Look at you with all your answers i think i got 2

The more I sit and think on it the more i think that yes it can be passed down x

I think kcjack has a point in that this discussion is relevant to all breeds but I put it here as I own a NI and am aware there has been alot of concern recently about the suitability of certain stud dogs.

Can I ask, what would you define as aggression? What would be the turning point when you changed from saying a dog has a bad temprement to saying a dog was aggressive or are the two so closely linked it is difficult to say when it changes?

Obviously if the dog actually attacks someone, then you clearly have an aggressive dog but what about before that, where would you say it starts?

Oops, sorry hun didn't realise you had posted it on here as well!!

Sorry, Jem has started a thread in the Training and Behaviour section covering this issue.

http://www.dogsey.com/showthread.php?t=97811

lol I post everywhere lol x

To answer your first question, there is no doubt that temperament is passed down to offspring. This goes for good and bad temperaments. This was the deciding factor for choosing Beau, having met a lot of Beaus 's relatives, they all have amazing temperaments.
Nurture also comes into it of course but dogs with poor temperaments should never be bred from no matter the breed.

Would you say then, that if a dog who had say a destructive and dominant temprement was used as a stud, it would be highly likely that these traits would be passed on?

Would the resulting puppies continue with these traits despite the environment they were raised in and regardless of their new owners influence?

I'm beginning to feel as though I'm picking brains now, sorry

I think then it comes down to which breed you are looking at, some breeds have dominance stated as their breed characteristic. Destructive is a hard one because again some breeds are known to be destructive if their energies are not channelled correctly. So IMHO the examples given would not sway me away from breeding in certain breeds.
Have I copped out

Some have said on the other thread that aggresive dogs shouldn't be bred from, would that mean then that all breeds who say were originally bred to fight guard kill peasants ect should be banned from breeding ?

Is `aggression` an inherited trait. I can see that a certain tendency to nervousness or arrogance or a strong prey drive would be in-bred, but surely to turn this to aggression requires environmental factors? For instance a strong-willed dog could go either way.
I know certain conditions can be inherited (cocker Rage syndrome ) but I`d be interested to know from breeders on here if they know of `lines` that tend to aggression.