The Secret Language of Breed Descriptions
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Imagine that you’re shopping for a new house and your read this description:
“This quaint fixer upper is a handyman’s dream. This home is waiting for the right owner to turn it into their dream house. It’s a blank slate waiting for you!"
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That sounds an awful lot like a house that needs a lot of repair - and maybe major renovation. I’m sort of imagining the house might look like the left side of this photo.
We might choose to go see the house if we are looking for a fixer-upper, of course. It might be the perfect house for us (and it DOES look nice on the right side of that photo, doesn’t it?). But the important point here is that we’d know from the description that the house we were going to look at probably wasn’t what most people would consider “move-in-ready.” Many of us have learned about the “secret language of real estate.” It’s not even really a secret at this point.
But the description of dog breeds is often vague or confusing to people looking for a dog. Unlike real estate terminology, most of us haven’t had the need to read and decipher breed descriptions to figure out what they are really saying.
So what if you read:
There’s a “certain aloofness that does not lend itself to immediate and indiscriminate friendships.” Does that sound like a good dog for families with lots of visiting friends (including kids)? Or maybe dogs described like this might be a better fit for an introvert!? This language is found in the AKC breed standard (description) for one of my favorite breeds - the German Shepherd Dog. “Aloof” in a breed description is one of those clever words which downplays a trait that some might find problematic - much like “cozy” means that the million dollar house in Silicon Valley is only 600 square feet.
These dogs “are independent, dignified, and aloof in general, but they are affectionate and extremely loyal to humans they have bonded with. This loyalty can make it difficult for an adult to adjust to a new home.” Again, does this sound like the right dog for a household which often hosts parties? No, based on this description, Afghan Hounds might be happiest in small family with a smaller close-knit circle of friends.
“Their loud bawling is melodious to hound lovers …” Oh boy. This sounds like the perfect dog to live in a high-rise condo with paper-thin walls, right? This dog’s description goes on to say that their “single-minded prey drive must be managed.” So, in addition to being best away from close neighbors these dogs might not be the best choice for a house filled with other small pets like rabbits. Don’t get me wrong - I really like hounds like the American Foxhound. But they’ll probably be a better fit living in the country than living in the tight quarters of a big city.
This 150 lb dog’s description says “They will protect their flock—livestock, children, smaller dogs, even the family cat—with intensity.” Doesn’t that sound like the perfect dog for a petite 80 year old with osteoporosis? No, maybe Anatolian Shepherds would be better suited for a farm with some sheep to protect from coyotes.
Of course, every dog is an individual
People who study animal behavior say that, “every dog is a study of one.” You might find a lazy Belgian Malinois (but don’t count on it). You might find a truly unfriendly Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (due to bad breeding practices, poor socialization as a puppy, or scary events in her life). But, assuming good breeding practices have been used to produce healthy dogs, you might expect a dog to live up to their breed standard. After all, they’ve been bred literally thousands of generations to be like that description. And we certainly can’t blame dogs for acting like the dog we’ve worked hard to make them into.
So, do your homework before selecting a breed. Consider how your lifestyle might mesh with the expected behavior of the dog more than you consider just their appearance.