Pawz4me wrote:
I think in your last sentence you engaged in the exact type of breed generalizations that Dr. Doug's linked article warns against. ;)
Yeah, I figured someone would call me on that. ;) But I do think there is a big difference in an individual owner understanding the breed tendencies and being aware of them and being able to counter those tendencies if they manifest in the dog with proper training versus labeling all dogs of a breed as dangerous, stupid, etc.
As stated, the owners and environment have a lot to do with the dog's behavior. IMHO, that means using every tool in the book to best understand your dog and its behavior. Considering breed tendencies is simply a tool - not a catch all.
I'll also clarify that I am talking about personality tendencies such as excessive shyness, intelligence, stubbornness, activity level, etc. - not labels like "dangerous breed", etc.