Do dogs have personalities?

Any dog-owner will tell you, that all dogs have very distinctive personalities. Some of it has to do with breed characteristics, and some of it has to do with the dog’s early experiences with humans. A dog’s personality decides how much he will learn, how he will interact with you and other animals, and what his place in your life will be.

While choosing a dog, unfortunately, too many people make a decision based on the current ‘fashion’ in breeds rather than their own lifestyle and the dog personality that would suit them. And breeds become fashionable for the strangest of reasons. An endearing pug appears in a popular commercial, and suddenly breeders see a huge demand for this breed, and command fantastic prices too. However, most people overlook the fact that it is a fairly delicate breed of dog, prone to several nasal and eye problems, and can be quite short-tempered.

The Labrador is cute, large and supposed to be a family dog. It is currently a highly popular breed. However, it has an extremely gregarious, almost over-friendly personality, needs a lot of exercise, not just to keep its body in shape, but also to expend all that extra energy. This means that a Labrador owner simply must, firstly, train its dog not to jump on people in joyful greeting, and second, must have the time, energy, space and inclination to exercise the dog well, every day. The city is full of overweight, morose or hyperactive Labradors, whose owners simply did not take the breed personality and their own resources into account while choosing to get that cuddly Lab puppy. Some are morose because nobody bothers to play with them or exercise them; once they get full-grown and overweight, they are impossible to manage, and are hence kept tied and ‘out of the way’. Others are hyperactive for the same reasons, except that they are not tied, and simply allowed to run riot all over people, without benefit of training.

A dog’s personality also decides how trainable he or she is, how much attention he needs, and how some important issues like medicating, grooming, controlling, etc will shape up as the dog grows. Here, its early interaction with humans plays a role in shaping its personality. A dog that has been ignored, or tied continuously, or spoilt thoroughly, will have, by the age of 8 months, acquired some definite personality traits, which may well include snapping, refusing to come when called, and being totally untreatable in terms of injections, tablets, trimming of nails, and the like. While some of these things can be altered and corrected with a lot of patience, it makes much more sense and makes for a happier relationship, if dog owners recognize their dog’s personality as well as shape it, in the early days of their relationship.

For instance, some dogs are naturally more suspicious and tense when it comes to anyone coming within some distance of their food plate. Others are much more trusting, and will let you even take things out of their mouth. A new puppy will begin to exhibit this aspect in its third or fourth month. It is important for the dog owner to respect a dog’s sense of space while eating. However, it is equally important that the dog not be allowed to play out and establish its aggression over food fully, because this would mean that if he were to pick up something to eat that is harmful, no one would ever be able to approach him to remove it or stop him. It makes sense to slowly get a puppy to accept your presence close to its food. Also, you can then train him to drop any object from his mouth, if it is not meant to be picked up or eaten.

Some dogs have ‘charmer’ personalities. They know how to wheedle and cajole their owners into giving them treats, or allowing them up on the bed. Some dogs even know how to make appropriately guilty faces and body-language when they have done something wrong, like chewing up something, and their owner is angry. Once your heart melts, they go on their merry way, to repeat the ‘crime’ whenever they next get the chance. If you see this trait in your dog, you will need to resist the temptation of those big limpid eyes, and show your dog you are really upset and will not tolerate any more destruction.

Some dogs are bullies. They have sparkling, confident personalities, but hate to be corrected. With a few well-aimed snarls and snaps, they manage to train their owners into submission quite early in the relationship. If there are signs that this is what is going to happen between you and your dog, take stock and right the balance. While he may be man’s best friend, don’t let him take you for a ride. This kind of dog needs firm handling, and a clear message: bullying will get you nowhere.

Understanding your dog’s personality and making appropriate adjustments is not a question of mastery over your dog. It is a matter of building a better relationship, and ensuring that your dog is a welcome, loved and happy member of your family.