Do you think that people who are aggressive, impatient and often irritable with other people have also a low tolerance for their dogs? I was driving down the freeway the other day and noticed several people displaying real road rage...rude, tail gaiting, changing lanes quickly. I thought to myself, "I wouldn't want to know those people socially. I bet they're like that anyhow in every day life." Then I wondered if they had children or dogs and automatically assumed that they probably aren't very nice to them.

Then there are people you deal with on the phone, by mail, online that are also irritable. I wonder if they suddenly turn off a switch when they go home and deal with their families, friends and pets and become patient, caring human beings.

I look at my own dogs and how I deal with people most of the time. And I think I see a correlation between how I interact with people, how I interact with my dogs and how they in turn react to me. I see a similarity in my dogs' personalities and mine. No wonder they say people and their dogs look alike. (Have you heard that?) I am generally good natured unless someone really pisses me off. I do have a fair amount of tolerance for things...have been told that I'm rather passive. (I don't think I am, but....) And I do have a playful, child like attitude much of the time...can make a fool of myself having fun, singing, dancing when I go out socializing. My dogs are all a bunch of maniac, goof balls, always looking for fun and all friendly, waggy dogs. Occasionally, I do lose it and holler at them. But that's where the similarity ends. They never lose it (their temper) with me. Dogs are indeed the most forgiving, loyal and wonderful creatures.

Carrie

I would like to believe my own dogs are good natured because of the way they are treated at home :)
but I supsect there are some naturally aggressive dogs just as there are people.
Also there are poorly socialised dogs which i think can make an aggressive dog - whether through fear or nervousness.

I think you are right there Lel.

I must be fabulous if my dog reflect me :D :D :D ROFLMAO

it must be true to some degree.if the dogs have only ever been shown kindness/love etc then they would be more friendly etc cause they don't know any thing else. but there is always the exception.
i think you can't actually change the dogs nature but you can shape it with the way it is treated.its the same as if you mistreated the dog it will have a higher chance of being aggressive.
i would like to know what it would show about us as the owners................ people would probably think im nuts if they look at him.lol

"i think you can't actually change the dogs nature but you can shape it with the way it is treated"

I think you're spot on there Marie.

I know there are soooo many variables, but I guess what I was thinking was more in general terms. If you took 100 grumpy or unhappy people and 100 cheerful, happy people and they each had a dog, would you find a large percentage of the dogs matching their human counterparts? I bet you would.

Carrie

hi i agree with you carrie but sometimes nature over-rides nurture.....i used to have a dog called ninna who in alot of ways was a nice dog but she was aggressive from the day she got home, we trained her with the firm but fair approach she was never smacked and we all gave her lots of cuddles etc but the older she got the worse she got, starting with jelousy of the children(jumping up on sofa pushing them away from me!) then onto overprotective of food to the point where you couldnt go anywhere near her dish without her growling and snapping at you and ending with her actually attacking my other dog....it broke my heart but i had to make the choice to rehome her before she attacked one of my children......she now lives with a couple a few miles away and has settled nicely although shes still aggressive :( my other dog is an absoloute joy beautiful temprement and 100% trustworthy i would trust her with the tiniest baby or animal and they were both trained and treated in excatly the same way
emma

Wow, that was some dog! Yes, I believe you. There are probably lots of exceptions like that. I guess I tend to generalize too much. You're right. Nature, personalities etc are genetically in there to begin with. And sometimes they're very strong. Thanks for your interesting story. I bet that was hard and disappointing for you to have to make that decision. But it was for the best. It sounds like she has a good home though.

And probably most dogs, each having their own personalities and traits, if raised exactly the same, still won't come out the same, even within the same breed. They have to be raised differently to suit their temperaments. I do things differently with my various dogs especially because they're all different breeds and absolute individuals. They cannot be handled the same way. My Doberman is one where I have a real tight rope of a balance to constantly find between firmness and insistance but without harshness. My dogs are all pretty sensative, but he is extra sensative. So is the Chi girl. You don't dare look cross-eyed at her or she might be wounded to the depths. The other two not quite so sensative. Then you add in their level of understanding things and a whole host of other factors. Then there are the things you don't even know about what are going through their minds. LOL. It can be complicated sometimes.

Carrie

I like to think that I'm pretty nice to people and I treat my dogs good. 3 out of 5 of my dogs are more aggressive and that is because of me not socializing them properly. Taz and Tiva are great with people and other dogs, Junior, T-Bone and Dozer Iam working on, but that was truely my fault. What I know now I would socialize the crap outta my pup so I have a well adjusted dog like my other two. My other two went and did everything with us so they met alot of people and dogs. Once the other 3 get to know you they are all over you, guess to they are a little more shy then the other two...Partly my fault and probably just the way my dogs are, who knows...

My dogs are all the same breed - in fact they are all the same family. Mother, daughter from one litter and brothers from another litter. They all have different personalities and need different handling.
:)

Oh yes, totally. It's just like anybody. Human siblings each have their own personality. So, it doesn't matter if it's the same breed of dog or not. They definitely are individuals and need custom handling. But when they're different breeds, you may see even more dramatic differences.