Many of us firmly believe that every dog deserves a family – but is that always an option?
Dogs have been by our side for a very long time, bred and selected for specific traits and behaviours so that they could be our helpers well before they were our friends. Different breeds were established to hunt, to guard cattle, to hoard, to pull weights, to retrieve game, to search, and more. Many of these jobs are no longer in high demand, or are almost completely gone, but the breeds still exist and so do their instincts to do the work they were originally bred for.
The vast majority of dogs can settle just fine in a family home; each dog has individual needs that have to be met, but as long as the owners put in the work needed, things usually turn out fine. While many don’t think the dog’s breed should necessarily be a factor, some argue that there are some breeds – usually bred as guard or hunting dogs – that are simply not suitable for family life, and that having one in a home environment is asking for trouble, as well as unfair on the dog.
Are some breeds just not suitable to be family dogs?
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