As a site that promotes the responsible breeder and the ancestrally purebred dog, sometimes in our breed descriptions we may have things that the breeders do not like to hear. For example, a German Shepherd breeder might not like the fact that this breed can be dog aggressive and particularly male-to-male aggressive published on our site, but it's important for these facts go be out there.

Every breed was formed for specific purposes and every breed has good points about it but some of those good points (high energy, extreme loyalty for examples) can be negative traits to some dog owners. Some of the behaviors inherent to the breed are behaviors which will make that dog a mistake for some people to own.

Bad behavior the dog repeats (some people even refer to it as addictive behavior) can actually be behavior that was established specifically in that breed. A person needs to truly research the breed before searching the dogs for sale or puppies for sale ads. A new dog owner needs to understand the dog he is getting and if he knows possible negative behavior ahead of time, steps can be taken to keep the dog from being obsessed with some of those traits.

Your Basenji climbs your fence, chases down the neighbor's pet rabbit and kills it. Your Cocker Spaniel, when playing with your puppy suddenly, without warning appears to turn on the pup with considerable rage. Your German Shepherd growls at the door-to-door salesman who comes to your door. Your Australian Cattle Dog seems to want to herd your group of pre-schoolers, forcing them to stay in one area.

You did everything right; you researched the breed; you got your Basenji because of its cleanliness and because it doesn't bark. You made sure the breeder was a good breeder; you saw the rest of the litter and both parents. You made sure the pup had received all its shots and you were impressed with how well the breeder imprinted your puppy. After you got him, since you didn't intend to breed him, you had him neutered and you are up to date on all his shots. Your neighbor now wants him put down or force you to get rid of him. You love this dog very much and you've done everything right so how did you come to find yourself in this position?

Yes you did the research but like most people, you tended to overlook the negative. You may have said the dog had more good quality than bad or his good qualities were exactly what you wanted in a dog. The truth is that a good breeder will make sure potential puppy owners know both the positive and negative traits of the breed. A responsible breeder doesn't just want to sell his puppy; he wants the puppy to go to the perfect home. For this to happen, the new owners need to understand their breed thoroughly.

This means that you as a dog owner are totally responsible to research your breed and understand what it means when you get your new puppy.

Most breeds were bred to work though there are some who were bred strictly for companionship. Since most were bred to work, however, this means that they are the happiest when they are working. As a responsible dog owner, it is up to you to understand what your dog was bred to do. A dog that was bred to be a ratter (catch and kill rats), for example, is going to chase, catch and kill small game. A dog bred to herd and guard may try to take over and lead family members or other pets.

If you are aware of the tendencies your breed has when you obtain the dog, you can be watching for these traits to come out and you can work to stunt these traits or turn them in a more productive direction.

If you understand what motivates your dog, you have a chance to curb his unwanted behavior.

For example if you have a territorial, loyal, protective herding dog such as a German Shepherd, you probably already have a list of why you wanted that dog. You need to use logic, common sense and research so you'll know how these very traits can also cause problems. A territorial dog isn't going to want to allow the mailman into the yard; he certainly isn't going to let any stranger into your vehicle without your okay - especially if you aren't there. This dog will chase a person off the property and this is a reward to the dog and he will actually build certain courage and continue this behavior. It feels right to him because it is in his genes and the mailman is acting like prey in his flight.

A herding dog or high-activity working dog may focus his energy and misunderstood instincts onto other things like cars, brooms, vacuum cleaners and so on. If one of our dogs sees a squirrel outside that she cannot get too, she is very vocal about it and gets pretty agitated.

The scent hound was developed to use his nose to track and find things. Such a dog may get a whiff of "prey" in the air (cat, rabbit, mouse, etc.) and this smell will turn it into a climber, digger, and chewer - whatever behavior that will result in that dog being able to follow his nose.

A sporting/ hunting type dog can truly tax its owner's patience with its seemingly endless supply of energy. Labradors and German Shorthair Pointers for example are high energy dogs; you need to be prepared for this and re-direct their behavior. Some of these dogs can almost seem fanatical in the way they want to play and run. This energy is often a quality that is valuable in a drug-sniffing dog. Your pet may need some heavy play sessions with a ball, for example, to satisfy his yearnings.

Huskies and other dogs bred for sledding are bred to be task oriented and individual thinkers/problem solvers. These are wonderful pets, but they need secure fences because they also love to run and chase and once they set their minds on chasing something, they may not listen to you when you try to call them back.

Dogs in general seem to love to roll in mud, water, snow, and pastures; the last one giving off unpleasant odors. If your dog was specifically bred to tread water, he is going to be even more inclined toward these adventures.

Dogs bred to fight or protect are going to have a natural aggression toward other dogs in them that you need to be aware of before you bring them home to other pets or take them to a dog park.

You have the ability to choose your breed and research your breed and you have the responsibility to do so. Once you do, you must understand the undesirable behavior that can come out which you will be able to discourage. Sometimes it may take some work, but the sooner you begin and the more consistent you are, the higher your chances of success.

People are consistently getting dogs because they think they are the "in" thing or are attracted to the breed for the wrong reason. They then get a dog that is an ill fit and instead of taking steps that would easily make the relationship work; they get rid of the dog and sometimes pass off bad behavior with it.

As a responsible dog owner, if you socialize your puppy and take the time to train him, curb bad behavior and encourage good behavior, you and your dog will have a great relationship.