How many people here think that the most important thing in dog is...
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I think, as a pet dog, the most important thing is it's temperment towards the family. I would never own a dog if it was aggressive towards me, however, if it doesn't like guests that's fine.
Simba (Pit/Shepherd) does not like every person who comes into my home, which is fine with me as long as he likes me!
Simba (Pit/Shepherd) does not like every person who comes into my home, which is fine with me as long as he likes me!
I think it depends on the dog. For our pug, sweetness is his main asset so anything else would not be desireable. Who wants a mean ugly dog. A sweet ugly dog is much better! 
For our GSD, while we enjoy his "sweetness" towards our family, when he matures, I want him to have the protective traits that are inherent to his breed.
For our GSD, while we enjoy his "sweetness" towards our family, when he matures, I want him to have the protective traits that are inherent to his breed.
I know what you meant and I was stating that is the only "sweetness" that matters to me is towards our family.
However, I really do enjoy the fact that my girls are sociable and I am capable of bringing them to events, dog beaches, dog parks, etc. Except Simba has to stay home and miss out on all the fun.
However, I really do enjoy the fact that my girls are sociable and I am capable of bringing them to events, dog beaches, dog parks, etc. Except Simba has to stay home and miss out on all the fun.
i kinda like my friend Kelly's dog Fergi, she is a sharpeii mix .i would deffinately not call her sweet..cranky towards others, deffinately a girl of her own space. Still i love her for it. I had a siamese cat growing up that was queen supreme and would off with your head if she didn't like what you were doing..i am lucky my father didn't take her "to the woods with a hammer" for the number of times she filleted (is that word ?) me as a child, i admired her for regalness..all the same.
?) me as a child, i admired her for regalness..all the same.Sweet is important to me right now because of the environment I'm in. I live in a townhouse in the suburbs and have a small yard. Out of necessity, I must take Zeus to parks, Petco, crowded places, walking trails, etc., to be sure he gets exercise. And with my close neighbors and frequent joggers passing by, an overly protective or loud dog is not a good thing.
But when we buy our country house and land sometime next year, I do not want a sweet dog. I want a dog with good guarding instinct and a strong sense of "duty". Hence, we're probably getting a fila.
But when we buy our country house and land sometime next year, I do not want a sweet dog. I want a dog with good guarding instinct and a strong sense of "duty". Hence, we're probably getting a fila.
I like an even tempered and socialable dog.
We include our dogs in lots of activities and camping. If they were people/animal aggressive they would miss out.
Like My yellow lab - is very picky about other dogs, and if she doesn't like them (usually other females) then she gives no warning just jumps and grabs the dogs throat - as to kill. Very good with all people though.
Anyway she misses out on most all of our fun together.
I can even trust our Shepherd around other dogs and people. And she is a certified patrol dog.......just smart enough to know about situations and loves kids.
We include our dogs in lots of activities and camping. If they were people/animal aggressive they would miss out.
Like My yellow lab - is very picky about other dogs, and if she doesn't like them (usually other females) then she gives no warning just jumps and grabs the dogs throat - as to kill. Very good with all people though.
Anyway she misses out on most all of our fun together.
I can even trust our Shepherd around other dogs and people. And she is a certified patrol dog.......just smart enough to know about situations and loves kids.
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I prefer sweetness over aggression, DEFINITELY. My lab is extremely gentle and sweet...and I LOVE that about her. She is great with kids - I can take her places and kids can run up and pull at her fur and hug her and she'll tolerate it. She is very good at sensing things about people, so at times there are definitely people she decides there's something weird about and I know then that they aren't safe.
I do love how my terrier mix and BC mix are wary of strangers (it takes the terrier a while to warm up to people and some people she just doesn't like, period), but I definitely love their sweetness too. My border collie is aggressive towards other dogs, and I don't think that somehow makes her a "bad dog". She loves humans and is well-trained. We working on her dog aggression and she's getting much better.
I do love how my terrier mix and BC mix are wary of strangers (it takes the terrier a while to warm up to people and some people she just doesn't like, period), but I definitely love their sweetness too. My border collie is aggressive towards other dogs, and I don't think that somehow makes her a "bad dog". She loves humans and is well-trained. We working on her dog aggression and she's getting much better.
My dogs do not have to be sweet with everyone, but they have to be polite. My guys are sweet only with me, my family and a few close friends.
They are friendly with strangers, but they do not trust them or respect them... Which is one of the reasons my Border Collie tends to be extremely exuberant, pushy and rude with them. (they can't/won't stop him.)
In my breed, sweetness is preferred 100% over aggression. The last thing a shepherd needs is an aggressive Border Collie.
They are friendly with strangers, but they do not trust them or respect them... Which is one of the reasons my Border Collie tends to be extremely exuberant, pushy and rude with them. (they can't/won't stop him.)
In my breed, sweetness is preferred 100% over aggression. The last thing a shepherd needs is an aggressive Border Collie.
RD said:
In my breed, sweetness is preferred 100% over aggression. The last thing a shepherd needs is an aggressive Border Collie.
Thats what my dogs were bred for.Its funny, they always describe BC's, GSD's, etc herding the cows and CO laying on a hill always vigilant ready to kill anything that comes close to his flock. They were there to protect the herders
Do the Caucasians actually herd, or are they strictly LGDs? I know some guardians such as the Fila Brasileiro are pretty good herders as well. CO's are a neat breed, I think I actually saw one at a show this morning but didn't get a chance to ask the owner if she was. The dog was actually much larger (taller) than I expected.
I think it really depends on what you want the dog for. Casey is a sweet dog when it comes to people and thats how I need her to be. With my mums job we have different people coming to out house to drop their kids of and as a result we need Casey to be friendly with people.
I also prefer her to be friendly towards other dogs and most of the time she is. The only few problems I've had is when larger, very dominant dogs try to push her around and act aggressively towards her and she doesn't take it. This I don't mind to an extent, if the dog attacks her and acts aggressively I don't mind her acting in an un-friendly manner if she needs to protect herself. The only problem is the 2 dogs that have acted aggressively towards her have been an Alsation and an Akita, Casey being a dominant confident dog decided that she could take them .
I also prefer her to be friendly towards other dogs and most of the time she is. The only few problems I've had is when larger, very dominant dogs try to push her around and act aggressively towards her and she doesn't take it. This I don't mind to an extent, if the dog attacks her and acts aggressively I don't mind her acting in an un-friendly manner if she needs to protect herself. The only problem is the 2 dogs that have acted aggressively towards her have been an Alsation and an Akita, Casey being a dominant confident dog decided that she could take them
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"Sweet" is open to some interpretation, of course.
I socialize all of my dogs extensively. I want them to be sound and stable around other people and other dogs. Aggression is not tolerated unless the situation warrants it (as in if someone broke into my home or attacked me or one of the dogs). If I take my dogs somewhere (obedience trial, nursing home, training class, camping, etc.) I want to feel comfortable with the knowledge that they won't do something stupid.
Dogs that are unfriendly or aggressive towards strangers and/or other dogs are poor ambassadors for their breed. It's those types of dogs that end up encouraging breed specific legislation. While being aloof or not outgoing is not a problem, dogs that can't be handled or are actively aggressive are a problem for everyone.
Having German shepherds and chows means that I must always be proactive to keep them socialized and a viable part of society so that no one can point to my dogs and say "there! that's why we should ban that breed!".
Melanie and the gang in Alaska
I socialize all of my dogs extensively. I want them to be sound and stable around other people and other dogs. Aggression is not tolerated unless the situation warrants it (as in if someone broke into my home or attacked me or one of the dogs). If I take my dogs somewhere (obedience trial, nursing home, training class, camping, etc.) I want to feel comfortable with the knowledge that they won't do something stupid.
Dogs that are unfriendly or aggressive towards strangers and/or other dogs are poor ambassadors for their breed. It's those types of dogs that end up encouraging breed specific legislation. While being aloof or not outgoing is not a problem, dogs that can't be handled or are actively aggressive are a problem for everyone.
Having German shepherds and chows means that I must always be proactive to keep them socialized and a viable part of society so that no one can point to my dogs and say "there! that's why we should ban that breed!".
Melanie and the gang in Alaska
