# Favorite temperament traits



## Emilio Rodriguez (Jan 16, 2009)

People who want their dogs to bite other people (under certain circumstances ); pick the number one most important temperament trait your dog has that you wouldn't want to live without. The one that all future dogs must have. I know that its more like a combination of things we like about our dogs but it seems like one such trait brings with it all the rest.


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## Kyle Sprag (Jan 10, 2008)

Clear Head!


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## Mike Scheiber (Feb 17, 2008)

I cant give one because it takes several to make a great dog so I will give my top 3 in order Aggression, Pray, Fight


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## Jerry Lyda (Apr 4, 2006)

Clear Head. Must love kids.


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## Emilio Rodriguez (Jan 16, 2009)

Can someone please elaborate on clear head so I can relate it to my experiences.

Jerry, must love kids as in seek them out and be more gentle around them or must tolerate everything from kids? If it's the former then it's beyond my experience. All the dogs I've seen with good drives first perceive them as prey objects. Is this more common with bitches or kids of a certain age? Or does that come with clear head?


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Clear head. My choice also.
The ability to think through a problem and not react without a reason. 
The complete opposite would be a junk yard dog. 
Sensible! Can play with the kids and anyone that is introduced properly.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Biddability. Doesn't have to mean they are as soft as butter temperament wise, but the independent, give you the finger type of dogs are annoying. For bitework, probably less control issues with dogs with a high level of biddability as well. Probably.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Emilio Rodriguez said:


> Can someone please elaborate on clear head so I can relate it to my experiences.
> 
> Jerry, must love kids as in seek them out and be more gentle around them or must tolerate everything from kids? If it's the former then it's beyond my experience. All the dogs I've seen with good drives first perceive them as prey objects. Is this more common with bitches or kids of a certain age? Or does that come with clear head?


http://www.workingdogforum.com/vBulletin/f8/whats-your-definition-clear-headed-dog-9575/


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## Mike Scheiber (Feb 17, 2008)

Emilio Rodriguez said:


> Can someone please elaborate on clear head so I can relate it to my experiences.


Easy to train, not hectic, predictable to name a few.
Most times this will be accomplished with clear consistent training.


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## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

Clear head. Seeing less than that is an automatic pass for me.

DFrost


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Nothing is ever one dimensional! One of several points is being *biddable.*

*And with this post, I hit 2000!*


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## Willaim Somers (Jan 17, 2009)

I think a clear head is a given, a dog without mental stability is a liability. Without it all other traits are useless.


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## James Degale (Jan 9, 2009)

Can people define clear headness for me please? I've heard many opinions. 

For me I like a high threshold dog, that does not perceive day to day life situations as a threat but can be called into action when needed.


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## Jerry Lyda (Apr 4, 2006)

There you go.


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## Emilio Rodriguez (Jan 16, 2009)

Maren Bell Jones said:


> http://www.workingdogforum.com/vBulletin/f8/whats-your-definition-clear-headed-dog-9575/


I read the thread thanks. My answer to favorite temperament trait was going to be intelligence. However intelligence can be understood in many ways and I was looking to narrow it down further and put another label on it. I was hoping that someone else would also pick this quality and sure enough some of you did. This "clear head" is what I had in mind as my number one temperament trait, it is a beautiful thing. Interesting that the other thread is a recent one.


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## Michelle Reusser (Mar 29, 2008)

I will have to say clear also a close second is hard. Hard meaning recovers instantly


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Ok we have the traits, how do you measure them? What factor/s can be used to identify a "trainable" dog from one which is "dumb?" And then with the *temperament, *what is the dog going to be used for? SAR, Patrol, Sport, or PP; do the traits change or become more complex?


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## Emilio Rodriguez (Jan 16, 2009)

If you're referring to measuring "clear head" I think it's either there or it isn't. The mitigating factor is when the dog goes into drive. That is where clear head gets affected. In the case of my dog in bitework he maintains his clear head. However when it comes to going after small animals he loses it. But I've only had the dog for 3 months so I wasn't there to see that it was properly socialized and missed the time where corrections for this behavior could have been relatively light, most effective and life lasting.


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Emilio Rodriguez said:


> If you're referring to measuring "clear head" I think it's either there or it isn't.


Not refering to any one thing or I would come out and say it. Since you selected "clear head," how do you measure it before bite work takes place? How do you pre-screen the dog for it? What things are YOU looking for in a breed or the animal? :-k 8-[


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## Emilio Rodriguez (Jan 16, 2009)

I don't know how I would test for it. It's something that I take notice of when I start living with and getting to know the dog. Before this I think the very first indication is stability in various situations and a good disposition towards people, and then aggressive reaction to threat. In the case of my dog I really took notice of it once I started to play tug. You know how to get a dog going strong in the game you have to excite it with fast movements of the rag or tug. The dog gets excited to the point of being blind as it's rushing to grab the tug. At this point it can grab your hand by accident. You can't correct it because it will go down in drive. In the case of my "clear headed" dog he will come over very casually, take the tug in his mouth in decisive but careful way so as to make sure my fingers are not in the way. Then start shaking the shit out it, stronger than any dog I've ever felt.

His bitework is the same. It took me nothing to teach the out. I just say it ever so gently.


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## Michelle Reusser (Mar 29, 2008)

Howard Gaines III said:


> Not refering to any one thing or I would come out and say it. Since you selected "clear head," how do you measure it before bite work takes place? How do you pre-screen the dog for it? What things are YOU looking for in a breed or the animal? :-k 8-[


I don't think you can really measure it without puting the dog in those situations safely (on leash) and seeing how he reacts.

Funny my dog is great with small animal/prey objects, children and all that. The only oops he has shown was, we aggitated him up good and gave him a bunch or misses when he was in his non barking phase (12-14 months) and when walking off the field, he did jump up and bite me on the arm, but he let it go immediatly and he didn't bite hard, thank God. I got a good bruise and tooth marks but no holes in me.

I used to be slightly affraid of him when he was on the table (he will bark at me) but he has never shown any inclination to snap at me, even in full drive up there. It's just freaky to have a dog at face level going balistic. I know I can go ahead and walk right up there and pet him on or off the bite and he just goes about his bizz and answers me with a few tail thumps.

Emilio, my dogs is not very carefull about hitting me instead of the toy, I have the scars to prove it. He does not however "want' to bite me purposefully, he is cautious, just a young Doofus in his ways still.


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## Emilio Rodriguez (Jan 16, 2009)

Michelle, I see a few parallels. The only time my dog hurt me a little was in the very first agitation session. The decoy came out from a distance and the dog went into strong prey. After a few minutes of the decoy not getting close enough for a bite the dog turned and started purposefully biting and pulling at the tie out. I put him on leash and he did the same. At one point my thigh got in the way and he pinched it good. Didn't pierce the skin but I had a bruise and later a scab for two weeks. It's really amazing the sensitivity they have when biting even when in drive to let go in time.

I hear you about the table too. I go behind a commercial unit near my house to do some obstacle work. They have skids piled up and compressed cardboard in all different heights. So I do jumps and stuff. I also tried to teach him to become comfortable with me carrying him down once he's up there. He's heavy and I don't think I can lift him in a way that's comfortable for him. A few days ago just before I lifted him he growled. That's been the only point of contention between us and I gave up on carrying him after that. Since that point every time I look at his face on the same level as mine it reminds me of the elevated surface agitation I did with him, it's eerie. Makes you aware how much of the realtionship with the dog depends simply on the dog's good intentions.


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