does working traits or drive in dogs relate to collor of the dog - Page 5

Yeah, we think WE are bad about mentioning epilepsy - I was researching Cocker pups
for a mate of mine abroad,  ooo, some 14-15 years ago;   I wrote to a whole lot of breeders
explaining the situation and asking the health questions etc, including an inquiry about
any experience of  'rage' in their lines.  Was looking at Black, btw,  -   only ONE of these
breeders (to her credit, she was Secretary of a big Club, too) bothered to even
respond. 

Don't want to deviate too much, but I am curious Linda, did she acknowledge rage syndrome? I know that recently many in the breed have been questioning it's very existence now. Hell, when you've seen it you would never deny it's existence, it is totally unpredictable and very frightening indeed.  

Oddly interesting question. European myth says that a dog with a lot of black color inside its mouth is aggressive.

However, I have heard that the lower a dog characteristically carries its tail, the softer its temperament may be. I don't mean fearful tail-tucking (fear reaction).  

Yes, Abby, she not only acknowledged it, she discussed it openly with me.  She was a
terrific lady, unfortunately she's now dead; also unfortunately, she didn't have a litter
available, but referred us on to one or two people she knew who did.  But then
my friend dropped out, she got a rescue in Croatia and decided to spend time
with that dog before importing a Cocker.

Me too!!  I thougth we were going to be talking about collars and which one is best suited for a dog's temperment.  Now, that would have been an interesting thread.

Joanro: Talking of Chocolate Labs, my Choc.Lab is an easy guy to live with too.....he is fully content as long as he gets to hang around with me and does not cause any problems other than his penchant for jumping over tall walls and checking things out in the neighborhood (does not hurt a fly while he is out and about - a bit of dog-aggression towards male dogs but that's about it).  His litter brother, who is a Choc.Lab too, is a problem child.....a bit of an anti-social and does not tolerate any other dog in his vicinity and is otherwise a social misfit, regardless of the tremendous socialization he received.  Both of my Lab's litter sisters, who are Choc Labs too, are angels.   His mother, who is a Choc.Lab is an angel too, while his father (also a Choc Lab) is as driven as they come, even at the ripe old age of 10+....but is a sweetheart too.  So there is one problem child in a total sample size of 6 Chocolate labs that I personally know of.

So, post one, eldee

aaykaay - maybe its sex-linked !?

Ahh... maybe it has to do with region then? I don't know....
The last Chocolate lab I handled, "Winnie", I remember well. Sigh... she was owner surrender and we turned her into a detector dog. As
high drive as they come and super smart too, but definitely not an angel. LOL She would eat out of crates, back porches etc... knew
exactly the right move to free herself of a collar before you could even blink. Winnie took great pride in leaving you with a leash and collar
to go down the street to torment other dogs. She'd let you get within grabbing distance, only present her butt end so as not to be caught.
The best way to get her back was to football style tackle her. LOL I'm sure I looked hilarioius. I did have a yellow as well, from a line of
working Labs in GA that was crazy as all get out. Maybe even a bit OCD and neurotic about working (as long as she was working she
was an angel. She absolutely couldn't stand to be doing anything other then work). I've never had a black come through that was crazy
or neurotic. Their working ability was top notch and their searches slow and methodical. The others, not so much. I've seen stars quite
a few times.. LOL

I can't post one because when it comes to training I am pretty stupid.  All I know is that I have never ever with any shepherd I have ever owned have I ever needed to use a pinch collar. I would always start with a choke chain and then move to a leather collar at about a year. My girl, Maya, the crazy ass wild child cannot be walked without a pinch collar, period and she is going on two. I almost feel like I will never be able to walk her without one. Lucky we live on a farm and she can run or else I would be in a nut house by now.

Just remembered the research they were doing in Siberia with foxes. The bred them for tameness and friendliness toward humans. After about 50 years not only did these foxes change color (white with markings for example) they also started to develop longer legs and lopped ears. They started looking as well as acting more dog-like. It was very interesting because it appeared that several traits that did not seem to be dependent on each other changed in the process of breeding for tameness/friendliness.

When you consider this any connection between temperament and coat color sounds more interesting..