Temperament & Behaviour
“A healthy dog is more than a DNA result.”
Responsible breeding and ownership must consider the whole dog. Genetics, physical health, structure and temperament all matter. When we talk about a dog’s wellbeing, we have to look beyond test results and think about how that dog lives, feels and behaves day to day.
Temperament is shaped by many factors working together — genetics, early development, socialisation, health, environment, experiences, training and the way a dog is handled throughout its life. Ignoring any of these pieces can lead to problems that affect both dogs and the people who care for them.
“Temperament is not simply inherited — and it is not simply ‘how you raise them’. It is the result of genetics, development, environment and learning working together.”
Good temperament should never be an afterthought.
The First 16 Weeks – Building the Dog You Want to Live With
A puppy’s early weeks are an extremely important developmental period. Experiences during this time can shape how confidently that puppy copes with people, places, sounds, surfaces, handling and everyday life as it grows.
Socialisation does NOT simply mean allowing a puppy to play with lots of other dogs. True socialisation means carefully and calmly introducing the puppy to the world it will be expected to live in.
Owners should give puppies lots of safe, positive and controlled experiences while they are young. This can include traffic, household noises, different people, animals, environments, objects, surfaces, travelling in the car and being calmly handled.
“Socialisation is not about exposing a puppy to everything at once. It is about teaching them that the world is something they can cope with.”
For puppies that are not yet fully vaccinated, owners should follow their vet’s advice and avoid unsafe, contaminated areas. This does not mean the puppy has to remain shut inside the house. Puppies can be safely carried into different environments so they can see, hear and experience the outside world without being placed on unsafe ground.
The owner’s response matters too. Stay calm and matter-of-fact around new experiences. Allow the puppy to observe and investigate at its own pace, without forcing or frightening it.
Next, we will look at practical examples of sounds, surfaces, places and everyday objects that puppies can experience to help them grow into confident, adaptable adults.
Build Their World Before 16 Weeks
This is NOT a challenge to overwhelm or frighten a puppy, and owners should never force interaction.
Experiences should be safe, controlled and appropriate for the individual puppy. Allow them to look, investigate and recover at their own pace.
The aim is not to create a puppy that is frightened of nothing. The aim is to build confidence, resilience and the ability to cope with normal life.
“Don’t wait until your puppy is older to introduce them to the world they will be expected to live in.”
SOUNDS
- Introduce your puppy to these common noises to ensure a calm response:
• Firework bursts
• Stormy thunder
• Heavy engines
• Large lorries
• Ringing doorbells
• Waking alarms
• Garden mowers
• TV dialogue
• Loud music
• Noisy talking
• Home appliances
SURFACES
- Expose your puppy to these varied textures to build physical confidence:
• Grass
• Concrete
• Sand
• Stones
• Mud
• Water
• Metal
• Carpet
• Tiles
• Bricks
• Leaves
• Safe terrains
PLACES
- Help your puppy become a seasoned traveler by visiting these locations safely:
• Veterinary practice
• Sandy beaches
• Local parks
• Pet-friendly cafés
• Neighborhood pet shops
• Dog groomers
• Urban town or city centers
• Puppy training classes
• Lakeside areas
• Quiet woodlands
• Friends’ homes
• Bridges and overpasses
• Relaxed car journeys
• Safe views of busy traffic
EVERYDAY OBJECTS
- Introduce your puppy to common household items to build their confidence:
• Umbrellas
• Pushchairs
• Wheelchairs
• Bicycles
• Scooters
• High chairs
• Mops and brooms
• Balloons
• Bin bags
• Tin foil
• Ironing boards
• Fans
• Tyres
• Selection of toys
Love Them Like Family. Respect Them as Dogs.
Bull breeds can be incredibly affectionate, people-focused family dogs, but affection should never replace training, boundaries and consistency.
One of the most common mistakes owners make is allowing a small puppy complete freedom and accepting behaviours that become much harder to manage when that puppy develops into a powerful adolescent or adult dog. A rule should not suddenly change simply because the dog has become bigger.
Clear boundaries are not about intimidating a dog, being physically dominant or withholding affection. They are about teaching the dog what is expected and making everyday life predictable.
- • Teach a puppy to wait calmly rather than rushing through doors.
• Teach calm behaviour around food and a release cue before eating.
• Teach engagement and eye contact as a foundation for training.
• Teach a reliable “off” or “place” cue.
• Give the dog its own safe place to rest and encourage it to settle independently.
• If dogs are allowed on furniture, teach them to get on and off when asked rather than allowing furniture to become something they guard.
• Crate or safe-space training can be extremely useful when introduced positively.
• Everyone in the household should be as consistent as possible with the rules.
“Something that is cute at 10 weeks may be dangerous when the same dog is 30kg.”
Adolescence Changes Things
Puppies do not remain puppies. During adolescence dogs can become stronger, more independent, more easily distracted and may begin testing behaviours that previously appeared settled. This does not mean the dog has suddenly become “bad”. It means training, appropriate outlets and consistent boundaries remain important as the dog matures. Owners should also be cautious about getting a second puppy simply because their first young dog currently seems easy. Raising two young dogs into adolescence at the same time can create considerably more work and requires careful individual training.
“Do not wait for a problem before teaching the boundaries you will expect for life.”
YOUR DOG ISN’T ALWAYS THE PROBLEM
When behaviour goes wrong, the easiest thing in the world is to blame the dog.
Bad dog.
Bad temperament.
Bad breeding.
But sometimes the uncomfortable answer is much closer to home. Many owners unintentionally create, reward, reinforce or worsen behaviours without ever realising they are doing it.
- “YOU CANNOT CHANGE THE DOG WHILE CONTINUING TO DO THE THINGS THAT ARE CREATING OR REINFORCING THE PROBLEM.”
“YOU CANNOT CHANGE THE DOG WHILE CONTINUING TO DO THE THINGS THAT ARE CREATING OR REINFORCING THE PROBLEM.”
BEFORE YOU BLAME THE DOG...
- • What happens immediately before the behaviour?
- • What happens immediately afterwards?
- • What does the dog gain or avoid?
- • How do the humans react?
- • Are the rules actually consistent?
- • Is somebody accidentally rewarding the behaviour?
- • Is the dog getting appropriate exercise, enrichment, training and rest?
- • Has something changed in the dog’s environment or routine?
- • Could fear, frustration, stress or over-arousal be involved?
- • Could pain or another health problem be contributing?
THERE IS NO MAGIC BUTTON
Behaviour problems need a cause, not just a quick fix.
Spraying a dog with water, shouting at it, repeatedly punishing it or automatically recommending neutering does not explain WHY the behaviour is happening.
Stopping a dog displaying a behaviour is not necessarily the same as changing the reason behind that behaviour.
A good trainer or behaviour professional should be looking at the whole dog, the whole household and the whole situation.
Sometimes surprisingly small changes to routines, boundaries, communication and the owner’s response can create enormous changes in the dog.
But the humans have to do the work too.
“Sometimes the dog doesn’t need a new home. The household needs a new approach.”
Good behaviour work is not about finding somebody to “fix” your dog and hand it back. It is about understanding your dog, recognising what needs to change and giving both dog and owner the tools to succeed together.
“Successful behaviour work trains BOTH ends of the lead.”
A GROWL IS INFORMATION — DON’T SILENCE THE WARNING
A growl is communication. It does not automatically mean a dog is “bad”, vicious or beyond help. It means the dog is communicating that something about the situation is making it uncomfortable, worried, threatened, frustrated or protective of something it values. The warning matters.
- Before a bite, dogs may communicate discomfort in many ways, including:
• Becoming suddenly still or freezing
• Turning or moving away
• Lip licking or repeated yawning when not tired
• Showing the whites of the eyes
• Becoming tense or staring
• Moving away from touch
• Guarding food, toys, furniture, spaces or people
• Growling, snarling or air snapping
“DON’T JUST ASK HOW TO STOP THE GROWL. ASK WHY THE DOG FELT IT NEEDED TO GROWL.”
Punishing a dog simply for growling may stop the owner hearing the warning without resolving the reason the dog was uncomfortable. The aim should not be to create a dog that never communicates. The aim is to understand what caused the reaction, manage the immediate risk and work on the underlying behaviour.
IT’S NOT FUNNY WHEN THE DOG STARTS MAKING THE RULES
A dog growling because somebody approaches its food, sofa, bed, toy or favourite person should not simply be laughed off or treated as a personality quirk. Resource guarding and conflict around valuable spaces or possessions can become serious, particularly in homes with children, visitors or other animals. Equally, do not physically challenge, drag, hit or deliberately provoke a growling dog to “show it who is boss”. Creating confrontation can make an already unsafe situation worse.
CHILDREN & DOGS — BOTH NEED BOUNDARIES
Children must also be taught to respect dogs. Dogs should have somewhere they can rest without being climbed on, chased, cornered or constantly disturbed. Children should not be allowed to take food or valued items from dogs, interfere while they are eating or sleeping, or repeatedly ignore a dog trying to move away. Adults are responsible for supervising interactions and recognising when either the child OR the dog needs space.
“A child should learn to respect a dog’s boundaries — and a dog must learn the boundaries of living safely with a family.”
A warning gives us an opportunity to listen, investigate and intervene BEFORE behaviour escalates. Never ignore a significant change in behaviour. Pain, illness, fear, stress or changes in the dog’s environment can all affect behaviour, and sudden or unexplained behavioural changes may require veterinary assessment.
WHO ARE YOU ACTUALLY PAYING?
Anyone can teach a dog to sit. That does not automatically make them qualified or experienced enough to deal with fear, aggression, resource guarding, reactivity or complex behavioural problems. In the UK, dog trainers and animal behaviour practitioners are not currently regulated by government in the same way as professions such as veterinary surgeons. This means owners need to do their homework.
“A TITLE IS NOT PROOF OF EXPERIENCE.”
There is an important difference between teaching training skills and understanding complex behaviour.
A trainer may be excellent at teaching:
• Sit, down and stay
• Recall
• Loose-lead walking
• Puppy foundations
• Engagement and focus
• Everyday manners
Behaviour work can involve much more complex situations such as:
• Aggression
• Fear and phobias
• Resource guarding
• Reactivity
• Separation-related problems
• Serious conflict within the home
• Sudden or unexplained behavioural change
• Behaviour where the safety of people or other animals may be at risk
ASK QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU HAND OVER YOUR MONEY
- Ask:
• What education and practical training have you completed?
• Have your practical skills ever been independently assessed?
• How much hands-on experience do you have?
• Have you worked with this particular problem before?
• What methods do you use and why?
• Will you explain WHY my dog is behaving this way?
• Will you teach ME what I need to change or practise at home?
• Do you keep your knowledge up to date?
• Are you insured?
• When would you refer a case to a vet or another appropriately qualified professional?
Online learning itself is not automatically bad, but a certificate gained online should not be confused with demonstrated practical competence. Working with real dogs, different breeds, different owners and real behavioural situations develops practical skills that cannot be demonstrated by simply completing a quiz.
“THE QUESTION ISN’T JUST ‘WHAT CERTIFICATE DO YOU HAVE?’
IT’S ‘WHAT DID YOU HAVE TO DO TO EARN IT?’”
TRAINING SHOULD NEVER BE AN EGO CONTEST
A good professional should be willing to explain what they are doing, recognise the limits of their own competence and refer onwards when a case requires expertise outside their scope. Nobody should promise a guaranteed instant cure for every dog. Be cautious of anyone whose entire answer to a complex behavioural problem is one tool, one technique, punishment, intimidation or a universal quick fix.
“Choose the person who wants to understand your dog — not the person with the biggest promises.”
A trainer may be excellent at teaching:
- Sit, down and stay
- Recall
- Loose-lead walking
- Puppy foundations
- Engagement and focus
- Everyday manners
Behaviour work can involve complex situations:
- Aggression
- Fear and phobias
- Resource guarding
- Reactivity
- Separation-related problems
- Serious conflict within the home
- Sudden or unexplained behavioural change
- Behaviour where the safety of people or other animals may be at risk
YOUR DOG ISN’T ALWAYS THE PROBLEM
When behaviour goes wrong, the easiest thing in the world is to blame the dog.
Bad dog.
Bad temperament.
Bad breeding.
But sometimes the uncomfortable answer is much closer to home. Many owners unintentionally create, reward, reinforce or worsen behaviours without ever realising they are doing it.
“YOU CANNOT CHANGE THE DOG WHILE CONTINUING TO DO THE THINGS THAT ARE CREATING OR REINFORCING THE PROBLEM.”
BEFORE YOU BLAME THE DOG...
- • What happens immediately before the behaviour?
- • What happens immediately afterwards?
- • What does the dog gain or avoid?
- • How do the humans react?
- • Are the rules actually consistent?
- • Is somebody accidentally rewarding the behaviour?
- • Is the dog getting appropriate exercise, enrichment, training and rest?
- • Has something changed in the dog’s environment or routine?
- • Could fear, frustration, stress or over-arousal be involved?
- • Could pain or another health problem be contributing?
THERE IS NO MAGIC BUTTON
Behaviour problems need a cause, not just a quick fix.
Stopping a dog displaying a behaviour is not necessarily the same as changing the reason behind that behaviour.
A good trainer or behaviour professional should be looking at the whole dog, the whole household and the whole situation.
Sometimes surprisingly small changes to routines, boundaries, communication and the owner’s response can create enormous changes in the dog.
But the humans have to do the work too.
“Sometimes the dog doesn’t need a new home. The household needs a new approach.”
Good behaviour work is not about finding somebody to “fix” your dog and hand it back. It is about understanding your dog, recognising what needs to change and giving both dog and owner the tools to succeed together.
“Successful behaviour work trains BOTH ends of the lead.”
TEMPERAMENT TESTS — WHAT DO THEY ACTUALLY PROVE?
A temperament or behavioural assessment can provide useful information about a dog.
But it is important to understand exactly what that information means — and what it does NOT mean.
A temperament assessment records how a dog presented during a particular assessment, on a particular day, in particular circumstances.
It is a snapshot.
It is NOT a lifetime guarantee of behaviour.
“A PASS CERTIFICATE DOES NOT COME WITH A CRYSTAL BALL.”
A dog may behave calmly during an assessment and react differently in another situation.
Behaviour can be affected by:
• Environment
• Pain or illness
• Fear
• Stress
• Previous experiences
• Hormonal and developmental changes
• The people present
• Other animals
• Handling
• Learning history
• The intensity or context of a trigger
“This does not make temperament assessments pointless. It means their results need to be understood honestly.”
WHAT CAN A GOOD ASSESSMENT TELL US?
Depending on the assessment being used, it may record observations about:
- • Confidence
• Response to unfamiliar people
• Handling
• Recovery following an unexpected event
• Environmental confidence
• Engagement with the handler
• Response to everyday stimuli
• Behaviour around other dogs where safely and appropriately assessed
• General behaviour observed during the assessment
WHAT IT CANNOT PROMISE
A temperament assessment cannot guarantee that:
- • A dog will never growl
• A dog will never bite
• A dog will behave identically in every environment
• Behaviour will never change
• A dog is suitable for every household
• A dog will remain behaviourally unchanged throughout its life
“PASSED ON THE DAY DOES NOT MEAN GUARANTEED FOR LIFE.”
TEMPERAMENT TESTING & DOG LAW
A private temperament or behavioural assessment should never be presented as a guarantee that a dog cannot be identified as a prohibited type, or as a certificate that will automatically “save” a dog in court.
These are two different things.
A temperament assessment records behaviour observed during an assessment.
Identification of a prohibited dog type under UK law is a separate legal matter and is not determined simply by whether a dog has passed a private temperament test.
A well-behaved dog can still be subject to legislation based on its physical type.
“GOOD TEMPERAMENT DOES NOT CHANGE A DOG’S LEGAL TYPE.”
Temperament evidence may provide information about the individual dog, but no private trainer, assessor or organisation should promise owners that passing their assessment guarantees a particular legal outcome.
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ARE BEING SOLD
Owners should understand exactly what an assessment measures before paying for it.
- Ask:
• What is actually being assessed?
• Who developed the assessment?
• What qualifications or experience does the assessor have?
• Is there a written scoring system?
• Will I receive a full record of what was observed?
• What does a pass actually mean?
• What claims are being made about the certificate?
“A USEFUL ASSESSMENT SHOULD PROVIDE EVIDENCE — NOT FALSE SECURITY.”
THE WHOLE DOG MATTERS
Responsible breeding and responsible ownership cannot be judged by one certificate, one test or one moment in a dog’s life.
Bullbreeds United believes temperament and behaviour should form part of the bigger health picture alongside genetics, physical health, structure, breathing, movement and longevity.
RECORD THE RESULT — DON’T EXAGGERATE IT
Bullbreeds United can record genuine temperament and behavioural assessments as part of a dog’s wider BBU record when supporting evidence is supplied.
Where appropriate, the record may include:
• The name of the assessment
• The date it was carried out
• The assessor
• The result or outcome
• Supporting evidence supplied for verification
- Recording an assessment does not mean Bullbreeds United guarantees the dog’s future behaviour or endorses claims beyond what that assessment actually measured. It means the information becomes another piece of evidence within the dog’s wider record.
Recording an assessment does not mean Bullbreeds United guarantees the dog’s future behaviour or endorses claims beyond what that assessment actually measured.
It means the information becomes another piece of evidence within the dog’s wider record.