General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Indiana Man Mauled to Death by Pet Dog on Christmas [View all]Drahthaardogs
(6,843 posts)I agree that temperament is important but it is also breed specific. My dogs' temperament is fairly aggressive. They have high prey drives and will hunt and retrieve birds, rabbits, raccoons, foxes, etc. They are high energy, high drive dogs. Their temperament would make them miserable for an apartment dweller.
People call hounds "stubborn", they are not stubborn, they are being hounds. A good hound will get on a track and ignore everything else. Deer scent, rabbits, etc., it does not matter. They track until the coon, bear, or lion is in the tree (or a rabbit in the case of a beagle). They are not stubborn, they are doing their job and doing it well. That temperament would be a flaw in a labrador retriever, who is suppossed to use his eyes and take hand signals from their handler.
This is why I keep re-iterating that properly bred dogs are subjected to breed specific tests that ensure they can do what they were bred to do.