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Originally Posted by moondog  There are many who believe they can "change" a dog's genetic temperament. They can't - it is what it is, and that's why temperament testing is so important. Some undesirable behaviors are the result of poor or no training (similar to a kid who was never taught they were supposed to bathe or brush their teeth), but others are rooted much deeper and can possibly be managed by someone capable of it (a full time job, BTW), but let's not forget that people who truly understand dogs are fewer rather than greater in the dog owning population....AND....dogs have teeth and know how to use them.
That makes generosity of spirit when dealing with dogs of questionable temperament something that needs to be carefully considered lest innocent people become victims on down the line somewhere. |
You make an excellent point. And as much of a dog lover as I am, I would in no way claim to be an expert, so they would be my starting point when it comes to behavioural/psychological issues. But having said that, based on experiences with "experts"(and the fact remains that for most experts, the "subjects" are their jobs, not their lives, therefore they will sometimes provide advice that makes their lives easier) the fact remains that in order to make the difficult decision to give up (for lack of a better term) and throw in the towel, we absolutely need to remove emotion out of the equation and truly assess whether it in fact is genetic and unchangeable or just a result of poor environment.
To me, this is where it is difficult to accurately and objectively predict. And fundamentally it comes down to knowing oneself and understanding our limits without ignoring the limits of those who sorround us.