Most breeders advertise that they are promoting good temperament. But what does this really mean? Everyone wants it, promotes it, advertises it, but can they define what they mean.
Temperament means something just a little different to everyone. Because everyone has a slightly different idea, I recommend that when we talk about temperament, we need to specifically describe the qualities we are referring to in this term.
Good temperament to me means a dog who is alert, and confident, playful, eager to please, intelligent, even intuitive. Shep, for example, seems to know who he can rough-house with (my daughter) and who he can't (Grandmother).
"Bad temperament" is the opposite -- fearful, distracted, overly aggressive, not bright, not safe.
Fortunately I've had very little experience with bad temperament dogs. I think you can mistreat any dog and make it fearful and bitey, but it seems that if you get a dog with good breeding and you socialize him/her and treat them appropriately, the good breeding just comes through.
For any given situation or stimulus, there is a range of reactions that any dog may have. A dog with bad temperament shows reactions that are more extreme because it reacts to the situation or stimulus with emotions & instincts, rather than using its brain which might otherwise temper the resulting behavior.
At least I think that fear is an emotion, and I do believe that dogs have that. I also think that a happy dog with it's tail wagging is also expression some emotion. I do recognize that emotions & instincts are very closely related in animals, but I think it's fair to assume that they have both.
One way or the other, my definition wasn't implying that emotions are more (or less) significant than instincts.
In response to the question about how much is genetic vs. how much is socialization, I think the only safe answer is, "A dogs response to a situation or stimulus may be affected by either genetics or socialization, but genetics plays a far stronger role than it does in humans.
Since humans have much stronger powers of reason & logic, and we have language that we use for schooling, humans can hide their genetics better than any other species."
How's that? It doesn't give any absolute percentage, which is why I said it was a 'safe answer.' "
"Good Temperament:
is born of natural confidence, the strength to overcome fear (note: not the absence of fear!) and a very strong desire to please the alpha and preserve the pack. A dog with good temperament to me is one who is able to perceive a threat with discrimination and intelligence and looks to his master for guidance yet is capable of independent thought where necessary; is socially confident with other dogs; is reliably tolerant of unpredictability.
Bad Temperament:
is often born of overwhelming fear, mistrust and insecurity producing a low threshold for defense / avoidance. Sometimes it is born of raw highly strung nerves, desire for the alpha position, fearlessness and absence of sociability producing a low threshold for fight. To me, bad temperament is shown in a dog who is unable to discriminate in his perception of a threat, is unable to tolerate unpredictability, can not be taught how to socially interact with other dogs, is unable to bond with his master (through his own temperament fault or the master's!) and feels the only way to keep "threats" away from him is to bark and snap.
Weak nerves (is that the same as bad temperament?) are shown in a dog who cowers behind his masters legs on his belly with ears back, or one who hackles up, peels his lips back over his teeth, ears back and snarls / barks at the side of his master.
- the causes of good/bad temperament (genetic and environment)
- the importance of imprinting from good / bad / no mother
- the effect of social development and early weeks imprinting
- what further effects can be had with good / bad training.
In my opinion dogs like people have certain genetic emotional responses that are shaped to varying degrees from birth to death.
That may be why many people talk about training being a factor in temperament.
When I think of temperament in dogs I usually am thinking of dogs that have not been unduly influenced by their surroundings. You could take a dog with basically good temperament and abuse it enough to make it nervous and aggressive. You could improve a nervous dog with some confidence training. In both cases a reversal of those conditions could tend to bring back the genetic traits or temperament.
1. Good temperament is a calm and clear headed emotional response to most conditions that are not at the fight or flight level.
2. Bad temperament is a nervous, frightened or aggressive emotional response to the same conditions that would not normally be at the fight or flight level.
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Lane's House Of Shepherds
Large German Shepherds Intelligent, Noble,
Dignified, Sensitive, Loyal. Sound in mind and body.
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