Does A Dog’s Personality Affect Training?

Nature vs Nurture – How A Dog’s Personality & Temperament Affects Training

~Darcy Rohats, CPDT-KA

I have an announcement to make!   There has been a darling addition to my household in the form of a five-month-old Chihuahua-mix girl, now named Rio.  Rio is fitting in nicely and getting to know her new “brother,” a comparably-sized Papillon named LG.  It has been great fun to witness their antics and reactions to new situations, such as in beginner agility class.  The two are as different as night and day! So, does a dog’s personality affect training?

For me, the experience has really driven home the importance of individual personality in how these little characters see the world and how that, in turn, influences the successful training approach.   Let me share an example from agility class the other day:

Temperament & Personalities in Dog Training

LG:  Someone is always out to get me, that’s why I am paranoid!

My little Papillon, LG, has been working at agility for some months.  He tries to focus on the task at hand, until he hears something or catches a scent, which invariably sends him into a tizzy and he winds up a worried bundle of nerves.  The other day, I was working the teeter with him, very gently with limited motion.  LG was trying very hard and was getting there, but with such caution, he seemed almost paralyzed.   Try as I might, I couldn’t get him to move past the tipping point at the middle of the teeter.  Finally, I let him rest to remove the stress the “Little Guy” was obviously feeling.  Then I thought, oh heck, let’s see what Rio does.

Rio:  Out of the way!  I’ll try anything once!

Rio’s reaction could not have been more different.  She wasn’t worried one wit! She trotted up and over the teeter, and as the board dropped, she crouched and rode it down before scampering to collect the little piece of cheese I had placed on the end.  She even paused at the bottom, not jumping off until I released her.  That was fun and pretty cool! She repeated it for me a few more times and then I let her rest.

Understanding Dog Temperament

My little LG is starting to get the obstacles down, but as soon as strangers are present, he refuses to perform what he knows:  He’s too worried. This will be another phase of LG’s training. And Rio…. well, she may learn the sport of agility well, but I can see her running a course and suddenly dashing off to say hi to the judge and then mooching off the pole setters.  Two minutes later, she will remember I am there!   Night and day!

Thinking about what happened with the teeter, I realized it was a good thing that dogs have different personalities to work with because if dogs were all the same, few would need a dog trainer!

Why Training Helps All Breeds of Dogs

As trainers, we are there to help dog owners understand and communicate with their dogs.  Just like us, our canine kids are all different and that means different teaching methods and approaches will be needed.   That’s what we do at AZ Dog Sports!

Understanding your dog’s personality provides information helpful to you in training. Some dogs have personality issues to work through first, before they can comfortably learn new things in a group environment.  The trainers at AZ Dog Sports can help you identify issues and put you and your canine buddy on the fast track to a mutually rewarding and fun learning experience, no matter the dog’s personality!