Easy Dogs

no, the wolf-mix passed on some years ago, but lives on intensely in memory. The 1/2 dog is my neighbor's dog who sort of lives with us.

 lol Very few people are buying coonhounds based on looks! Though I don't know why--I thing they're gorgeous--but working ability is still their primary selling point. Thank goodness because at least the breeds haven't been overly contaminated yet by people breeding just because the breed is popular and they can make some money off of "lookers" without the temperament and drives that a coonhound should have. Definitely though the coonhunters would take issue with me for all the obedience and performance work I've done with Marlowe--he should be hunting. I just don't have the heart to hunt, and Marlowe was a shelter adoption so he doesn't have all his parts anymore anyway and couldn't be entered in competitive night hunts.

houndlove

love pointers but have pretty much ruled out ever owning one because I just can not deal with that level of neediness (I don't think pointers really belong in your list of independent breeds because they are quite stereotypically velcro dogs).

I have a friend doing agility with one that would tend to disagree with you.  That dog has a hair trigger attention off switch.  It also seem like it also sometimes he has a 20 second self timer attached to that off switch.  Skeeter definately wouldn't be called a velcro dog though he would point it out to you if asked even if it were in the next county.

buster the show dog

GoldenAC

In Brian Kilcommon's book "Paws to Consider" he makes the comment that if the only dog you have had is an easy Golden Retriever you should still consider yourself a dog novice. ..... 

Hmmm. I think I resemble that remark a little bit ;-). I've owned eight dogs, all of whom I would consider "easy" in the sense of having been very easily trained to live with. And while I will be the absolute first person to say that I'm not the one to consult if one is having problems with aggression for example (either toward dogs or people), I would hardly consider myself a novice. I do think I understand his point, but I also think that sometimes the reason a dog is "easy" is because the owner is either experienced enough, or just has enough innate training ability, that their dogs are "easy" because they are never given the opportunity to develop problems in the first place. I think a couple of my dogs, who have been a breeze for me to live with and even to train to do some pretty cool stuff (in my not so humble opinion) would not necessarily have been "easy" for someone who wasn't comfortable or skilled in setting clear consistent boundaries.

I find the remark funny, kind of ironic, but also true in a sense.  When people ask me for advice on some training or behavior issue I often have to give them something I have read or point them to another person who can actually help them.  I do believe that an owner plays a large role in creating an easy dog but but the dogs genetics are also important.

 

GoldenAC

It makes me wonder if other people consider the ease of training an important consideration when chosing a dog?

Oh, absolutely. There are many breeds that I am happy to admire from afar, but I have no desire to live with, based on the "typical" temperament for the breed. I love training challenges, but I would prefer that those challenges be trying to figure out how best to teach directed jumping, or how to perfect outruns, or how to increase skill tracking on non-vegetated surfaces, not challenges in trying to figure out how to housebreak the dog, or how to keep him from ripping my arm out of its socket during a walk around the block, or how to prevent him from eviscerating the cat.

I agree with you totally.  Given my lifestyle (I live on a dog park and take my dogs to work with me at a self-service dog wash), I am very happy I have easy dogs.  In training, I like the fact that my challenges are refining a performance or teaching advanced skills.  I think that allows for a amazingly close relationship with my dogs. 

Cassidys Mom

I agree. The Volhard personality test says that a dog with high pack drive and low prey drive is the perfect family pet. That would be an "easy" dog, while one with very low pack drive, especially with high prey or fight drive could be quite difficult, especially for the novice dog owner. One of my dogs scored very high in both pack AND prey drive, not sure what that means.  

I believe Volhard says that high pack and high prey drives make an easily trained dog.  The prey drive makes them easy to motivate and the pack drive makes them want to please.

Pomeranian <3

GoldenAC

It makes me wonder if other people consider the ease of training an important consideration when chosing a dog? 

First off, I never knew there was such thing as an "easy" dog. What makes a Golden Retriever easy? As a puppy they have very high eager energy [something that my lifestyle could never find to be 'easy']. I also personally don't think the Golden Retriever is the "smartest" [so why is it the easiest to train?]

 I never claimed that Goldens are the smartest dogs and not all Goldens are easy although a well bred Golden should be an easy dog.  One of the things that make them easy, and easily trained is that they were selectively bred to be biddable.  By that I mean to look to the human for directions (when hunting) and willingly do things asked of them that they might not want to do like jump into a really really cold lake or give up a bird or honor another dog while hunting (letting another dog retrieve a bird).  They should also regardless of whether they are a field dog or from show lines have a natural off switch to be calm in the house.  Far too many Goldens that people see do not conform to the standard in terms of temperament, mine have and are easy dogs.

As to high energy, I don't have an problem with that.  Maybe my Goldens would not be as easy if they did not get as much exercise, but I will never be able to tell.  However, my families first Golden did not get as much exercise as our more recent Goldens but since he had a proper temperament he was still an easy dog.

 

Sheepdogs I find are hands down the most intelligent breed [Collie, Shetland Sheepdog, German Shepard, etc]. But this doesn't make them an easy dog... You need lots of space, time, and energy for these breeds.

 My family has had herding dogs (GSD, and Collie mixes), they are incredibly intelligent.  I  have found the difference between Goldens and Collies to be that a Collie's intelligence is more creative, like finding a way to open doors.  My Goldens would never even think of trying to open a door (that is what humans are for).  My current Golden/Sheltie mix is always on the lookout to find a jacket with treats in a pocket on the bed where he will carefully extract the treats without damaging the fabric (other than getting it wet).  My Golden would never think of stealing treats because she knows I don't want her to.  I did an experiment once with my Golden and my parents Golden/Collie mix.  I hung a toy they both wanted  from a tree just out of their reach and observed what they did.  The Golden/Collie Mix tried jumping for it then started barking.  The Golden saw it was out of reach then came over to me and alternated looking at me and at the toy.  Which one is MORE intelligent?

 

I think the more intelligent way to separate breeds are "Dependent v.s. Independent" or purely on lifestyle needs.

Easy to me turned out to be a Pomeranian. I needed an apartment dog. Something that loves attention [even as I type this she's laying on me]. Travels everywhere with you easily. Will do anything to please their owner. That to me made life "easy." Takes her 5mins to learn a new trick; I can seriously take her anywhere [car, boat, plane, you name it she loves it], and she's my little baby [she'll never leave my side].

All of these qualities therefore made it easy to train her because she was happy, i was happy, it all worked out.

Breeds I would NEVER consider are more independent and hunting breeds. (i.e. Beagles, Pointers, Husky, etc) I've never seen a dog so NOT interested in their owner more than these breeds. I rescued a Beagle once and not only did it chase everything and anything but had to sniff anything and everything and really wouldn't care if I was there or not there. Not my type of dog; and this unattentive nature would drive me nuts! I swear most of them don't know their names, haha! I would call the thing a million times and its off on cloud nine sniffing a rock. THAT'S difficult. For people who own these dogs and actually managed to train these dogs I give you HUGE props! I have a lot of respect for you, I could never do that or want to deal with that.

Therefore easy to me are very dependent dogs (i.e. Poms) But for many this isn't the case! So to write a book on what's an easy dog is just non-sense. There is no such thing. Picking a dog should be solely on what you think you can handle & if their needs match your needs. In the end that's the only thing that makes it "easy." I have never ever heard that a GR is the "easiest" to train. No way.

 

Please keep in mind all of this is just my own opinion. If you can prove me wrong I'd love to see the facts & to shed some light on me. 

Hmmm...not to be nasty although I feel I must rally to support my breed, if you look at the statistics at obedience trials I believe you will find that there are far more Goldens in the upper ranks than Poms.  In fact 2007s top obedience dog all-breed was a Golden.  The first Obedience Trial Champion was a Golden.  There have been more Golden OTCHs (Obedience Trial Champion) than any other breed.  At most obedience trials there are more Goldens entered than any other breed.  I don't know why these things would be true if Goldens were not easy to train.  People who want to win in obedience are going to pick the easiest dog to train in obedience.

I don't want easy dogs. I'd like "not psycho," but otherwise a hard headed dog is preferable to me than something as biddable as a golden or lab. I enjoy loving on the goldens and labs I know or meet around town, but I have zero interest in owning one.

I dunno. I'm pretty hard headed myself, I like dogs who are creative and think for themselves, and doing high level obedience trials would bore me. (Which is not to say I'm not in awe of people who do them. I am. But it wouldn't be fun for me).

Eko, for me, is an easy dog, and he's clearly a stubborn smell loving hound dawg. But I'm not used to well bred and well socialized animals. I've joked in the past that I should hang a sign on my front door about our home for delinquent and troubled animals.  

GoldenAC

if you look at the statistics at obedience trials I believe you will find that there are far more Goldens in the upper ranks than Poms.  In fact 2007s top obedience dog all-breed was a Golden.  The first Obedience Trial Champion was a Golden.  There have been more Golden OTCHs (Obedience Trial Champion) than any other breed.  At most obedience trials there are more Goldens entered than any other breed.  I don't know why these things would be true if Goldens were not easy to train.  People who want to win in obedience are going to pick the easiest dog to train in obedience.

I never claimed Poms would be in "upper rankings" I PERSONALLY find them easier to train. Their dependence and strong will to please me has them attentive, always listening, and very fast learners. So to me, personally, they are my "easy dog."

That is a cool interesting fact about Goldens though!

GoldenAC

One of the things that make them easy, and easily trained is that they were selectively bred to be biddable.  By that I mean to look to the human for directions (when hunting) and willingly do things asked of them that they might not want to do like jump into a really really cold lake or give up a bird or honor another dog while hunting (letting another dog retrieve a bird).  They should also regardless of whether they are a field dog or from show lines have a natural off switch to be calm in the house.  Far too many Goldens that people see do not conform to the standard in terms of temperament, mine have and are easy dogs.

As to high energy, I don't have an problem with that.  Maybe my Goldens would not be as easy if they did not get as much exercise, but I will never be able to tell.  However, my families first Golden did not get as much exercise as our more recent Goldens but since he had a proper temperament he was still an easy dog.

These are also cool facts I never knew and thank you for sharing them. I do believe you when you say many Goldens many not conform to the appropriate temperament as do many dogs due to over breeding issues. Goldens being a very popular dog I could see this happening.

My personal experience with all Goldens and Labs are FRIENDLY and COMPANION but their need to release their HIGH ENERGY & active lifestyle is something I could never give them "easily." Which is why a Golden to me is not an easy choice. That is why I was wondering why someone would generalize them as an "easy" dog to train. I do respect this breed and have found them to be an extremely popular family dog.

ALSO, what you said about "creative" intelligence is a very good observation! Yes I find the sheepdog breeds to be cleaver too. But when it came to comparing my own Sheltie to the neighbors Golden my Sheltie blew them away in training. BUT I will stick to my theory that all dogs have the "potential" to be the best if given the proper lifestyle and owner.

Goldens & Labs being so popular I am not surprised though by them being called the "easiest" to train. 

I was advised to never get a golden ~ because I would say "sit", the dog would sit, and i wouldn't have a clue what to do next ;)

There are many factors in determining what is "easy". There's the dog's intelligence, biddability, trainability, drives, and temperament. A highly intelligent dog who is more independent isn't necessarily any more or any less easy than a dog who is less intelligent but less independant. They simply are going to be trained differently.

A lot of what determines "easy" is the owner ~ the goals, the needs, the temperament, the training approach. I believe it's more an issue of compatability than "easy". A high drive, high energy, intelligent, independent dog is going to be very difficult to both train and live with if you are a couch potato, while at the same time a low drive, low energy, stupid dog is going to be very difficult to live with and to train if you are very active and want to take him with you, or if you want to compete.

I don't believe that it has as much to do with breeds as it does with individual dogs, and with the breeding ~ as in traits that are in the bloodlines. I have seen goldens that were not so "easy", that would have been a nightmare in inexperienced hands.

That said, for me, the easiest dog I have is Ares. He is very high energy, medium drive ~ high food drive, medium prey drive, low play drive, low pack drive. He is dominant and willful. He is creative. He resource guards, he is handler aggressive and dog aggressive. He is dominant aggressive and at times he is fear aggressive, although he isn't a fearful dog. He is extremely intelligent. Many people would have found him almost impossible to live with. For me, he was a perfect match, and I hope to one day have another like him.

corgipower

There are many factors in determining what is "easy". There's the dog's intelligence, biddability, trainability, drives, and temperament. A highly intelligent dog who is more independent isn't necessarily any more or any less easy than a dog who is less intelligent but less independant. They simply are going to be trained differently.

A lot of what determines "easy" is the owner ~ the goals, the needs, the temperament, the training approach. I believe it's more an issue of compatability than "easy". A high drive, high energy, intelligent, independent dog is going to be very difficult to both train and live with if you are a couch potato, while at the same time a low drive, low energy, stupid dog is going to be very difficult to live with and to train if you are very active and want to take him with you, or if you want to compete.

 EXACTLY! That is similar to what I stated. I am just turned off that there is a person out there writing a book saying oh the "easy dogs." There is no0o0o0o such thing....

Hopefully this day and age we can promote the right LIFESTYLE for the right dog.
 

Pomeranian <3

 EXACTLY! That is similar to what I stated. I am just turned off that there is a person out there writing a book saying oh the "easy dogs." There is no0o0o0o such thing....

Hopefully this day and age we can promote the right LIFESTYLE for the right dog.
 

If you have not seen Kilcommon's "Paws to Consider" I would take a look.  It is one of the only "what breed is right for you" type books that discusses both the pros and cons of different breeds.  I only brought up the easy Golden thing as a humorous introduction to my post.  However, he is right, if you are lucky enough (like I was) to have the first dog of your own be a Golden with an easy temperament, you would not be prepared for a "difficult" dog.  In this case, I as a personal choice, chose to continue with easy Goldens.

Kilcommon does discuss the cons of Goldens and says as any Golden person would, that they are not the breed for everyone.  We all have our own ideas of "easy" and not everyone wants an easy dog, to each their own and I respect anyone who takes on a dog that is not easy.

Sure there are easy dogs.  I can show you 5 of them.  Mine, my GF's and her sisters.  I'm talking about dogs that don't tear up things, understand the rules about where to go to the bathroom, are extremely easy to train, really understand the off switch, and would do just about anything you want if it pleased you.  While they are all easy they are also all very different from each other.

GoldenAC

If you have not seen Kilcommon's "Paws to Consider" I would take a look.  It is one of the only "what breed is right for you" type books that discusses both the pros and cons of different breeds.  I only brought up the easy Golden thing as a humorous introduction to my post.  However, he is right, if you are lucky enough (like I was) to have the first dog of your own be a Golden with an easy temperament, you would not be prepared for a "difficult" dog.  In this case, I as a personal choice, chose to continue with easy Goldens.

Ah, I see! Well that's good then. The only dogs I'll probably ever own are Poms & Shelties because both I grew up with, understand, know how to train, and find "easy." All though recently we were considering an American Eskimo mini.

After reading this thread though I see that a lot of people do enjoy a "challenge." I give all of you props. My favorite part of the "right dog for me" is the fact they migrate to me instantly.

 Gunnar is a pretty easy dog in that he has a strong desire to please and he is very smart. Teaching him spoiled me some what. He was not my first dog and I have had a mix of easy and medium dogs in my life. Hektor is my first hard dog. He has been a challenge and has taught me a lot.

 I still don't think that ease of training will have anything to do with my next dog. I have wanted a Cane Corso, a Irish Wolfhound a Boerbol or Fila, I have no idea what breed I may end up with next but all of the ones listed cannot be considered easy dogs.  I will do whatever is needed to train the dog I want although it sure would be nice to find one of these breeds with the personality and trainability of Gunnar.

That test was neat. Rosco is our easy dog (although he can be DA, so that has to be watched closely), but other than that, he is a dream to live with and take places. Last night he spent two hours in my lap and didn't move a muscle once.

Luna is a nutty Aussie puppy, so not easy, or at least not the type of dog the average family is going to want to share their life with.

Lexi became easy after being trained and maturing. She was a prey-driven nut case as a puppy. She's still a bit of a nut, but listens and is happy to do what is asked of her, which makes her easy in my book.