Chances are that you have heard this phrase thrown around a lot…
There is a belief that all dogs are a blank canvas and that dogs only develop behavioural issues because of something the owner is doing – this is so far from the truth in lots of cases.
For example, you see lots of comments on social media that breeds such as German Shepherds, Dobermans and Dutch Herders (and similar) should be used by the police or military when they find themselves in rehoming centres. Just because they are the correct breed ‘on paper’, it does not mean that they are all the same and suitable for working life – in fact, very few are. Which is why working dogs are carefully and selectively bred, to give the puppies the best traits and characteristics from the gene pool on offer.
If a litter was produced by a Sire & Dam that were both severely human aggressive, there is a big chance that their puppies will also share the same traits – it’s in their genetic makeup. Even if one of the most advanced handlers and trainers took on one of those puppies, they would be up against it in ensuring the puppy does not grow up to be human aggressive – as we cannot change genetics. There are also other factors to take into account, such as the environment, but for this post we are simply looking at genetics.
Next time you see a dog barking and lunging in the street, it is important to not automatically assume that the owner has done something terribly wrong. Obviously, these behaviours need to be addressed, but not all dogs are the same (even in the same breed) – genetics has a huge part to play!
