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Originally Posted by airplane  Just to throw another perspective on this, one of my dogs was very laid back and he was the one who stayed back and just observed. He wasn't timid but he wasn't very bold or outgoing either. He wouldn't come up to me, and it just seemed he wanted to be in the corner alone watching everything. Just what you would perhaps call aloof and distant. The breeder expected him to be a laid back type of dog. However, he has never been like that since I took him home. I think it was because he was in an environment where all of his siblings were putting him in his place, he was always the one getting beat up a little bit, and he'd be the lower ranking one in the pack you could say.
But he has become the social butterfly, super confident and bold, outgoing, very very active and high energy. I wouldn't call him dominant though and he's never really showed those types of behaviours, but he's so confident and secure in himself and not at all neurotic or prone to nervous upsets. This was not at all expected based on how he behaved when he was at the breeders and with his littermates. It also took a very long time for him to bond with me, and its not as deep of a bond as I'd like and I wish sometimes he'd show a bit more attachment to me. It's been slow going in that regard. So in many ways he is not what is expected based on what is written in the library about evaluating temperament. And I've observed him in many situations where lots is going on or perhaps another dog is being a bully or whatever it may be, and he has never reverted back to being aloof or backing away and observing or showing nervousness. I'm completely nonplussed about this. He's so different than what I expected. I think now he is showing his true temperament/personality, and I can only guess that maybe early on with his littermates maybe he didn't have the social skills or coping skills to deal with the environment, but now he does and he can show his true personality. I'm not too sure what it was but he's much different now. Both me and the breeder are shocked by how much he's changed. |
Buying my 3rd yorkie, there were two sisters, one was perky bouncing all over saying, take me, take me, the other was off in the corner, very shy, not out going, I thought to myself, based what has been written about "pick the perky pup" no one will want that puppy, so I bought her. Talk about not what you expected lol, once home with my two older girls (6 and 3 yo) she was the little bossy girl, the little clown, not afraid of anything and very outgoing. She was my pride and joy, I was soooo happy I took what seemed to be the shy lil girl and she was just the opposite. I took a chance and came out with the happiest lil perky puppy. Just my own personal experience picking the non perky little puppy.