Quote: steve strom

Another example along those lines would be our Rott and English Setter. They behave identical in public, but the two breeds have nothing in common.

Steve: exacto-mundo!

Lol, ok, I was reaching with fetch.

We have an Akita on my street who is a wonderful example of a good guard dog. If nobody threatens his territory he just hangs out and plays with their kids. Touch the gate and you're treated to a display of barking and teeth that would make anybody think twice.

The fence only comes up to his shoulder and he doesn't challenge it. I'd love to ask the family about him but their English is very limited.

My Boxer is the worst guard dog ever. Not typical of the breed. Gunshots down the street? Shouting match next door? Somebody trying to lift the latch on my gate? He doesn't even lift his head up. The only time he barks is when my neighbors brats run down the walkway shrieking. Good thing nobody knows he's such a marshmallow.

 Quote: steve strom

Lol, ok, I was reaching with fetch.

Ha-ha, I can see that you know whereof you speak, Steve

Now, picture this:

At an Akita Club picnic...

Everyone else's Akitas are in crates (if 6 months of age or older) and ex-pens (if young pups)...

My adult Akita is on-lead, UNTIL...

My son and I take her onto the public park's huge lawn area with lots of people playing Frisbee, and a few loose dogs (various types, no Akitas)...

We stand at least 100 feet apart from each other, I unleash my bitch, then we call her back & forth between us (she is wearing her extremely discreet e-collar, but never needs any corrections)...

Her send away & recall are perfect -- She turns on a dime, and comes front-&-center, with happy body-language...

All the Akita folks are astounded, flabbergasted, incredulous, and tongue-tied -- They accuse us of dressing my son's female Doberman in an Akita costume & working her undercover ... We GLOAT and put in some well-placed plugs for Leerburg !!!

What? They aren't just to look at? Lol. I have a friend that has flashy, high level obedience with her Afghans and before that, a Borzoi. Most people think all those breeds are for is brushing. They can do it, but the process is very different.

 Quote: steve strom

What? They aren't just to look at? Lol. I have a friend that has flashy, high level obedience with her Afghans and before that, a Borzoi. Most people think all those breeds are for is brushing. They can do it, but the process is very different .

And there we have it, Steve, thanks

 Quote: Cathy Goessman

We have an Akita on my street who is a wonderful example of a good guard dog. If nobody threatens his territory he just hangs out and plays with their kids. Touch the gate and you're treated to a display of barking and teeth that would make anybody think twice.

The fence only comes up to his shoulder and he doesn't challenge it. I'd love to ask the family about him but their English is very limited.

My Boxer is the worst guard dog ever. Not typical of the breed. Gunshots down the street? Shouting match next door? Somebody trying to lift the latch on my gate? He doesn't even lift his head up. The only time he barks is when my neighbors brats run down the walkway shrieking. Good thing nobody knows he's such a marshmallow.

Well, hopefully you call him "Killer" or "Machete" or some other non-marshmallow GUARDY name when he's out in public (just kidding of course) -- Most Akitas are much less barky than other guard dogs ... Mine has a nighttime Bad-Guy-Beware growl that sounds like some demon roar from the Jaws of Hell (it's very loud & eerie-scary) but her daytime face-to-face defense default is the Stultifying Akita Stank-Eye by which she telegraphs a no-bluff threat that terrifies her target while she's in Silent Mode!

Even with my two GSDs the training process is totally different. One has been a serious, thinking dog since he was a puppy. I knew by 6-7 months old he would be the best dog I've EVER had and that's a lot. #2 is 6 this month and he's still as crazy as a March hare.
Both obey me like trained soldiers but #2 is always that shaken soda bottle ready to pop.

Eddie my service dog is the perfect example of this.
Wherever we go people want to pet him and make over him. They then want one.
Sigh.
I always try to dissuade them and say something like.....well you should see him with his harness off.... He will walk past a table and if you are not looking steal food.. Or when he gets riled up he knocks furniture over. Or when he plays he steals the foyer rug and runs around with it. Or the couch cushion.
In reality He Hardly acts up at all now. But it took lots of training to get him where he is.
And the escape thing. He can leap from a stand still a 4' gate. We had to put a shock collar with an anti linger feature on it to keep him in. Even then he would take the hit to get out. I've heard of them digging through drywall to get out of a room.
Most of the time it works. But there is always that person who says..... But he is sooo cute and nice. Lol. I do my best..... But sometimes people just want to ignore what is in front of them.
There are breed differences. That is a factor for sure. But in the end it comes down to lots of training and effort.

In my experience the dog you end up with is much more "nurture" than "nature."

Sure--a particular breed will give you a good idea about the physical dog, size, coat, and general tendencies--but the personality of a dog is nothing but potential. There's so much variability between individuals within a breed or even within a litter that they aren't carbon copies.

My five are all very different breeds, but have very similar temperaments as adults, because that's what I made them. They all have the same rules, routines, and pack structure. I think I could pick nearly any pup (of my choosing) and get the same results.

The success of any individual dog in his particular life is much more about the handler than the generics he starts with. Within limits, of course.

For a dog that is required to do a special job or sport, or live in a very particular kind of environment, you have to be able to identify whether or not they have that potential. That's the generics (and maybe even the early litter socialization) part. But from then on, it's all about the way the dog is raised. IMO