Dog Breed Personalities

In the past, I have written about choosing a pure bred vs. a shelter dog, how to choose a shelter dog and how to choose a dog breeder. But, I have yet to write in  more detail about dog breed personalities and traits. I am not saying that every individual dog of a specific breed is basically a clone of another of the same breed. As all dog owners know, individual dogs will have their own quirky personality specifically for them. What I am saying is that when choosing a dog breed, you must know historically why that dog was bred. Once you have that gem of knowledge, understanding why your dog does what it does will help you ease a lot of training frustrations. After all, some things may just be a bit more hardwired into your dog than you think.

There are seven main dog breed groups in the dog world: Herding, Hound, Sporting, Terrier, Toy, Working and "non-working" (Basically, anything that doesn't fit into a nice tidy category). I provided examples of breeds for each group, but not every breed. You will need to research your dog's breed to know where it belongs if I have not provided it.

Herding: Australian Cattle Dog, Australian Shepard, Border Collie, Belgian Sheepdog, Bearded Collie, German Shepard, Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Puli and Shetland Sheepdog.

These dogs are smart and serious with a lot of energy. They can be territorial of "their" property (which might mean you, the owner) and can make a great watchdog. They have a tendency to bump and nip at people. This is an innate response from being historically bred to herd (which is also why they are territorial!) They are intelligent, easy to train, hard working and athletic. Companionship is also very important to them and they make great family dogs.

Hound: American Foxhound, Basset Hound, Beagle, Dachshund, Greyhound, Norwegian Elkhound, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Treeing Walker Coonhound and Whippet.

There are two types of hound dogs: scent hounds and sight hounds. Depending upon what type of hound you have, will determine the aspects of their traits. Scent hounds tend to be tough and slow. Sight hounds are agile and speedy. Both types are inquisitive, independent and INTELLIGENT. Hounds can be trained... if they want to be trained 😂. If they don't think your training is a worthwhile objective, they will simply ignore you. Owners must provide their hound with a secure area for exploration and when on walks a leash. Hounds tend to be so inquisitive, they will often wander off if left to their own devices.

Sporting: Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Pointer, Cocker Spaniel, Golden Retriever, Irish Setter, Korean Jindo Dog, Labrador Retriever, Weimaraner.

Sporting dogs are active, easy to train, friendly and alert at all times. They are great multi-taskers and bred to be hunters. If you have a water dog of this group, your dog will most likely want to spend the rest of their days swimming and at the lake's edge. Sporting dogs make great therapy and assist dogs. They need to be entertained and exercised. They are not a lazy man's dog, but they make an excellent family dog. I would recommend researching what the specific breed of your sporting dog and devise enrichment that suits their hunting style whether it is finding, pointing, flushing out, holding or retrieving.

Terrier: Jack Russell, Rat Terrier, Miniature Schnauzer, Scottish Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Welsh Terrier.

Terriers can be great fun. They can be high energy and be feisty. Therefore, parents of a terrier will also need high energy.  Historically, they were bred to be hunters of small animals and have a tendency to dig. Owners will need to provide "work" for them. In their mind "work" = "playtime"!

Toy Dog: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Chihuahua, Chines Crested Dog, Italian Greyhound, Maltese, Pomeranian and Pug.

Toy dogs were specifically bred to be companions. They are loyal, have a lot of character and can be territorial depending upon their upbringing and breed. Toy dogs do not need a lot of space, but do need a lot of cuddles and attention.

Working: Akita, Boxer, Great Dane, Mastiff, Portuguese Water Dog, Saint Bernard, Samoyed and Siberian Husky.

Working dogs are the most diverse of the dog groups. They were bred to help you whether it be pulling sleds, search and rescue or guarding livestock. These dogs are strong and smart. When properly socialized, they are super friendly and a good match for most people as long as there is lots of space, consistency and they are kept active. Because this group is so diverse, it is best to research your dog's specific breed of this group in order to understand what job your dog was historically bred to accomplish.

Non-Sporting Group: Bichon Frise, Boston Terrier, Bulldog, Dalmatian, Keeshond, Lhaso Apso, and Poodle.

Basically, a Non-Sporting dog is a grouping that was devised for breeds that used to be working dogs, but no longer perform the activity in which they were originally bred. They are also dogs that don't quite fit in the above categories. Maybe it's a small dog that isn't small enough to be a "toy" or a hunting dog that doesn't fit into the hound or sport category. Who knows. These dogs seem to be the most diverse when it comes to personality and can fit a number of different people or families. When it comes to a non-sporting dog, it's important to learn the dog's individual personality and back history before deciding whether it will be a good fit for you or your family.

Like I have said above, just because your dog belongs in one of these groups, does not necessarily mean it will be a clone. Every dog has it's own specific personality that is blending in with it's historical breeding. Understanding your dog's history whether it's breed or present day upbringing, can prepare you for communication and understanding of your specific dog.