Beagles sniff, Shelties bark, Huskies pull, Afghans run, German Shepherds guard, and Chihuahuas sit on laps.  How often are broad generalizations made about specific breeds of dog?  How much impact does a dog’s breed have on its ability to be ‘trained’?

Beagles sniff, Shelties bark, Huskies pull, Afghans run, German Shepherds guard, and Chihuahuas sit on laps. How often are broad generalizations made about specific breeds of dog? How much impact does a dog’s breed have on its ability to be ‘trained’?

It often happens that a particular behaviour that we are frustrated by is over-looked or accepted because ‘that’s just the way this breed is”. Well, the good news is that any breed is trainable. Yes, there are considerations when putting a training program in place for certain breeds, but ALL dogs are able to learn.

Once we understand the way dogs think and learn, we humans can teach them what we want and what we don’t want them to do. The canine brain works the same whether it is a Pekinese or a Great Dane. The challenge is seeing the world from their point of view. We know the Beagle is going to be more driven by his nose than the Maltese. We know that the Malamute is more likely to pull than the Poodle. We know the Jack Russell will be more likely to jump up than the Bull Dog. However, all these breeds understand their own system of communication and once we humans learn it as well, we can become much better teachers for our dogs. The most difficult breed of dog to train is the one with a disinterested owner.