...:: THE DOG'S CHARACTER ::...

Here I want to share my vision on the psychological aspects of the user dog. Before we continue, first we have to do some concept-defining. When I speak of a dog or user dog, I speak of a dog that could be used as a SERVICE DOG.

When I speak of a SERVICE DOG, I do not aim at the bark- and bite dogs that are used by the Military Police with riots, but I do aim at a reliable and true surveillance dog, police dog or rescue dog. When I mention CHARACTER, or as the Germans would say “DAS WESEN”, first has to be defined what this comprehends.

With CHARACTER I aim at the way a dog reacts to influences from the outside. These influences or impulses from the outside can be classified by their kind as well as by the dogs reaction to them. This last mentioned forms the dogs character. In order of rank of importance we can mention the following three primary characteristics:

COURAGE

CONSISTENCY

TOUGHNESS

NATURE’S SHARPNESS

With COURAGE I mean the characteristic of the dog in doing what is expected with unsuspected and threatening situations, despite the possible consequences for the dog.

CONSISTENCY actually is a part of COURAGE, after all, without CONSISTENCY there would be no COURAGE.

With TOUGHNESS I aim at the characteristic of resisting aggravating influences from the outside while accomplishing its task.

With NATURE’S SHARPNESS I mean the characteristic of intervening in threatening situations on its own initiative. This is something completely different than simple sharpness! Sharpness comes from insecurity or even fear and is mostly unwanted.

As secondary characteristics can be mentioned:

TEMPER

MEEKNESS

STARKNESS

FRIENDLINESS

SHARPNESS

TEMPER is the visible expression of the working urge. Without COURAGE, CONSISTENCY and THOUGHNESS, TEMPER has no value whatsoever. What we will see is a busy dog, a lot of barking but no biting. This is the kind of dog that is sharp as a bullet in distance-setting, but during the fight will loose its attention. We are much better off with a calm, courageous dog that knows what he stands for.

MEEKNESS can interfere with TOUGHNESS, after all, the best dogs are no “ball playing”-dogs! You must spend more time on education with this type of dog than you would spend on a soft dog. We will often have to be satisfied with the fact that you will never control the last 10% of the dog.

STARKNESS, especially DDR-dogs can be stark due to their toughness, is the opposite to MEEKNESS. This can be very unpleasant, specially if a dog comes after its owner when he is disliking something. STARKNESS is not always negative, we have to learn how to handle it.

FRIENDLINESS is an inborn quality with all good dogs; unstable and sharp dogs can be unfriendly or even aggressive. UNFRIENDLINESS with a good dog is caused by unreasonable behaviour of the educator / owner towards the dog.

SHARPNESS comes from insecurity or fear, compensated by aggressive behaviour. These type of dogs are mostly involved in biting incidents. There is only one remedy: GET RID of these dogs! Do not let them live any longer, not for the outside world and especially not for breeding.

Nowadays, in breeding a lot is said regarding CATCH INSTINCT. Next to PLAY INSTINCT this characteristic will absolutely be present in the good character dogs I describe. For working it is not very important; a good dog will not do bitework because of CATCH INSTINCT but because of COURAGE, TOUGHNESS and NATURE’S SHARPNESS. With this I do mean the KNPV bitework; section C of the IPO is nothing more than a more implemented part the appeal.

Jacques