Russian Spaniel Dog Life and Friends

Second “Layer” – Why does a man choose a certain dog breed.

It is even more difficult here:

1) Fashion for the breed.

For example, after the TV-series “Lassie”, shown in the USSR in the early 80s,  the demand for Сolies dramatically increased and after the movie “The Mask” in America there has been a boom in the Jack Russell Terriers. By the way, even more excitement to the specific breed was after the picture “101 Dalmatians.” Then even Green Peace protested and tried to dissuade the company from Walt Disney to continue filming – too many Dalmatians were put on the street or surrendered to kennels by susceptible to fashion Americans (alas, in the movie the pups look so carefree – they’re so clever but in real life a man has to teach them the rules of personal hygiene, educate etc.). This dog breed soon became readily accessible and if you see a Dalmatian half or two years old then you will definitely see a mom and her baby somewhere nearby.

In short, after watching successful films, where one of the main roles played by a particular breed of dog, impressionable people make their choice: “I want this, as in this classy movie.” The problems begin after – reality is not movie, because there a dog works as an actor before the camera, rehearsing dozens of times each shot with a professional trainer. So people collapse with the “prose” of life, and no romance.

2) Child experience.

(especially concerns people who have the motives of the first “Layer” with the number 1, 3, 4 ) (click here to see the post)

When a man decides to keep a four-legged creature, his/her choice falls on a “dog from his/her childhood memories”. Pay attention that older people (those who are over 50 now) are most likely to take a German Shepherd. This is largely due to a huge number of popular films where Shepherds took part.

It is likely that in 5-7 years the popularity of Dalmatians will repeat – because by that time children of that generation will grow up and become independent. But movies – is not the only source of the motif to select a specific dog breed. There may be very personal childhood experience: for example, relatives owned such dog breed, neighbors. The sources can be endless.

3) The aesthetic approach.

Decisive is the appearance of the dog. People who tend to choose according to their aesthetic point of view will never take the Alsatian or Rottweiler, finding them too “trivial”.

Here the choice will vary from Chinese Crested dog to Bichon in short, all the variations of toy dogs. And who exactly will be bought depends on the state of the purse, and the individual “sense of beauty”  – “This – the most beautiful, and I will buy it”).

4) The management approach.

In this case the dog is chosen according to certain desired qualities. For example, a man seeks to realize the need for protection and guard work: in his opinion, he needs a medium-sized, short-haired dog that does not need much care, with a stable psyche and good security qualities, easy to train, safe for children. His choice may fall on Amstaff.

A person loves dogs since his/her childhood (no matter the breed), but there is a problem – physiological intolerance towards dog’s smell. So when he/she learns about the existence of a breed that has no smell he/she takes it as a gift. True, such people search for dogs with good psychological characteristics and easy rules of care. To be compact (neither small, nor large), not to require special care (no trimming, no cuts plus – minimum of wool on the floor during molting), smart, independent, cleanly.

5) The principle of prestige.

If fashion – is a mass phenomenon, the prestige – is the privilege of the “elected people”, those who can afford it. It seems that 5-7 years ago was listed among the prestigious Neapolitan Mastiff breeds and Bull Terriers. Now especially are prestigious Cane Corso. Among the “prestige” breeds registered today are also Ridgebacks, and Fila, and bessinzhi. Why do people give birth to Cane Corso, not Shepherds? In most cases it is because of the prestige of the breed, for the same reason that buying a foreign car latest model. Well and now you won’t surprise anyone with Shepherd.

Also people who want to start keeping a dog for prestige are oriented onto a rare breed, titles in the pedigree and high price and almost indifferent to how the dog is easy to care. For example, one former owner of Shar Pei bought his daughter a birthday puppy from parents champions at an incredible price. He just wanted to buy the “best puppy”. As a result a dog ​​turned into a painful, retardation teenager which as a result was turned out (the girl in a few months was sent to study in Germany, parents were not up to it, and a maid refused to take care of the dog). The new owners had to spend a lot of effort to restore the normal development of the dog and its appearance. Worse with socialization – a nine months old dog was held in the courtyard of the house, so he still expresses distrust towards strangers and thus displays some behavior of a watchdog.

The other side of the principle of prestige: the man gets breed, forward-looking dog to walk with her on the show, thus realizing their desire to be first, “better than many others” (if not himself, so at least the dog). Worse than not, if the dog does not prove the hopes of the owners focused on prestige.

6) The principle of “Fear” (the physical superiority over the others).

More often a man starts keeping a fighting dogs due to such a principle. One thus “legalize” their own aggression (for example, if the rules of behavior does not allow to be aggressive, but the negative energy needs to be released, one can take an aggressive dog, and there will be no need to use your fists.

Another example – a man who has aggressive predisposition tries to legalize it by participating in dog fights. By the way, fully geek owners of fighting dogs or just “big” dogs sick their pets against stray dogs and cats. Others buy serious guard and fighting dogs, thus compensating the lack of confidence, believing that a man with a Pit Bull or Bullmastiff will be reckoned with.

Third layer – the specific character and temperament of the future owner of the dog. Of course, a person often chooses a dog “to himself”, and not always consciously. Again – people who suppress an aggression are impulsive and would rather choose an aggressive dog breed. Those who are in the need of protection, care, probably will choose a good-natured St. Bernard, Labrador or Newfoundland. Those who are secretly seeking power, domination and absolute obedience, most likely will choose among the breeds, which are well known for their high discipline and obedience (including German Shepherd, as one of the best trained and leader-oriented breeds).

To avoid any misunderstanding I should mention that, of course, not everyone who owns German Shepherd wants to dominate, but those who seek that, most likely, will keep such dog breed or at least not less “obedient” one.

In my case it was a moment of passion. I saw 2 unbelievable and adorable white-&-black pups on the market and everything turned in my head. The only thought was to get one and make happy. As a result one of them lives happily with me know (I hope that Gerda feels so =) ).