It's not the breed; it's the training.

[hedgehog]

19. I think it is foolish to pretend that temperament/behaviors are breed independent.

Setters, pointers, shepherds, etc were all bred for specific purposes. Some of those behaviors are now re-purposed in family pets.

Sometimes breed temperament is accidentally changed. Cocker spaniels were bred for appearance, and suddenly the breed became known for biting people.

I think the temperament of a german shepherd depends on the breeding line - some lines emphasize an intelligent family pet, others emphasize the qualities needed in a guard dog. My beagle/german shepherd mix is a very good family dog, but I wouldn't get a pure German shepherd without very careful investigation.

The fact is that a lot of people out there selectively breed a dog called a pit bull to be aggressive and dangerous. As we discovered when Michael Vick was arrested, those are difficult traits for breeders to preserve. On the other hand, when the traits come through the dogs are very dangerous to people and other dogs.

I think as long as we have a significant number of people selectively breeding pit bulls as attack dogs, it's a crap shoot getting a pit bull unless you know the breeder and breeding line.

I had a dog that never bit anyone - until the day he darted out the door past me to nip the mail carrier. I was lucky - she was wearing a heavy winter coat and it was one nip and he was content he'd made his point. If his temperament had been to bite hard and keep biting....