My 11 mo old is sharp, defining it in words is tough but you'll know it when you see it! I like a little sharpness, but you do have to be aware ALL THE TIME when in public, adds a lot more responsability too. I also think a lot of people wouldn't want to deal with a sharp dog that never owned one.
AL

What a fantastic article !!! Finally, someone who AGREES with me on the old-fashioned meaning of "sharp" in dogs <:-O THANKS so much for posting that (I'm saving it)...

Debbie, that's a very simple and sensible explanation.

Cindy, I'd have a difficult time selecting out of a litter for myself an aloof or shy puppy. I think I'd go for a pup that alerts quickly, pulls a stance and does a couple of barks, then runs over to check things out. I selected this pup but when the litter saw me they were not in a situation where it was a surprise. A little later though some toy dogs ran into the room where I was with the puppies and two of them, a female and my male reacted in the way I described. It pleased me to see it.

With rottweilers I don't know how much can be gleaned from studying bloodlines. They all seem to be show dogs today if they are anything. A friend of mine in Canada who is a master in bringing out dogs civilly and worked with a lot of rottweilers some imported, told me that my best bet today is to get a stable German line rottweiler and breed it to some bitch from obscure American lines but strong and aggressive. As luck would have it this is the way it went down and the pup is a result of that breeding. I know its a crap shoot but so far so good.

Maybe sharpness is not a result of refined breeding but rather a little bit of muttiness in the dog

Cindy, what types of basic things would you do or not do differently with a pup that is sharp that you would or wouldn't with one that is not?

Just a little update on my "sharp" puppy which is now 4 months. Last night he was inside the house with me and my 2 year old daughter. The child and the dog were both engrossed in something when the main door opened suddenly and my wife walked in. It was a complete surprise to the dog. Without an instant of hesitation he turned away from what he was doing, barked sharply a couple of times as he ran a few paces towards the door. Then he recognized my wife and went to greet her.

Nothing out of the ordinary, just what you'd expect from a dog but don't see in a lot.

 Quote: cindy easton rhodes

Sharpness, in my opinion, is the tendency to be reactive to stimuli. In the dogs I have experience with seeing from birth to adulthood, the dogs that tend to be sharp and have natural aggression as adults may actually show shy or aloof behavior as pups. Many times they are the pups that get their hair up quickly, bark a little bit too much in response to a new person or situation, or actually appear a bit lacking in self confidence in certain situations. Being patient and having an understanding of young dog development is the key to nurturing a dog like this properly.

NOTE...this is where you need to know your bloodlines and know the different phases pups go through on their way to adulthood. Handled incorrectly, these dogs can grow up to be either very nervous (if unjustly corrected for showing these behaviors)or complete monsters (if inappropriately rewarded at the wrong time)

there are MANY pups that show all the things I listed above who simply have poor nerves, but the pups I have experience with go through phases as they grow up that if misunderstood can ruin the dog.

I have no experience raising Rott pups, but do have extensive experience with Dobermans, GSDs and Malinois.

You could be talking about the Weasel. I have also heard it described as "short nerved."

Many people told me the Weasel had a temperament problem and patted me on the back for how well she was progressing. All I did was give her the time to mature and the structure that would allow her to be all she wanted to be! People being what they are the more I said she just need time to grow up the more credit they wanted to give me.

I don't know if it is common trait in sharp dogs but out of all my dogs she is the most physically affectionate.

Affectionate is hard to quantify. What some call affection I'd call over exuberance. This puppy has a low key but pronounced contact seeking behavior. If you go after him petting he accepts it but does not react to it very much. When left alone he seeks contact by snuggling up close, manipulating the hands with his muzzle, sleeping glued to your side etc. He had little or no human handling for the first 7 weeks of his life, that could be a factor. I'm giving him time to see where this is going.