Owner personality and dog temperament

[Quoth]

I've often wondered about the relationship between owner personality and the dogs/breeds with which they get on best. Obviously practical considerations like accommodation, energy levels etc are important but it strikes me that once those needs are satisfied the interaction between the personality of the owner and the temperament of the breed is the x-factor in determining how fulfilling a partnership is. Something in the vain of 'You don't get the dog you want, you get the dog you need".

There is a little written on the subject, Stanley Coren's 'Why We Love the Dogs We Do' being an notable example.

I guess this is an open ended post to see what everyone else feels about the subject. What kind of dogs they work best with and what kind of person dogs of their breed work best with. Whether dogs similar or opposing in temperament to the owner work better and so on....

 

[{97702}]

I think person/dog breed match is really important, and for me I would say similar temperaments are best? I’m naturally lazy so my greyhounds laid back nature and easy going approach to life suits me perfectly!

I’ve often posted about my struggles with my hyperactive lurcher, who looks the same but is miles apart in terms of temperament - she is too clever for her own good, sharp as anything and very challenging to live with. I’m never ever having another lurcher again having experienced her, although my previous 2 were both wonderful.

I’m not quite sure what I make of the terriers yet.... but I love them so I suppose they must suit me as well in some way ?

 

[misst]

I am definitely a bit a of a terrier - gobby and opinionated and independent - but I love a cuddle just like my dogs.

 

[Karran]

Deffo a bit of a spaniel. Love to be on the go and outside but also a bit clumsy and fond of sofa cuddles!

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

Small, likes all snacks and sleeping. Yep sounds like me!

 

[splashgirl45]

i love lurchers but my last one was very challenging, she was very special to me and i wonder if that goes with being a bit of a naughty girl...i like a dog who has spirit and find my border collie too obedient although i love her ,she will never be no 1 as i am always drawn to the naughty ones. my terrier is the type i like, very loving and mostly obedient but very cheeky as well

 

[Bellasophia]

I think your argument is valid if people keep buying the same breed,over and over,as they are obviously well suited re the aesthetics ,energy levels and general temperament.
I’ve had a dog in my life from the age of twelve,but changed the breed each time, when it was time to replace on their passing.For me my choice was lifestyle based,getting a dog that would fit in with my work ,where I lived ( space available to exercise ) and my fitness levels.
In my life I’ve had the pleasure to share with a corgi,an Australian silkyterrier,two chihuahuas,a papillon,A Rottweiler,a doguede Bordeaux,three standard poodles and a schnauzer.
my next dog will probably be another schnauzer as we live in theItalian countryside and they fit perfectly Into the lifestyle here.I do agree the schnauzer character is very me.

 

[Bellasophia]

Footnote,,my dog borrows my hat when she gets in the car after a wet walk,,she likes the heat until we get home..lol please don’t call the fashion police.

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

I prefer easy, cwtchy obedient dogs=Bear. He blatantly prefers me and is extremely bonded to me. Yet, I like intelligent naughty ones too=Zak. He’s very affectionate but only on his terms. Looking at the horse, he is also very bonded, the only horse on the yard that comes to call, wouldn’t be caught by anyone but me for ages. So I suppose springers are well named ‘velcro dogs’. I like the energy of them, although I’m not at all energetic currently, but I used to be.

This picture typifies ‘my’ dogs, Brig was mine, Bear is mine. Both alert and looking at the camera/me, waiting to be told what to do. Zak, however, couldn’t give a damn, wouldn’t sit, didn’t want to pose for me.

I can’t imagine swapping breeds, although I have a list of fantasy breeds.

 

[FinnBobs]

I’m sensitive, quiet and introverted and I like nice walks in the country which is just like my Rough collies

 

[CorvusCorax]

Working line GSD....drive, self-confidence, and ability to handle stress

I like fizzy dogs and I make dogs fizzy. I must have the canine equivalent of an electric arse ?

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Growing up we had terriers and the RS I worked at had terriers. I couldn't imagine having anything else. Married a farmer's son and discovered collies. Apart from the dogs FIL had we have now had 5 of our own from pups and I really don't want anything else. I like the brain and the way they work with you. Not for everyone but suits me.

 

[Bellasophia]

Cinnamon toast...my eye is drawn to zak’ s back...he has a heart AND an arrow in his markings..Very cool.

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Cinnamon toast...my eye is drawn to zak’ s back...he has a heart AND an arrow in his markings..Very cool.

Heart, yes, arrow, no, it’s just the way he’s lying. Naughtily.

 

[millikins]

I'm on my 3rd Rottie X. She's gloriously average, nice looking (not really beautiful), biddable, kind, bit obsessive as there's a lot of GSD there too and suits me to a tee. I like full Rotties but they're a bit heavy set to come out riding with me.

 

[MrsMozartleto]

I've never had the same breed twice. Been incredibly lucky in the whole with what I've had and couldn't ever imagine the next one being the same.

Not sure what my current lot would show... The Rotties have distinctly different personalities, though both love cuddles and attention and will pretty much do as they're told. The GSD is nervous and likes routine and attention and to be in her spot, but she didn't have the best start in life so we go with the flow as much as possible. The JRTx is proving interesting - clever, opinionated, fiercely protective of here and us, nervous, lacking in manners and basic good behaviours - but another with not the best start in life so we're working through it, it'll be interesting to see what she's like in a year or so's time.

I don't think I'd like a breed that wasn't trainable to some reasonable degree - I like to have them off lead as much as possible and I expect them to come back when called, sit and lie down as required, stay, etc., though we're a bit raggedy and certainly not contenders for the obedience class ??

ETA: I like dogs that will chill and not want to be on the go all the time. I think the hairy gang is pretty good on that point. The JRT is a bit more up and at 'em, but she does like a snooze and a cuddle. They all like a good long walk, but won't be bonkers if they don't get one or it's short.

 

[fankino04]

I'm a bit like Lev, I like a dog I can just chill with, which all 3 of my malamutes have been. I don't want an over energised dog that wants to bounce all the time when I am just nodding off for a nap. That said I do like a bit more enthusiasm when we go out which both tehya and ashkii had. I walk the loveliest, friendliest lab for a client and I adore her but wouldn't want to live with her lol she's just too needy. I guess I like chilled, independent dogs who like to be close to you but not on top of you.

 

[Ranyhyn]

I dont know, I love my terriers. I love their get up and go, their head strong personalities, their game and total inability to be cowed.

My german shepherd however I love how biddable he is, his focus on me, his quiet confidence and self assurance.

I think I am a rare type in the sense that I can appreciate the traits of all breeds and therein is the secret, identifying the traits that suit you in a particular breed or adapting your behaviour to suit. No sense trying to get the dog to adapt

 

[EventingMum]

As a child I had a lab who wonderful and energetic, ideal for an only child to play with. Next was a mongrel who definitely had collie in him, he was a stray, rehomed to us and became my gran's self-trained guide dog, a truly amazing dog.

Next, after getting married we got our first JRT, OH's family always had terriers, he was an opinionated character but amazing in his own way and was the self-appointed guardian of my son when he was young which was lovely.

We then got a mongrel who was definitely part spaniel, his only aim in life was to please me and be told he was a good boy, I cannot remember him ever putting a foot out of line.

Next was the most laid back JRT ever, rarely barked, loved everyone, a total sweetheart. Then came a JRT who came to us as his third home excluding the breeder in 4 months, he was quite needy and very attached to me.

Then came current black and tan terrier who's very independent and does things on his terms but is totally besotted with Mr EM and tolerates everyone else. Finally is the current JRT, he's quite nervy and very protective of us and very much my dog. I suspect with him his first weeks with us weren't ideal. We picked him up and planned for me to be around all the time for him, sadly two days later I was hospitalised with meningitis for some time so he ended up crated more than was ideal during that time, something I feel guilty about. He's hugely affectionate with the family but wary of other people despite our best efforts to socialise him.

I think all of our dogs have been different, no two have the same temperament or character but all have been loved dearly and been very much part of the family!

 

[oldie48]

We're on our third border terrier so we must like them. I think they are very easy adaptable dogs, trainable but not a pushover, energetic but not wired, sociable but sufficiently independent to slope off quietly on their own, love the sun but not the rain, like being outdoors but happy enough to settle by the aga, with a mind of their own but really wants everyone to agree with them, sensitive but not touchy, bark is definitely worse than their bite. A bit like me, I suppose. Oh and they don't know they are small.

 

[Carlosmum]

I have a lurcher, spends most of her time doing nothing, occasional spurts of energy only to crash again after and liable to disappear for several hours without telling anyone she's going

 

[Quoth]

Thanks for your responses everyone.

My personal experience has been that there is something of a play-off. I find sharp, highly strung dogs easiest mostly because I find it easier to empathise with them. Belgians, BCs and so forth a get on very well with. My crazy matches their crazy, but there are times when I think that perhaps some of my foibles, a tendency to be spikey and clannish, for example, can play into their more problematic behaviours and vice versa.

I grew up with working gundogs, spaniels mostly, and while I adore them I found myself not ideally suited to them. I have quite an authoritarian energy as a handler, if that makes any sense and often struggled to tone myself down. It's taken the death of one of my other dogs to come to terms with just how submissive and needmy little welshie actually is. Lovely as she is I do not read her well.

The loss of Erin has made me seriously reconsider what it is I'm looking for in a dog and question whether something more relaxed might be a better fit than my usual formula of high drive, high trainability and highly strung.

 

[Bellasophia]

Quoth. You’ve got a schnauzer in your avatar...with your description of yourself I would think a giant schnauzer would be perfect for you..they are easier to train than the medium , but need a strong leader to have their respect.Depending on your goals you would do well to research lines..the German and Russian dogs are true working lines.

 

[CorvusCorax]

My crazy definitely matches my older dog's crazy ? must steal that!

 

[MrsMozartleto]

I get the authoritarian trainer bit, but you can change if you need to. I had to for one of the Rotties. He gets worried and then his wee intelligent loving little brain implodes. I've had to become gentler and smoother and give more time for him to work some things out. His default when confused or worried is to sit down and stare at me. It's not a confrontational stare, it's a confused / worried one, so I've learnt to recognise it and adjust myself accordingly. He does get told off, but all he needs and gets now is a short sharp voice and he's sorry and on we go.

I don't have experience of them, and may well be talking out of my hat, but what about a standard poodle? I've heard they're pretty trainable whilst still having some independent thought. I bet that people with far more knowledge and suggestions will be along shortly ?

 

[Lots of Gift Bags]

I think you choose the breed and dog that suits your personality.

I love my border collie, she's intelligent and athletic and extremely beautiful, just like me ?? she's independent and not very cuddly although is very affectionate. Always on the go and ready to do something fun.

 

[meleeka]

I’m told that my JRT is just like me (by my OH!) The thing is she’s a bit of a princess so I don’t know what he means ?. She very much likes things her way. She’s confident and laid back most of the time, until something sparks her interest, and has a big personality. She’s got this stare she does when she wants something and funnily enough I’m the one that always knows what it is she wants. I do have a habit of taking on emotionally damaged dogs,‘but this one is just so easy and i love how brave she is. She’s not particularly cuddly which suits me but when she does get up for a snuggle I feel quite honoured. I wonder if my OH feels the same about me??