As a dog trainer, I have always wanted to put together a dog breed list for those wanting to choose a dog breed for their particular situation.

I believe that there are certain characteristics in choosing a dog breed that would make a particular dog breed right or wrong for a given family.

Those characteristics include:

• Dog personality and temperament.
• Ability to train.
• Grooming.
• Proper environment.
• Ability to naturally interact with children.
• Working characteristics (What it was originally bred for.).
• Need for freedom and exercise.
• Adaptability to the electronic dog fence.

I have begun this undertaking and will address the various breeds here on the Contain-A-Pet Electronic Pet Fence site.

Please realize that these characteristics are provided as general information and to be used as a guide only.

Each dog has its own distinct personality and temperament that make it who he or she is and does not necessarily reflect the breed standards. I am sure you or someone you know has experienced owning dogs of the same breed yet their personalities were very different. That is because each dog is unique and special in its own way.

Feel free to add comments to any of the breed listings if you have something to contribute. Just maybe we can help someone choose the dog breed that is right for them.

Is your dog a pest to others? Chances are you would not know it if it was true.

Why? Your friends are afraid they will hurt your feelings.

Many dogs happily greet and jump all over visitors to their home. Clamoring for attention and getting rewarded for their behavior by unsuspecting guests and owners alike.

Notice the “rewarded for their behavior” in the last sentence? Unknowingly, when someone pets a dog for jumping up on them, they are saying it is okay to do so. And sometimes petting is the only thing a guest knows to do. They certainly aren’t going to hit or knee the dog.

It is up to you to stop this embarrassing behavior.

How do you do that? By taking control of your dog. Not allowing it to run freely to greet guests until it knows how to behave.

The best way to take control is to invest in 1-2 obedience/behavior lessons from a professional trainer.

Another way is to put your dog on a leash and only allow it to greet your guest when it calms down. Of course this isn’t a good solution if your dog drags you all over the place. In that case, go back to the obedience/behavior lesson.

The third way is to put your dog up when company comes. That is the easy way out and accomplishes nothing. After all, it isn’t the dog’s fault that it doesn’t know how to behave.

Many trainers talk about properly using an electronic collar, lightly kneeing a dog in the chest or grabbing and holding its paws or using a shaker can or simply ignoring and turning away from it.

Any of these recommendations could be correct when done in the proper measure followed by praise. It really depends on the personality of the dog.

Correcting the behavior is not meant to intimidate, dominate or physically hurt a dog. It is meant only to correct and then reaffirm/praise the proper behavior.

That is why I recommend deferring to a professional. They can show you how to correct the behavior … and I believe it will be worth every penny.