I am actually very lazy with my owns dog regards training I train hard on making them sociable with humans and dogs, recall and house training and thats it cant be bothered with sit, paw, roll over blah blah I just let them be themselves. When people meet my dogs as I work with them they expect them tosit and not come till told and stuff where as reality is your more likely to get tongues and cuddles asap LOL

I don't expect my dog to behave like a robot and yes, there are certain things I think we will never be able to achieve. (his traffic-phobia for one!) But, we've worked very hard with Marius to have a well-rounded, mostly well-behaved boy

To a certain extent, I do feel a sense of responsibility to be a bit of an ambassador because of the breed we have chosen to have. There are so many anti-Rottie people out there that I certainly wasn't going to have anyone saying anything detrimental about my dogs behaviour, if I could help it!

Therefore, I ensured he was very well socialised and took a lot of time training him. No, he isn't perfect, not in the least - and like a typical Rott (esp Male!) likes to test the boundaries and try it on misbehaving sometimes. But, I have to say I am immensley proud of him.

A lovely example of this was him meeting our neighbourds 14 week old Poodle puppy the other day. At first the pup was terrified of him, wouldn't come near - but Marius got on the ground and let it nudge him & get confident. After a bit, it was rolling on his head and having a great time pawing at him!! He can be the gentlest of souls (hard to believe when he is thundering around a field like a flaming Shire-horse!!)

We saw her again today & her owners hubby shouted over "There's your *Marra" (*Cumbrian for friend) , it's wee tail was like a propellor going around!!! She was in his arms and writhing about trying to break free so she could go & play with him!!!

So I guess it isn't always so much as what you the owner expectations of what you expect from your dog. Occasionally itcan be peer pressure to try & 'prove a point' & show Joe Public to not be so judgemental about our breed.

This says it all for me too! I wouldn't have unruly kids, so why would I want unruly dogs if I have the capability of training them up to be just like the above. That's all I ask of my dogs, to be sociable and well mannered when out or at other people's houses, but at home, they can be as manic as they want, but when I say enough if I've had enough, then I'd like them to be quiet. They can be as mad as they like when they're out as long as it doesn't get them into trouble with other people or their dogs, so it's imperative for me that they come when called and that usually keeps us out of trouble or harm's way. They can bark at people going by outside my house, or when somebody calls on us, but again, when enough is enough, I like to be in control! I'm a bit of a control freak anyways, so it's bound to have an effect on my dogs just as it does my husband, but that's not to say I live with robots, I just like to be in control and that means my dogs have to be trained enough to know what I want, when I want it and they've always obliged without answering me back. Robots no, but happy doglets I think so

I can't abide unruly kids, I'm always saying "give them to me for a week", so it goes without saying my dogs won't be unruly coz that's not me!