my dog, an OEM, has timidity... it's an hereditary trait in some lines of the breed it's pretty bad... runs and hides from pretty everything except coyotes for some reason... the guys chases down coyotes in a heart beat...
so any way I think I've had it with the 'cowardly lion'... to at the entrance to the park for an early morning the walk... my dog turned around and ran home... at this point I'm going to petsmart when they open and drop the dog off for adoption.... after 4 years I don't think I can take any more... I really want a dog that acts like a fucking dog... you know?
thoughts????
from a breeder
Fascinating subject because I often hear myself telling people who are asking me about Mastiffs that shyness is almost endemic in the breed. Using the word "genetic" to describe it could be a stretch but I do think personality traits are heritable just as they are in humans so, possibly, it's accurate enough.
Would I breed a Mastiff with a tendency toward shyness? Yes, though I would make every attempt to breed it to one that displayed greater confidence. At this point, I'm afraid if we took every Mastiff with a tentative nature out of the breeding pool, there would be much left. I have seen some that are virtually crippled with shyness and fear that can't be explained by their upbringing and those I would certainly not advocate breeding.
My concern over shyness is that it could potentially lead to defensiveness which could manifest itself in aggressive behavior and, with a breed as large as a Mastiff, that's a very dangerous scenario.
__________________
Karen K.
so any way I think I've had it with the 'cowardly lion'... to at the entrance to the park for an early morning the walk... my dog turned around and ran home... at this point I'm going to petsmart when they open and drop the dog off for adoption.... after 4 years I don't think I can take any more... I really want a dog that acts like a fucking dog... you know?
thoughts????
from a breeder
Fascinating subject because I often hear myself telling people who are asking me about Mastiffs that shyness is almost endemic in the breed. Using the word "genetic" to describe it could be a stretch but I do think personality traits are heritable just as they are in humans so, possibly, it's accurate enough.
Would I breed a Mastiff with a tendency toward shyness? Yes, though I would make every attempt to breed it to one that displayed greater confidence. At this point, I'm afraid if we took every Mastiff with a tentative nature out of the breeding pool, there would be much left. I have seen some that are virtually crippled with shyness and fear that can't be explained by their upbringing and those I would certainly not advocate breeding.
My concern over shyness is that it could potentially lead to defensiveness which could manifest itself in aggressive behavior and, with a breed as large as a Mastiff, that's a very dangerous scenario.
__________________
Karen K.
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