How come your neighbor’s dog is lying on the floor with his tongue out only seconds after the ‘play dead’ command has reached his playful ears, while your dog is just looking you in the eyes with an empty stare? Don’t blame your dog, it’s all about the breed!

One dog certainly is more intelligent than the other, but that doesn’t mean they will be easier to train. Obedience is key. The Beagle, for example, is pretty intelligent but hard to train, while Labrador Retrievers are very reliable and docile. Furthermore, sheepdogs or herding dogs are very different in nature than hunting dogs.

Hunting dogs

To know whether a dog breed is easy to train, you should take a look at its original ‘job’. For instance, English nobles used the Beagle to run after small game like foxes or pheasants. Hence, it won’t come as a surprise that the Beagle is not your ideal lap dog. It is however a perfect dog for more experienced dog owners that live an active outdoor lifestyle.

Other hunting dogs include the Pointer and Labrador. Pointers had the task of finding game and demonstrating their location by stopping and pointing in the direction of the game, so their attention is not naturally focused towards their owner which makes them not very easy to train.

This is not the case with Labrador Retrievers, that were trained to walk close to the owner and wait for the command to retrieve small game like birds. Their willingness to please makes them great family dogs, ideal for dog training.

By the way, did you know that the most intelligent and easy to train hunting dog is actually the Poodle? It’s safe to say the breed is somewhat out of fashion but it’s a lovely animal to train, so why not give it a shot?

Herding dogs

What’s in a name… Herding dogs, a.k.a. stock dogs, are developed for herding! As a consequence, herding dogs have a lot of energy but also have a desire to work closely with their owner. An excellent example is the Border Collie, which is a great dog to train if you provide enough attention and direction.  Otherwise, they might become vicious.

Today few dogs do the work their breed was originally used for, but that doesn’t change their nature. They were bred specifically for certain personality traits that have become part of their nature. It’s the owner’s responsibility to respect these personality traits and to provide activities that are aimed towards the development of the dog’s talents. We’re not saying, however, you should quit your job to become a hunter or herder. There are many alternatives and games to make your dog a happy being.

Denise