Beauceron.Akita.Golden
Posted : 1/17/2010 11:03:06 AM
Well im only speaking form experience with one beauce, but some of my issues i have talked with other breeders and found them to be pretty characteristic...
I think personally my biggest issue is the clingyness....some poeple like that in a dog of course, but it can be a little overwhelming at times! Tessa is CONSTANTLY at my side, everywhere i go, even from room to room in the house! While this bit of attachment is very beneficial in training (she does fabulous offleash, and is very responsive to anything i ask of her), it can get a bit annoying if you prefer more independent dogs (like i do)
THey are also very "pushy" dogs. We have brought Tessa to several play days and various events with other dogs - but very few dogs can really tolerate her lol. My aunt has a very nice 2 year old male dobie (Tessa is 2 1/2) and Tessa will literally body slam him and run him over...it took him lots of play days to finaly not be scared of her. They can be very rough when playing with other dogs, and a bit bossy...although she has always been social, like i said its just finding a dog that she doesnt overpower and intimidate! One of her "best friends' is a harlie great dane that is 2 months younger than her..they have played together since they were both running around with taped up ears, and even though now Tessa can practically stand under Hogan, they still run and slam into each other and have a good time!
The severe attachment issues have benefits too- it has made her very easy to train, she is very intuitive to me, and can generally figure out what im asking of her very quickly. THey are also very comical dogs...so if you have a sence of humor they will entertain you! Tessa is always doing silly things to get my attention. If i put her on a downstay while im talking to someone, she will roll over on her back, put all four feet in the air and rolla round on her back "smiling" at us upside down... she'll literally do anything for attention sometime!
The biggest thing that has concerned me when ive been debating on breeding her is the amount of energy the breed has (and hence where i am hesitant to try to find homes for a bunch of puppies that require this amount of work) Shes almost 3, and finally starting to slow down a bit, (they are slow to mature as well!) but she can truly go all day. I take her and Diesel (6 year old Akita) for 1 1/2 mile walk/jog at the park just about every day- we get home and Diesel is ready to sprawl out on th cold kitchen floor....Tessa is ready to go out in the back yard and run with Halo (9 month GSD)...she doesnt seem to ever get tired! And she gets bored easily- and can be destructive when that boredom kicks in. Even at this age, i still dont trust her loose in the house very often when im not home because she will find something (toilet paper roll, pillow ,etc) to destroy and entertain herself!
So hope that helps...they are a lovely breed if you have an active lifestyle to entertain them, I do hope to get another one eventually, and Tessa has been a wonderful dog overall!