Is temperament genetic ?

[Palmist]

I am looking for my ideal dog and have been reading things about both mum and dad of good temperament etc. Is behaviour something genetic ?

I always thought how a pup/baby is brought up is of more significance than what Mom and Dad used to do.

Let's say Sire is an aggressive guard dog, Dame is may be a rescue dog. Can Breeders predict the temperament of pups ? Surely this should be down to how the pups are brought up.

[Emoore]

To a large extent, yes temperament is genetic. Whether a dog is fearful, aggressive, reactive, high-energy or low-energy comes down in large part to genetics. Training and raising can help you manage what you've got, but the basic blueprint comes from mom and dad.

If you have a fearful, shy dog your dog will always be shy and fearful to an extent. You can socialize him and get him used to certain things, but in new situations his first reaction will always be fearful and shy.

[BR870]

The way I like to look at it is that genetics is the foundation upon which any training will be built. You can build the nicest mansion in the world, but if you build it on swampy ground, it is going to crumble when the wind blows hard enough or when the earth shifts beneath it...

[katieliz]

br870, exactly.

[Palmist]

Originally Posted by BR870

The way I like to look at it is that genetics is the foundation upon which any training will be built. You can build the nicest mansion in the world, but if you build it on swampy ground, it is going to crumble when the wind blows hard enough or when the earth shifts beneath it...

Interesting analogy. However in the case of building a mansion most of the factors can be measured and controllable. Whereas when in comes to temperament, its not something we can measure [?] I would imagine a dam or sire with serious psychological/mental issues could transfer the same to its litter and it would be irresponsible to breed in first place. But just because a Dame or Sire has been used in police work or somewhere else where they had to be aggressive, shouldn't mean the next generation will be the same, should it ?

I am no expert in breeding at all, just bouncing back some thoughts.

cheers

[Palmist]

May be I am getting confused between behaviour and temperament.

[Emoore]

Originally Posted by Palmist

But just because a Dame or Sire has been used in police work or somewhere else where they had to be aggressive, shouldn't mean the next generation will be the same, should it ?

Possibly. Each dog has their own natural level of aggression (how aggressive they will get if proved) as well as their own threshold (how much provoking it takes to make them act aggressively). This is innate and genetic. What they do with their aggression comes down to training.

Often dogs used in police or personal protection work (not the same thing as sport) have higher natural levels of aggression and lower trigger thresholds. That kind of work is a good "outlet" for their natural tendencies and dogs like that are a great fit for that type of work. However, the same dog in a family home could be a disaster.

A dog with low levels of aggression and higher thresholds could be a disaster as a protection or police dog, but great for a family with lots of visitors and kids running in and out.

[Palmist]

Originally Posted by Emoore

Possibly. Each dog has their own natural level of aggression (how aggressive they will get if proved) as well as their own threshold (how much provoking it takes to make them act aggressively). This is innate and genetic. What they do with their aggression comes down to training.

Very informative. I might be expecting too much from my dog but please bare with me and suggest what sort of background I should look for, more importantly what to AVOID.

I live alone with the possibility of GF moving in.
No Kids
Neighbours have cats and smaller dogs.
Very few visitors
Don't want dog to be aggressive or intimidating but wouldn't want it to wag its tail while I am being mugged either. I live in a fairly decent locality.

Let me add, given the choice between family dog and protection dog, I would go for family dog.

My Golden Retriever was the gentlest dog ever but he would always come to my rescue every time we staged an attack [we were only young]. Now whether he just wanted to be part of the fun or he really thought I was in danger, I don't know.

[Catu]

Temperament is THE genetic part of how a dog behaves.

The whole dog is the addition of genetics + environment, in this case temperament + raising, training and experiences.

If you want to learn more, and specially if you are about to get a new pup, I highly recommend this article:

Elem. of Temperament

[Emoore]

Have you read this sticky yet:
Things to look for in a 'Responsible' Breeder