Patricia Craige Trotter was in Edmonton recently presenting a seminar on structure, genetics and breeding. It was excellent and I wish I were 20 years younger so I could put into practice all I learned. A thought occurred to me when she was discussing genetics and the traits a puppy receives from Mumma as opposed to those Poppa gives him and the impact of those traits on a pup's disposition.

We discuss "nature" and "nurture" at the Pet Education sessions.  Nature is the genetic make up of the animals and the influence of his genes on his behaviour. Nurture is the sum total of his experiences and training.

It wouldn't hurt for each of us to research the breeds making up our dogs – purebred or crossbred. These kids bring with them voices of their ancestors and it would bode us well to be familiar with behaviours typical of certain breeds.

"But Gin", you say, "my dog is (for example) half Siberian Husky and half German Shepherd. Siberians are known for running away and should be on leash or in enclosed areas when off leash. My dog doesn't bolt and I never need a leash, so that theory must be wrong." My response to such a comment would be "Good for you, but that's not typical of the breed and even though there are exceptions to every rule, knowledge of traits of breeds in our dog's background help us make informed decisions."

Once we know specific breed traits we can then be in a better position to anticipate a behaviour and be ready for it in the event the dog exhibits it.

My really close friend is currently struggling with her Australian Shepherd "going into business for himself". He bonded with her at an early age and is protective – to the point of having to be told to back off when strangers approach too quickly and make sudden gestures. He spent time with a family member who is in a wheelchair and wouldn't leave. He began sleeping with the family member rather than with his owner. It was as though he thought he might be needed and took it upon himself to stand watch.

One afternoon, a stranger came to the family home. The fellow was in a hurry and was rather loud and made quick, sudden gestures. The dog misinterpreted the stranger's sudden movement toward the family member in the wheelchair as threatening.

My friend was quick with "leave it" and that was the end of a situation that might have resulted in an injury had she not had her dog under such good control.

If we look into the background of the Australian Shepherd (Aussie) we find that they were with the Basques in the nineteenth century. They were tough little dogs with a tough life. They had to hardy individuals, toughened by exposure and they had to be adaptable. They were capable of herding sheep over western ranges as well as protecting the flocks from predators. They were dogs with intense herding ability and were avidly devoted to their masters. A quote from a book about the dog states, "he was a dependable herding dog of superior intelligence and a loyal family companion that would give his life to protect his master's possessions."

Okay – so now we have this guy in the city living with us in the house. What can we reasonably expect? We can anticipate a busy dog, needing lots of exercise and one who could confuse a loud, boisterous visitor of being a threat.

Fair, consistent control is of the utmost importance when dealing with such a dog. One must look at the world from the dog's point of view and always be aware of the dog and where he is at any given time.

Commands such as "enough" "quit" "down" "stay" and "come" should be second nature to the owner of such a dog and the dog should be trained to a level exceeding that of other less "busy" dogs.

If your dog is one who "goes into business for himself", consider attending obedience classes to brush up on your training (and control) of your canine pal. It's time and money well spent.

A little reminder --

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