We are individuals, why can’t our dogs be?

As humans we place a lot of expectations on our dogs which is not helped by the film industry which projects how we want our dog to be. Are all people in England the same because we live in the same country, of course not. Now consider this from a dog breed perspective. Although dogs may share some traits within a breed like Border Collies are extremely intelligent and like to herd. My own mother in law’s Border Collie was terrified of sheep, illustrating the point that there are variations within a breed.

What makes up a dog is, like us, extremely complex and puppies within the same litter can have very different personalities. I met a brother and sister Patterdale Terrier as 3-month puppies, one was terrified and the other extraverted and confident despite having the same caregivers, so the statement “stop breeding nervous puppies” is not that simple.

Like us dogs are shaped by many things, their mother who as part of weening them teach them inhibited bites, while their litter mates show them how to play. Consider your childhood, is it the same as your friends or your partners, of course not. So, like us dogs have different styles of mothering and sibling relationships.

Where some dogs like to play and socialise with lots of other dogs, this works well providing that such a dog can understand other dogs signalling that they are not up for meeting. Owners of sociable dogs often perceive their dog as ‘friendly’ and not consider that other dogs are on a lead for multiple reasons. This could include, their dog is a female and in season, their dog has an injury or just had an operation, their dog is nervous or sensitive and wants to protect not only their dog, but your sociable dog too.

A dog who has been running around off lead is going to be more aroused as they are excited and having the time of their life, not to mention the dog on the lead has lost their ability to flee. Imagine if a stranger comes running up to you and you are in a queue and then starts shouting at you, would this make you feel uncomfortable or increase your level of stress. This is no different for the dog on the lead being stared at afar from a dog that is running up to them. The dog on the lead tries looking away, yawning, moving their body away all distance creating signals, but the off-lead dog keeps coming seemingly oblivious. In an ideal world the dog on the lead would take it on the chin but more likely the dog on the lead’s level of arousal will increase and natural dog posturing growling, barking, lunging, may occur which those with the sociable dog will label as aggressive. All of this could have been avoided if the owner of the sociable dog had recalled their dog as sometimes all dogs can struggle to disengage.