Does too much obedience = no personality?

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matthew

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I was just wondering what thoughts are on this.
My friends dad is big in too what ever the eqivelent of 'natural horsemanship' is on dogs.
He thinks that i let my dog get away with thinking she is pack leader?? -my dog is not naughty, doesnt run away, destroy the house, jump up etc etc etc-
I actually enjoy having a dog that is fun and playful and i dont insist on her following me around like a sheep!
Do you thinking that too much obedience looses a dogs personality?
(we are talking seriously obedient here - not just being well behaved!)
 
Owning a Beastie like I have means you don't know what obedient is!
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I think you can have a dog that is playful and fun and still be obedient. My dog will leap and run and play rough games but if you suddenly tell her in the middle of her excitement to sit and be calm she will.
 
Dogs don't follow you round like a sheep, unless they are insecure (so don't want you out of sight) or are being worked to heel (obvioiusly).

I don't think obedience = no personality, but you might not see it if you only see them when they are working as will be shown more when they are relaxing.
 
These are not working dog- only pets! so they only relax
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I just wonder why a pet dog needs to heel all the time and be taught to be constantly waiting for another order/instruction (obviously for working dogs this is essential!)
 
I have no idea!!! Obviously you what them obentient enough so they are pleasant to live with i.e. so you can stop the jumping all over visitor, running out the front door when you open it etc... Also enough control o/s to keep the safe. We have two working Labs and a working ESS who are all just pets when at home (but that doesn't mean the aren't told to stop if getting too excited, especially the ESS). I also have a JRT who isn't trained to do anything, but is obedient enough to come out hacking with me, heels, waits, comes when called. He is probably the least obedient when it comes to not jumping up at people (probably because he is allowed to jump into my arms for a cuddle, and is sooo cute he gets away with a lot more than the other!!!
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Well Tina (who is working trained) would always follow me around the house. The pup is that nosey she gets up to see what all the fuss is! She isn't always waiting for instruction or told to come with me, she just does. She also likes to sit on my knee which isn't so good as she's a big girly!
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Constantly being made to be obedient round the house etc is way over the top imo. Some of the top obedience dogs are total nutters when they are not working, they certainly know how to have fun. However I do agree that your dog should see you as pack leader, generally they are happier if this is the case.
 
Yes, i do agree with the pack leader thing in a way!
I suppose pippa is just quite an easy dog so i have not had to try to hard with her as she doesnt leap all over people etc!
One thing he did say though is that when returning from a walk the dog should enter the house after you do- i just let pip of the lead and she runs in!
I am not sure why she should have to wait really-its not as if she usually tries to knock anyone over- she is usually exausted after a walk to be honest!
 
As you are pack leader, you should go through first.
Pippa should be made to wait until you are through the door until she is allowed to go through.

It's like feeding, you should always eat first before the dog is fed.
 
I always make mine wait while I go through doors and gates first. Can't say the same for the kittens though, little b's are always diving through and tripping me up.
 
Well, she doesnt go to her bowl when you put her food down- she waits until later on at night -and she is made to sit in her bed when we eat (she does that without being asked)
But we live in the country so all her walks are done of the lead in fields etc so she will just go to the side of the house and wait for me at the door!
I must be a bad owner- oops!
 
Don't be silly, you're not a bad owner! Bet your wee one is lovely
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TBH I tend to walk mine off the leads and they get to the door before me, but they still know I'm their pack leader. Also sometimes you just can't be bothered trying to shift 2 labs out of the way
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From a Boston Terrier breed profile:

"The Boston terrier can be very lovable, yet it can also be very independent. It can be stubborn, but it is a clever and quick learner. This breed is very sensitive to tone of voice. It likes to learn and is not difficult to train."

In other words, they are ridiculously smart dogs, but they aren't all biddable and easy like, say, Labs. Stella will often figure out how not to do things.

Last week, at agility, the dogs were introduced to the see-saw. Because it can be a scary piece of equipment, the trainer put sausage along the walkway. Stella was oblivious to all the banging and wolfed down her snack.

We then proceeded to doing a course, did a couple of jumps, and she stops dead still and stares me in the eye. Then she turns on a sixpence and legs it to the other side of the room, does the see saw to get her sausage and comes back, thus fufilling the "very independent" and "stubborn" part of the breed criteria
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obedience doesn't = no personality. But anyway, he's your dog and if you are happy with him then thats great. Tell your friends dad to concentrate on his own and let you worry about your dog
 
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Constantly being made to be obedient round the house etc is way over the top imo. Some of the top obedience dogs are total nutters when they are not working, they certainly know how to have fun. However I do agree that your dog should see you as pack leader, generally they are happier if this is the case.

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Ditto
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GSD bitch did very well in obedience shows(sadly not high level due to school and lack of funds).She had a "work time" collar and a day to day one,was like a completly different dog when the "work" collar was on...almost passed for sane
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Short answer,well dogs need to be dogs,but they also have to respect the rules same as any animal(and us for that matter).
 
i dont think that too much obedience means that the dog has no personality. my dog is really obedient and will do anything you ask of her and anybody who meets her instantly likes her as so is so much of a character. she knows how to get want she wants which is usually to get you to throw a toy for her however if you really want to be left alone then she knows the difference
 
Your dog should always be respectfull of you and know it's boundaries.....esp in situations when u need them to be calm and well mannered.....but they should also have play time....my dogs are all large breed rescues...so from bad backgrounds with previous problems...they are very well mannered and obedient, this is what I have enstalled in to them enjoy a better life than previous...but they aslo act like loonies...when I encourage it
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My mam worked her dogs in obedience to a high level...but they where like any other dog once they left the ring, but well behaved with it
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I think you can take it too far. I wouldnt for a moment suggest would apply to you but a local dog owner has a dog that is just like a robot. The man is such a dominant type (control freak!) the dog isnt allowed to put a foot out of place. If he tries to look at another dog or do anything other than walk looking straight ahead he gets hit. If he stops for a wee he gets hit. He is a very sad dog no mind of his own at all. It is a scandal as is a very intelligent type of dog that needs to exercise his mind. However the owner obviously feels the need to have power over something.
 
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