Let's Debunk Dog Breed Stereotypes

Well, I didn't expect to be saying this this morning. But I experienced an example to drive my point home of yesterday.

Any dog of any size can be dangerous. It has nothing to do with a stereotype of a dog breed.

I experienced the "pack attack" (one in front, one behind) and stopped it due to my experience - but otherwise, it would not have been pleasant. Shortly after that, the dogs saw that I was not intimidated by the approach and they were fine with me.

Again, guys, this was not a Rottweiler, German Shepherd, Pit Bull, or Doberman Pinscher. These were Dachshunds.

Once more, let's stop the stereotypes.

Thank you.

P.S. Not many Dachshunds are like this.

Truth About Mixed Dog Breeds

It's a hot topic today. We hear: "Mixed dog breeds don't have all the years of inbreeding, so they don't have all the health problems that purebred dogs do."

What about: "Labradoodles don't have ear problems. Labradoodles don't shed."

Truth is, Labradoodles often have worse ear problems than Labrador Retrievers, and they surely do shed, quite unlike the Standard Poodle!

"Mixed breeds are just as easy to train as Purebreds, and the mix doesn't matter," you say?

Truth is, yes the mix DOES matter. It's extremely hard to train a dog with a double-track mind ... say a Lab-Husky mix. One side wants to be with his owners, and the other side wants to run all the time.

Golden Retrievers and Labs make a compatible cross and great pets. They have consistent mind sets.... But the crossing of totally incompatible breeds certainly causes some dogs to go crazy! Literally.

Don't do away with mixed breeds, nor fail to love on some of our precious pets from shelters. (Remember everybody, I have a rescue dog now, had others in the past, and will continue to have them.)

Do away with intentionally throwing everything together and leaving it, saying there's nothing wrong with it... or even giving it a cutesy name and promoting it.

That's a lie that is giving dogs a bad name. As a result, more innocent dogs that might possibly have found good homes are put to sleep ... simply because of similarities with ones that went crazy.

Let us take responsibility for our actions and use some wisdom in them.

What Was Your Dog Bred To Do?

If you are considering getting a dog, and your heart is set on a certain Dog Breed simply because it is pretty, think again. You need to sit back and look at a few things to really consider if this dog is going to do well with your lifestyle.

Research the dog breed and see what it was born to do. If you cannot find something to match that dog instinctive behavior, then you are likely to have a dog whose instincts spiral out of control.

For example, the Bernese Mountain Dog was known in the 1930's as "the poor man's horse." They pulled carts.

Come on, now...It's not like 1930's carts are everywhere now. You have got to be kidding. Just use some common sense and make your own cart. Use a dolly or child's wagon, then put some bricks on it, wood or cement blocks ... nice, heavy things that will avoid as much creeking as possible.

The dog spooks at the sound of the cart once it is on the pavement? Do not try to reassure him with affection. Just keep him moving forward. Otherwise, he will be afraid to let you put the harness on for the cart again.

I also had a client who had two Labrador Retrievers and some sheep. She was going to spend money for field training. Since she was not planning to hunt the dogs, I told her not to waste her money and, instead, to use what she had. We took twenty minutes or so teaching the dogs to herd the sheep. That worked.

Most dog breeds have more than one thing for which they were bred. Pick the option that best suits your lifestyle, or try to find a good imitation of it. Do some good, old fashioned thinking!