Can't remember off-hand, but will check tonight... don't mind telling

By speaking to people in the breed. People that have been in the breed for a while will know what lines are good and what to avoid Even if people wouldn't go to a breeder themselves, they would still give you an honest opinion (there are several breeders I wouldn't buy from personally, they might just not have the lines I want etc, but I would still recommend them to others if they breed for health, temperament and have good ethics).

A Malamute. We have been very careful with lines and chose the breeder on personal recommendations from people in the know. I was satisfied with the answers I recieved to my questions when chatting to the breeder. We feel as prepared as we can be and we are really looking forward to welcoming the little one into our family. I'm sure Rio will teach new pup how to be a good Estrela anyway just like she did with our Jacky.

Look at the Walton Sextuplets---all totally different.

I think it is a mixture of so many things. Good temperament in the parents might mean OK around familiar dogs. Could be that some dogs don't get to see as many other dogs.

I introduce most other dogs into my group quite happily but there have been odd dogs that I have know wouldn't be happy and might therefore show aggression. Doesn't make them aggressive dogs---makes them aggressive in that situation.

All you can do is what you are going to do---lots of positive socialisation---including the odd put down from other steady dogs--and looking at temperament of parents etc.

Can't wait for pics!

rune

We are definitely going to get a dog from Parker's line (Arkama) when we next look to get another Kerry Blue after Cherry and Parker (hopefully a long while in the future). Parker is so laid back for a terrier and my husband calls him "wussified"-very soft natured.

Cherry is complete opposite but has had bad experiences and I was told to handle her completely wrongly (aversives) so took a long while to remedy this.

I don`t know. If certain lines are `aggressive` does that mean the individual dog can`t be turned around with good handling & training? Or nervous dogs can`t be made more confident? It`d be a poor show if we couldn`t re-shape behaviour, since that`s what training is, basically.
No dog is perfect - but then no owner is. You just have to deal with what you`ve got.
I`d be very wary of accepting a judgement on a pup as being likely to have a certain temperament as this is usually a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you expect trouble, you`ll usually get it.

Ooh malamute puppy, very cute!

My experience of the breed has been good, my sheep killer was a super star with other dogs and other mals and mal xs I've met have also been great dogs. I think they sometimes suffer from lack of exercise and stimulation.

I think another point to make is about what people consider acceptable. I have two new dogs in my pack (lame collie and jrt) While settling in their was an occasional growl/posturing from the dogs and some fairly intense interaction. I consider this ok as I understand dogs and see how it will resolve itself. Another owner might freak out.

I also think we can have different expecations of certain breeds. For example do we tolerate/breed from a fiesty jrt because its a fiesty jrt were as we wouldn't tolerate the same behaviour and certainly wouldn't breed from a golden retriever or labrador.

I remeber reading a study (quoted alot about 3 yrs ago) that suggested behaviour was only 30% genetics.
Can anyone find remember that study?

Btw what mal lines are dodgy, my clients are still looking for a rescue mal and I wnat to steer them away from anything that might be a little tricky/unpredictable. Pm if you want.

Adam

I'd love to read it because personally I think that is fundamentally wrong.

Do you believe that a dog that retrieves to some degree, without any "knowing" training, does so because of accidental training, not genetics?

Do you believe that any dog which naturally gets on with other dogs, many labs for instance, does so through training?

Do you believe that any dog cares for its puppies, does so because of human training?

Do yo believe that any dog that chases rabbits, does so through human training?

Do you believe that any dog which herds or controls does so through human training?

Because I don't!

Well the papers I read a few years ago when looking into the inheritance of temperament placed the genetic influence at between 40% - 60%, averaging out at 50%.

Adam.

I too have a JRT from purebred working lines. She isn't feisty as one would expect a JRT to be. Her parents are dog friendly and easy going, despite being working lines. That's what I mean about lines - I wouldn't touch a JRT with a bargepole if I didn't know the lines. And no, I wouldn't tolerate any bad behaviour from her because of her breed but I know many who do. The whole 'it's a terrier it's meant to be like that' attitude is a get out of jail free card for unacceptable behaviour IMO.