Hi Jenn, I don't know your dogs so can't gauge their full temperament and character but the standard does allow for a degree of reservation. You say your first dog is initially reserved with strangers but mushes up with them once he knows them. This type of character is perfectly normal and what one should expect with a breed that has a watchdog heritage. He is not supposed to throw down the welcome mat for all but when he sees that person is acceptable to you allows himself to be handled, that is a good watchdog. Providing the dog is not rolling his eyes, ducking his head to one side and jamming his tail up his crotch but standing with presence (not hackled or growling) it wouldn't bother me if he chose to act the protector when approached by a stranger but I would expect him to relax quickly which your post implies your first dog does. If your second dog is the goon that wiggles and smooches up from the get go he is actually a more submissive dog, which is sounding like it suits you perfectly. He may actually read your body language quicker and realise all is well, does he still overgreet people who you are not comfortable with?? This might make an easy affable pet for you but not likely to protect you from the mad axman!
Rose Tierney -----Original Message----- From: Jennifer Popp [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: December 19, 2002 7:22 PM To: Bernese Mountain Dog Mailing List Subject: Socialization of dogs Ok, I've got a general question for the wealth of berner knowledge on this list. And I'm sure this question will be one of those that had widely opposing views, so be kind to Pat and don't get nasty. Here goes.... I remember when I got my first berner (5 years ago) some admirers of the breed I'd meet along the way would comment on the temperament they saw creeping into, what used to be, a very friendly breed. That temperament being shier, more aloof, less approachable, etc. As I always do, I brought my new berner to obedience school (at 3 months) and socialized him with other animals, adults and children (as well as traffic, trucks, etc.). I would have thought I had done a good job of exposing him to different things as he grew up. But then at around 9 months, he started showing signs of the very behaviour I described above. He will approach anyone he doesn't know with reserve and don't dare pet him until he says it's OK. Reach out to pat his head and he will jump back and possibly bark. Once he knows a person, he's more loveable than any berner on the planet. He actually squeaks if he's happy to see someone he knows. Now my second berner is the polar opposite. He does the full body wiggle as he approaches ANYONE. But he went to three levels of what I'd call a better obedience school. I even went as far as bring him at 9 weeks of age because I believed the risk of him contracting some puppy disease was less of a worry than him being under socialized. (Now that's not the point of the story, so don't anyone start ranting about this aspect, as I would do it again.) So my questions are: Is it just genetics that determine this type of trait? Is it the socialization at a very young age? Does the puppy school make that much of a difference in the social behaviour of dogs? Can anyone shed any light on this?? Some notes: I'm not saying either way is right, I'm just wondering what would determine such a huge variance in social behaviour. Second note: each berner is from a different breeder with (probably) no ancestral links in their pedigree. Third note, both are altered males, one altered at 1 year, one at 5.5 months. First berner was not first dog, we have a GSD that is three years older than the first berner -- each dog is approximately three years difference in age. I'd have to say, I'm not a dog idiot, I have read many books on training and dog behaviours and my training is based on positive rather than negative. Is it just that the owner gets that much better with each dog they add to the family?? Jenn Popp ************************************ Healthy Paws Bones and Raw Food Diet http://www.healthy-paws.ca Toronto, Ontario (Canada) 416-264-1313 / email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ************************************
