Are some dogs Story by Damen DaRonco
meaner? E
verybody wants a dog that fits his or her per- sonality. And everybody knows that a dog’s
personality is solely predicated on its breed. Or is it? “Are there dog breeds that are
meaner than others? When we ask questions like that, we start comparing dogs to people,” said Maryna Ozuna, owner and director of training at Arizona Doggy Dude Ranch. “And that’s where the syllogism falls apart because dogs don’t translate the world like we do so you can’t submit it to a simplistic analysis of are they nice or not.” A dog’s personality, much like
a person’s, is formed by a variety of factors. Yet, many people still
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“People may not guess it, but the
number one biting dog in America is the golden retriever,” she said. “Because they were over bred and most of the people who bred them did (improper) puppy development.” Over time, the poor breeding and
believe that a dog’s breed is the primary factor in determining its temperament. This belief perpetuates the myth
that all rottwielers and German shepherds are inherently vicious, while all terriers and golden retrievers are docile and family-friendly because of their breed. “The relationship between breed
and aggressiveness has gotten overly simplified,” said Ozuna. “A lot of things go into making a good dog. Nutrition, puppy development, training, good owners, and good genetics. And by good genetics, I mean parents that have decent structure and temperament. It has much more to do with a dog’s genes than it has to do with a dog’s breed.” Ozuna said a cocker spaniel with
parents who were overly aggressive is more likely to bite someone than a pit bull with parents who were placid.
training led to bad genetics, which were passed down through the generations. “Most people thought since they
got a ‘good’ dog, they didn’t have to do (anything) with them,” Ozuna said. “So they just left them alone and they developed all sorts of bad behavior.” Ozuna said if a person is looking
to buy the perfect dog, they need to start by analyzing themselves. “We look more to
matching personality than we look to matching breed. So we always tell people to first make a very frank assessment of their household. Is your house a one person household that is as regular like clockwork? Or do you have three kids and 29 other people in and out of
the house at all hours of the night,” she said. “So a frank assessment of yourself, your temperament and your household should always be first and foremost before getting a dog.”
Ozuna said she doesn’t even
consider the breed of the dog until after she covers the owner’s personality, house size and lifestyle. “We take all those things into consideration first because those things will have a bigger impact than the breed of a dog,” she said. “I could more easily match a medium-sized, active dog with a single female who lives in a small apartment but likes to run than I could with an older couple with a huge house but are inactive. So it all depends on being honest with yourself about what your life is really like if you want to find the right dog.” If you would like
more information, visit azdoggyduderanch. com.
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www.balletyuma.org 928.314.4762
3942 S Ave. 4½ E Photo: Serendipity Photography
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