[ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: Temperament: "man made" or genetics
- From: carolyn mckenna <carolynmckenna@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: uwish@xxxxxxxxxx, Showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 21 Dec 2005 16:55:55 -0800 (PST)
Barbara, Your post is one we all probably should address and contribute
views. I believe temperament is indisputably genetic, not only in our dogs,
but also in our human kind. However, I do believe that environment plays
a much greater part in human temperament than in canine. When we realize
one month in a puppy's development is the equivalent of a year in a child's,
we can readily understand how the years of crummy environment in a child's
life will affect the child to a greater degree than the same number of months
in a puppy's life would affect the puppy. Both are resilient, but as far as
time
is concerned, the puppy can recover from two months of poor environment
much more successfully than the child from two years of the same.
OTOH, I do not EVER believe we can excuse poor temerament by blaming
environment. Those puppies who are shy or fear bitters or whatever other
horrible defects they may manifest, I believe, became this way quite honestly
from their parents or grandparents. There is one exception: those who have
a vision problem will manifest a problem simply because they do not know what
they are seeing.
We are hearing much lately about the overly friendly dog, the golden
reteiver
type. Now this, I believe can be environmenally induced. I have dogs much
from the same lines, who two do not recognize the existence of another
person and one who loves everyone and makes a point of proving it. Same
dam, but raised entirely differently. One litter saw others and loved all, the
other saw only me and is aloof but tolerable of others.
Wouldn't touch a dog whose parents and grandparents did not have
impecable temperament.
Carolyn
Barbara Galasso <uwish@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote: A breeder friend and I were talking
about temperament of the GSD today.
We were talking about what correct temperament was according to the
standard looking for an approachable, but aloof personality. We talked
about the outgoing "Golden Retriever" personality, the spooks, and then
the aggressive and fear biters. Quite a range of temperaments, I'd say.
I believe that a dog's temperament is determined by two factors. #1 -
his genetics, his parents and grandparents having a great deal of
influence on his temperament. And #2, I also believe environment plays
a big role in our dogs personalities as well. If it's a genetic problem
and you sell the dog into a good home, I believe he will still have a
tendency to be what his genetics have dictated him to be. I believe we
have all owned at one time or another different degrees of the above
named temperaments. Some of the problem dogs you can work with and some
can be trained to behave, or stand for examination. But genetically
they are born to be what they were meant to be and will pass this along
to their progeny.
On the other hand, a puppy can be born with a good temperament and put
it into a bad home, one who locks it up in a crate or kennel all day,
doesn't socialize it, mistreats him by abusing him and he can become shy
or suspicious of people. Or they may still like people, but are noise
or object shy. I don't think (but, I'm not sure), that if you breed
this animal that he will pass along a shy temperament if his was induced
by a bad environment.
I think when the public thinks of our GSD's as having mean and bad
dispositions, they are not aware of how some of these dogs have been
raised. I also know first hand that a dog can be born with a love of
people and having been neglected, still love people. Also know of dogs
who have been brought up in a kennel environment and haven't been
anywhere and you take them and put them in a show and they're fine. Go
figure. "Man made" or genetics? Best, Barbara Galasso
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POST is Copyrighted 2005. All material remains the property of the original
author and of GSD Communication, Inc. NO REPRODUCTIONS or FORWARDS of any kind
are permitted without prior permission of the original author AND of the
Showgsd-l Management. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
ALL PERSONS ARE ON NOTICE THAT THE FORWARDING, REPRODUCTION OR USE IN ANY
MANNER OF ANY MATERIAL WHICH APPEARS ON SHOWGSD-L WITHOUT THE EXPRESS
PERMISSION OF ALL PARTIES TO THE POST AND THE LIST MANAGEMENT IS EXPRESSLY
FORBIDDEN, AND IS A VIOLATION OF LAW. VIOLATORS OF THIS PROHIBITION WILL BE
PROSECUTED.
For assistance, please contact the List Management at admin@xxxxxxxxxxxx
VISIT OUR WEBSITE - http://www.showgsd.org
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