Importance of Temperament in Breeding
- Thread starter Ravenbird
- Start date
. I don't know anything about bitey sports, but thought he made a good point about their arousal levels, and it matched that "open letter" that you shared....
In many cases allergies are environmental and some are just more sensitive than other.
BG1
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Ya, @Ravenbird I saw that ShieldK9 pop up in my feed, obv from looking at other doberman content...thanks to Teh Goolag spying on us...
And no idea how credible but thanks @Two Dobes for your feedback, it sounded like he knew some stuff and explained clearly...so looking forward to any lurkers or members here with working interest, esp trainers, handlers, breeders:
@Rits @Oh Little Oji @MikeP
Owners who participate in working sport and know other trainers like ShieldK9...
@JanS
The one thing that seemed off was a casual statement of dobes "dying at 3 or 4..." he either has been helping a lot of people with poorly bred hypertropes from unregulated eastern europe...
Or he's just had a string of bad luck on his own dobes...?
But he was making a point about health and longevity which is valid, in the context of a working breed in which you invest a lot of time and $$$ in- you want some ROI, to be just practical minded about it...
This is a good post, thanks for sharing. A good example of successful use of an ECollar
Never thought Freyja had it in her to stand her ground but she did. Slammed and pinned another dog. Never seen an inkling of this in her before. So now, I know she is very protective of property and her family against other animals…any animals and she has just proved it. But, I wonder how this would translate into a stranger, an invasive human. When I get a chance I want to open this to a new post.
.
I think this answers my question though…
BG1
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Good idea- "will your dog be protective when the need arises?" is always a "i wonder", until first time.
If and when you start that new topic I have a story.
I never thought I'd see that out of Olive either (Elroy yes) but our breeder said she turned into a little tiger when she had her pups and a stranger came in the house.
BG1
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Thread winner: "And then there is the reason we got here in the first place, not enough demand to the correct temperament. People want the sweet, cuddly lap dog including show breeders. A watered down dobe with the right look is the demand so that's what we get."
BG1
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From a similar thread on another forum, got introduced to Pfaffenberger work on Guide Dogs, which requires stable temperament, and notes "what we the owners can do", as a go forward strategy for picking dogs for health/longevity/temperament, as well as good looks.
(Disclosure: this compliled by Grok so use the source data, and decide using your own brain, if the narrative is a good summation.)
H/t @MikeP
Clarence Pfaffenberger’s Key Findings
(From Guide Dogs for the Blind: Their Selection, Development, and Training (1963) and the thousands of puppies he and his team raised 1941–1963)
Most Quoted Pfaffenberger Conclusions
(Disclosure: this compliled by Grok so use the source data, and decide using your own brain, if the narrative is a good summation.)
H/t @MikeP
Clarence Pfaffenberger’s Key Findings
(From Guide Dogs for the Blind: Their Selection, Development, and Training (1963) and the thousands of puppies he and his team raised 1941–1963)
# | Finding | Details & Implications |
| 1 | Critical Socialization Period: 7–12 weeks | Puppies removed from litter and placed in homes before 12 weeks (ideally 8–10 weeks) became dramatically more confident, stable, and trainable adults. After 12–14 weeks, fear responses hardened and were almost impossible to reverse. |
2 | Success rate skyrocketed with early socialization | Before his protocols: only ~9% of puppies became working guide dogs. After mandatory 8-week home placement + structured socialization: success rose to 86–91%. |
3 | Breed differences exist but are dwarfed by early experience | German Shepherds, Labs, Golden Retrievers, and even Dobermans all showed the same massive improvement when socialized correctly. Without it, even the “best” breeds failed at high rates. |
4 | “Sharp-shy” or “nervy” temperament is largely preventable | Dogs that became fearful/aggressive adults were almost always those kept in kennels or isolated past 12 weeks. Early, positive human contact produced calm, outgoing dogs regardless of genetic starting point. |
5 | Temperament testing at 7–8 weeks is predictive only if socialization is controlled afterward | Puppy tests were useful, but the single biggest predictor of adult success was what happened between 7 and 16 weeks — not genetics alone. |
6 | Overly protective or dominant traits can be minimized | Dogs raised in normal family homes (vs. kennels) rarely developed excessive guarding or handler aggression. |
7 | Dobermans specifically | Were intelligent and willing but had higher rates of “sharp-shy” reactions (startle → overreaction) when socialization was inadequate. When correctly socialized, they performed well, but the margin for error was smaller than with Labs or Goldens — one reason they were eventually phased out of most guide programs. |
- “The personality of a dog is shaped more by its experiences between the 7th and 12th week than by all the rest of its life combined.”
- “A puppy that has not been adequately socialized by 14 weeks of age is almost certain to be a failure as a working dog, no matter how good its breeding.”
- “We proved that environment is more important than heredity in producing a successful guide dog.”
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