Hi all.

No amount of excuses and justifications can mask or allow one to escape this reality. Sure, specific breed characteristics and instincts are driving forces, these are well known, however, it's what the Human does with these breed characteristics and instincts that, can either lead their dog to being a 'good' or a 'bad' dog.

Like children, dogs aren't born 'bad' or 'good', they just are what they are, a clean slate!

Dogs don't sit around thinking; how can I be good or bad today, how can I annoy or please my Human, how can I cause problems... You get the picture... they just react to their 'now' environment and follow the reactions of you the pack leader.

Your "pack leader" ending sounds very CM-ish.

If a dog is bred to herd, then it will want to herd, no matter what the "pack leader" is doing or acting. Just like a dog bred to hunt, a dog bred to protect and a dog bred to fight.

The people make it worse by bad breeding and training away from approachable, sociable dogs, but the breed of dog has a lot to do with it's behaviour.

I think this is what you're talking about. Blaming the owner, and the people, for a dogs breed is ridiculous.