terriers and she fits the description to a T actually. Except her prey drive isn't that intense and she is not aggressive with other animals. She is a lot of dog though! She LOVES every person like a true terrier should.

Rudy - not sure, he is just his own dog lol.

[Southpaw]

I'll just post the parts that Juno matches because it's a long description...

a Boxer is a very energetic and playful dog that needs a lot of exercise and stimulation to avoid nasty behaviors

You may notice that your Boxer is great with your kids, your neighbors, your Pompeian and your small puppy. Despite it’s tough body and face, Boxers are not aggressive dogs, but like all dogs need proper socialization. This dog is also very attached to its family, and therefore makes an excellent guard dog.

They have an uncanny ability to be goofy and make their humans laugh and enjoy their company. He will switch from this mode to sitting at attention with a very noble and loyal air to him that will make you wonder if this is even the same dog.

may even allow your toddler to pull on its ears without a complaint. These dogs have a magically talent of knowing just the right amount of roughness they can display while playing with people of all ages.

It also notes that boxers should not display shyness, however Juno is pretty freaking shy.