Out of interest I am asking this. I have had 2 male black Labradors both pretty hyper. First one was definitely my fault for not training properly. My current one is 2.5 years old and is still very hyper and I have been training him since I got him. I have to add not hyper in the house, very well behaved, but out in public, very excited with people and especially new surrounding. So my question is how do you pick out the calm quiet one. I know they exist because I know people who own such dogs. Any thoughts?
Re: How do you pick out the calm puppy Interesting - just as I read your post, I had just finished reading a chapter in John Bradshaw's In Defence of Dogs. He argues that at 8 weeks a puppy's eventual adult characteristics and personality are still completely unformed, and the only thing that is resistant to change is extreme fearfulness. He goes on to say that "numerous scientific studies have failed to find any validity in puppy testing". Having said that, it's possible that his conclusions don't cover just high or low energy dogs - if that's what you mean, although I think by 'hyper' you probably mean how malleable to training a calm state? If so, the answer (at least according to John Bradshaw) is you can't! Anyway, it's all very interesting, I thought. (by the way, I should add that I've selected only 2 puppies in my life! Both rather randomly on how friendly they seemed!)
Re: How do you pick out the calm puppy I think a lot of it is down to the pup's breeding. So I would have a very close look at the pedigree. Anything with a lot of red in the pedigree ( Field Trial Champions) is bound to be pretty lively! ;D
Re: How do you pick out the calm puppy Just had a look at the pedigree cert again and yes all males to back as far as it goes are Field Champions. Also yes I mean getting him into a calm state of mind. Calm in house pretty much but when we go out of the house a bit of a different matter.
Re: How do you pick out the calm puppy It's a really good question - can you really pick the calm puppy who will then be a calm adult. I had always assumed that you could, but maybe you actually can't.... Definitely agree that going for a calm line and calm parents is worthwhile. Many Guide Dog breeding programs are 'in-house' for exactly that reason. They choose foundation breeding stock based on temperament and the idea that temperament is inherited to some degree. Apparently, Guide Dog programs that breed their own dogs (as opposed to sourcing them from privately bred litters) have a much greater pass rate with their pups (pups eventually becoming Guide Dogs) because a much higher proportion have the right temperament, which is calm, friendly, confident and non-reactive.
Re: How do you pick out the calm puppy It seems it must be possible to pick the litter, I wonder if it's really possible to pick the calm pup from that litter? I watched a guide dog programme on the tv a few weeks ago (it was fab) and saw them assess the pups for suitability at a very young age. I was a bit doubtful, but you'd think they'd be the ones that really know, with thousands and thousands of pups going through their systems.
Re: How do you pick out the calm puppy Sams Daddy`s pedigree was loaded with FTC whereas his Mums was not , she is a working dog but not in trials, just rough shooting . I also looked at the kennels who bred Sams lineage, they were described as being " easily managed and biddable " . I met his maternal grandmother and aunt as well as Mum , all seemed fairly calm dogs , Sams breeder also showed me letters she had received from owners of the first litter and most of them said how calm and trouble free their pups had been . Actually chosing out of the litter was made a little easy because some pups had been reserved , I wanted a male and wanted black, so in the end there was only a choice of two and I just fell in love with the little solemn looking one
Re: How do you pick out the calm puppy [quote author=kateincornwall link=topic=2193.msg20125#msg20125 date=1375801795] I just fell in love with the little solemn looking one [/quote] ah lovely, lovely Sam x we were the same though, mum and grandmother family pet/shooting dogs and father from competition stock but mum and grandma were both very chilled, we wanted a black male and there were only two one of which was reserved so Riley was our boy
