Out-Of-Breed Characteristics.

1292 Views 24 Replies 18 Participants Last post by CorgiKarma, Apr 24, 2009

Entwine

Discussion Starter · Apr 23, 2009 (Edited)

Does your dog have any characteristics that are usually not found in their breed? Or does s/he not have the expected ones?

I ask out of curiosity, because despite Misty being a Chihuahua, she is NOT loud. She RARELY barks. You always hear stories about Chihuahuas being very vocal.

She also does not shake or tremble, which I was always lead to believe was a staple of the breed.

Correction: It is not a breed staple, but is common. I should watch my wording.

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Marsh Muppet

· #2 · Apr 23, 2009

The shaking thing is pretty common with Chis, but I don't know that it could be called a breed characteristic.

Entwine

Discussion Starter · #3 · Apr 23, 2009

Marsh Muppet said:
The shaking thing is pretty common with Chis, but I don't know that it could be called a breed characteristic.

Semantics. ;S Fine, out of breed "myths"?

Dogstar

· #4 · Apr 23, 2009

The shaking thing may be COMMON but it's almost unheard of in well-bred and well-socialized dogs- it generally comes from poor temperament coupled with poor training.

I have an atypical dog - Kaylee, my rough collie, is unusually drivey for a rough collie.

Entwine

Discussion Starter · #5 · Apr 23, 2009

Hm, alright. Like I said, that was something i was always lead to believe. I'll correct it in the first post, to avoid the focus of this thread going to my mistake. Hahah.

Is she more drivey for her age or for a rough collie in general?

Dogstar

· #6 · Apr 23, 2009

Entwine said:
Hm, alright. Like I said, that was something i was always lead to believe. I'll correct it in the first post, to avoid the focus of this thread going to my mistake. Hahah.

Is she more drivey for her age or for a rough collie in general?

By drive, I do not mean energy level. While drive may change somewhat over time, it's not a function of age. (That's sort of like asking if someone is more blue eyed than average for their age.) She's NOT the highest-drive collie I've seen, but she's definitely at the upper end.

Dunixi

· #7 · Apr 23, 2009

I got told Tiberius would be pretty hyper cause he is huksy...He just lays around most of the day. The only time he is hyper is when I take him outside on the long leash.

Entwine

Discussion Starter · #8 · Apr 23, 2009

Dogstar said:
By drive, I do not mean energy level. While drive may change somewhat over time, it's not a function of age. (That's sort of like asking if someone is more blue eyed than average for their age.) She's NOT the highest-drive collie I've seen, but she's definitely at the upper end.

I moreso asked because you I misread your post and didn't realize it until now. I somehow stuck the word "young" before rough in your sentence. That's what I get for refusing to sleep while ill.

This has nothing to do with the conversation, but I looked over and Misty was sitting on the coffee table looking very casual. Silly dog.

BestInShow

· #9 · Apr 23, 2009

Ruby is technically a mutt, but has distinct Chi and Terrier characteristics and is small.

I get many, many people who are surprised that she is not yappy, responds pretty well to voice commands, is not "bitey", etc.

I asked Ruby to sit the other day when out, and I overheard a nearby Husky-breed owner loudly say, "Wow" in amazement, when Ruby complied.

She was a rescue and did shiver a bit when we brought her home from her foster, now she rarely/never does. It's nice to know that it's something possibly to do with how her life is going now.

On the other hand, she does have a lot of the characteristics of both Chihuahuas and Terriers, an interesting challenge to say the least.

britishbandit

· #10 · Apr 23, 2009

Well Rottweilers are supposed to be reserved around strangers, even wary upon a first meeting. Tysa is with certain people, but not PJ. He greets everyone like their his new best friend, very enthusiastic about getting some lovin, even from complete strangers. What can I say......he's a social butterfly. LOL

Sophie's Mum

· #11 · Apr 23, 2009

Sophie is a 7 month old, well bred Golden. She doesn't have the hyper, please pay attention to me, I need you I need you characteristic that people so commonly think Goldens have. She's calm, and intelligent, and yes, attentive (in a good way).

Physically, she is exactly what a well bred Golden should be as far as AKC, CKC, UKC standards. She is short legged and has been mistaken twice for a NS Duck Toller. People are so used to seeing tall, leggy, large Goldens who have not been carefully bred that they don't realize she's a golden.

Duke is my rescue. He's also pretty calm (for a 7 month old puppy), except we do see more of the "I love you! I love you!" characteristics in him. I like it so I'm not complaining.

Physically, he's tall, leggy and he's going to be a biiig boy (he's about 3 or 4 inches taller than Sophie). He looks more like the Goldens that people are used to seeing these days.

Tankstar

· #12 · Apr 23, 2009

Would being one of the best retrivers be out of charecter? lol. Blaze is as quick as a greay hound (ok maybe not THAT quick) and out runs all the labs/goldens at the park for the ball, and brings it back 100 times better then any of those dogs. But I guess he just does it as it gives him a job. Otherwise, e is a pretty normal collie, likes to hear himself bark. pretty lazy in doors, very active outside. ect

sheltiemom

· #13 · Apr 23, 2009

One of my shelties is very spitzy in personality...hard to motivate, hard to train. While the others are all eager to learn new things and do what I want, he's known to get up and walk away a few minutes into a training session. He will freely ignore commands if he thinks he has a better idea.

Laurelin

· #14 · Apr 23, 2009

Other than the fact that Summer doesn't tolerate other dogs, they're all pretty typical. Paps are usually very friendly towards other dogs... yeah, not her.

ColoradoSooner

· #15 · Apr 23, 2009

Ranger is a rat terrier and people seem to think that he'll be a typical high-energy, bounce-off-the-walls terrier. (Probably because they look a lot like JRTs.) But he is SUCH a couch potato! One 45 minute walk a day and he's happy just hanging out the rest of the day. We got him when he was only a year and a half, so it's not like he's mellowed with age. He's always been that way.

blackrose

· #16 · Apr 23, 2009

Blackie is as Labrador. He doesn't get along well with other dogs or small animals, he is territorial, and in his prime he was a very good watchdog who wouldn't have hesitated to defend one of the family members if the situation called for it (but he was very people friendly). Other than that, he is all Lab.

Rose is a Lab/GSD/ACD mix. She isn't obedience motivated. She barely sheds. She has no guarding instinct whatsoever, but is a good watchdog. If I were to say what dog she acts the most like it would probably be the ACD, but a lot of the "extreme" behaviors are tempered by the Lab in her.

Chloe is a Collie/Aussie mix. She acts just like a badly bred Aussie. LOL The one thing that might be deemed atypical is that she has no herding drive whatsoever. Prey drive, but no desire to herd.

Sunshyne

· #17 · Apr 23, 2009

When I got a pug, everyone told me (and I also read everywhere) that they are impossible to housetrain and also stubborn and difficult.

Chloe was potty trained in a month and was the smartest dog in our puppy obedience class (did better than the lab, golden and 2 cockapoos). People do not give enough credit to small dogs, and tend to use blanket statements about them that are just not true and only "what they heard", or "I know one that...". It's very annoying. All of the other pugs I know from meet-ups are also highly intelligent and were potty trained just like any other dog.

She also doesn't care when her nails are trimmed, and I have also heard over and over how "bad" pugs are with that. I acclimated her to it since 16 weeks old so she's no problem.

Keechak

· #18 · Apr 23, 2009

Hawkeye is TOO FRIENDLY!!

Inga

· #19 · Apr 23, 2009

britishbandit said:
Well Rottweilers are supposed to be reserved around strangers, even wary upon a first meeting. Tysa is with certain people, but not PJ. He greets everyone like their his new best friend, very enthusiastic about getting some lovin, even from complete strangers. What can I say......he's a social butterfly. LOL

Yup, The Rottweiler breed standard reads: Calm, confident and courageous dog with a self-assured aloofness that does not lend itself to immediate and indiscriminate friendships. Rottweiler is self-confident and responds quietly and with a wait-and-see attitude to influences in his environment. He has an inherent desire to protect home and family, and is an intelligent dog of extreme hardness and adaptability with a strong willingness to work, making him especially suited as a companion, guardian and general all-purpose dog.

NOW, that described my Inga perfectly. As it also described many of my other Rotties that I have had in the past perfectly. My 2 goofballs that I currently have are socialites as well. They tend to meet people with their whole bodies wagging. I have worked so hard on socializing and may have over done it.

Oliver is a bit of a chicken also, though that is because he was so severely beaten as a puppy around 3 1/2 -4 months old and had a few broken bones as a result. I can't blame him for not being real "brave" after that. Carsten can be a little too brave on occasion and doesn't always have the good sense that some of my other dogs have had. He is still young yet so I am hopeful.

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britishbandit

· #20 · Apr 23, 2009

Uh oh Inga........does this mean we have created bad examples of the breed? LMAO

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