For close to 10,000 years humans have been involved in selective breeding of dogs in order to develop certain characteristics, including coats, body shapes and temperament. Each breed of dog therefore has different abilities and will retain certain characteristics of that breed.

One instance of this would be the herding dogs, such as the collie, shepherds and cattle dogs. They may have a tendency to nip, because that is how they are trained to herd animals. They also bark when they are excited, this was developed to notify the human in their life that something wasn’t right with the herd.

I know of a collie which was a wonderful babysitter when the children were in the yard, she knew her boundaries, and kept the children within those boundaries. No, she was not left alone with the children, this is never wise, but she would take care of the children when the parents were there.

Terriers were originally bred to chase small game and rodents, most of them are small, hearty dogs with authoritative barks. When challenged it is rare for a terrier to back down, as such they are very likely to bite and nip. Sporting dogs such as setters, pointers, spaniels and retrievers are bred to cooperate with humans; they are the more affectionate of dogs.

The difference between male and female dogs also makes a big difference in the means by which they are trained. A surge of hormones just before birth make the males masculine, males tend to grow larger, and are more territorial and dominant.

Training may become difficult at puberty and again around two years of age as the male behavior becomes more inflated. Females are neutral at birth and become more feminine at puberty, they can become more domineering, their moods may change, and it is common for their tastes to change. Neutering just before puberty guarantees that her temperament will not change.

When obtaining a dog, be aware of how their breed trains, it can make a big difference in the manners of the dog you raise.