We live in a world of marketing, and we can do nothing about it. That’s the way it is.
Unfortunately, the world of dog breeds is also subject to the laws of economics. We rarely think about it, but breeding and exhibitions are not only passion and love but very often also – and for many only – money.
From the manufacturer of sausages, you will hear that they are delicious. However, he will never mention that its taste is due to artificial flavours added during production.
It is similar to dog breeds:
“excellent guard dog” – may have problems with aggression;
“intelligent” – if you do not provide him with a proper job, a dose of mental effort – he will find himself entertainment, which, unfortunately, you will not like;
“loves people, is sociable” – may have a problem with staying at home alone;
“One-owner dog” – can defend the handler as his property;
“beautiful robe” means that maintaining it in good condition will require a lot of time from you. The second bonus is the mass of sand and mud after a walk on rainy days;
“alert” often means “barking” in practice;
“Alive”, that is, one that may have a problem with reactivity. It means that the dog reacts exaggeratedly to stimuli coming from the environment and, at the same time, has trouble calming down;
“Independent, independent” is a dog that does not really want to train obedience. He likes to go his own way and make decisions independent of the will of the caregiver;
“sensitive” means a timid dog. Here it should be remembered that in response to a feared stimulus, the dog has two strategies: run or fight;
“delicate build” – more exposed to injuries;
“He likes water” – well… It is better to avoid all fetid joints with a wide arc. Unfortunately, the dog may also want to test every larger puddle – if you can not swim, maybe at least get wet?
“tends to gain weight” – on walks, you must have eyes around your head because your dog will be happy to feed on the found delicacies (not all of which you would qualify for the “edible” category);
“risk + disease” – assume your dog will have it. Consider yourself lucky if it doesn’t. Be aware that many breeds are doomed to certain diseases. Read more about this before you buy a puppy of a particular breed.
Be sure to also learn from the breeder about the parents’ health. Then, if something worries you – look for another place or wait for a litter conceived from healthy individuals. Thanks to this, you can save yourself suffering (watching how sick your dog is) and a lot of time and money.
In addition, by asking questions about your parent’s health, you change the approach of breeders. If most customers ask questions about this, breeders will start to take the health of sires more seriously. As a result, the overall health of the breed may improve.
It is worth emphasizing that all predispositions to behavioural disorders (aggression, fearfulness, reactivity, etc.) are not a sentence but an increased risk of a problem. This means that you should, first of all, take care of the proper socialization and psychological comfort of the dog.
Carefully think through the choice of breed. Find out as much as you can. The key to success and shared happiness is a conscious decision about what you decide to do and/or a willingness to adapt to the innate needs of the dog.
You wouldn’t be trying to turn a hamster into a canary, would you? So don’t expect to compete in obedience competitions with a husky, either.
Accept your four-legged friend and love him as he is.
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