Working Breeds and Children

Working breed dogs are large dogs and are often very independent and difficult to manage.   Their role in history was often that of guardian and protector.   Some such as Akitas were bred to guard palaces, homes, and livestock and others such as the Rottweiler were bred to haul carts.  

Although it seems like a working breed dog should be a gentle giant or that they would be obedient around children, often they are not. Just because a dog is a good guardian does not mean he or she will be nice to kids or other animals.   There is also no guarantee they will be nice to guests.   They are hard wired to protect you and they can be selective about who they choose to protect.  

If you have children or if you like to entertain you need to think twice before letting a working breed dog into you home. Many of them are naturally wary of strangers, easily irritated and triggered to attack when they sense quick movements or staring. This is exactly the type of dog that you should avoid meeting eyes with if you don’t know him as staring triggers his predator instincts. Dog may also attack simply if it senses fear or a lack of confidence in a human or a creature as these are signals that he has encountered submissive prey.

 Unless you are committed to a professional and formal obedience program, working breeds are not suitable for first time dog owners. Also working breeds have thick undercoats and shed a great deal of hair. The hair is very coarse and sharp and these dogs shed a lot.  Of all of the working breeds, the Samoyed, Saint Bernard, Portuguese Water Dog, Newfoundland, and Siberian Husky have the most docile temperaments and therefore make the best family pets.  The most aggressive, dominant and territorial of working breeds are the Akita, Rottweiler, Boxer, Komondor, and Doberman. Working breeds that can be socialized, but with caution are the Alaskan Malamute, Bernese Mountain Dog, Bullmastiff, Giant Schnauzer, Great Dane, Great Pyrenees, Kuvasz;, Mastiff; and Standard Schnauzer. Keep in mind that schnauzers love to do battle with other dogs, and Akitas and Mals will hunt small game and cats. It is not a good idea to introduce an Akita or Mals into a house with cats.  

Beware of purchasing the immensely popular Rottweiler, a breed that is at once maligned and praised for its ability as a family guardian.   Over the years too many breeders have been producing too many poor-quality puppies that are being purchased by too many ignorant buyers. Dog must have stable personality to go with his loyalty. If you decide on a Rottweiler, be sure to buy from a reputable breeder.   Rotties also need a substantial amount of training or else not too many people will trust the two of you when they see you out for a walk.  Many working dogs are susceptible to degenerative joint disease, particularly hip dysplasia, and should only be purchased from breeders who clear their breeding stock of this genetic abnormality.  

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Aggressive Dogs Don’t Fix Themselves!

If you have an aggressive dog, the dog will not change. You need to do something.   Your dog is a walking time bomb.  

Most people respond to violent dogs by being abusive or violent themselves.   You should never let a dog change your character in that way. Although violent or harsh discipline may work for a while with a naturally dominant dog or an alpha dog, over time he may become even more aggressive. This is because his natural reaction is to fight back against threats. The dog will develop a hair-trigger violent response to stimuli that you can’t see coming until it is too late.  

If you have a dog that displays aggressive tendencies, toward you, your family or other animals, I urge you to immediately locate a trained behaviorist or dog trainer who is knowledgeable about aggressive dogs. An aggressive dog is not something that most people can handle with any degree of safety or confidence simply because the pet is very unpredictable.  

Second guessing an aggressive dog is futile.    When it comes to treating aggressive or irritable canine behavior, an animal behaviorist is preferred as they generally have a more experience and knowledge about the specifics of animal behavior. However there are some fantastic dog trainers out there as well who can assist with aggressive stuff as well.  

To find either a dog trainer or animal behaviorist, look first in your local yellow pages. You can also ask at the local humane society and phone veterinarian offices for local referrals to find these types of professionals in your area. Friends can also recommend a good behaviorist if they were once in the same pickle as you.  

Before you commit to hiring the behaviorist, try to find out what kind of behavioral training the professional trainer or animal behaviorist uses to correct your dog’s behavior. Avoid those that use violent and inhumane methods such as electric collar trainer or the Koehler method.  Before you select a trainer or behaviorist visit their office, ask for references and certificates and make sure that he or she has never lost or hurt a dog for any reason. It also helps to try and gain information to see if the professional has a history of any of the dogs that were trained in the past as having to being euthanized.  

Usually your local humane society, veterinarian or Better Business Bureau can also give you information about a trainer.  If you do have an aggressive dog, seek help immediately. If you own an aggressive dog, it means that you have lost control as the master of your pet. This means that anything can happen, including an attack from your dog that could result in him having to be put down.   This should be totally unnecessary in this day and age when we know so much about dogs. Still so many people refuse to heed the warning signals that there dog is about to snap and don’t do anything until they are litigated by somebody who has been bitten!  

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