by The Crunchy Canine | Nov 30, 2023 | Puppy Training
Did you know that every dog breed was originally developed for a specific purpose?
From herding livestock to guarding property or retrieving game, dogs weren’t bred randomly—they were designed to perform specific jobs. And those instincts don’t just disappear because a dog becomes a pet.
One of the biggest mistakes dog owners make is choosing a dog based on looks or a limited experience with the breed, without understanding what that dog was bred to do.
The result? Frustration—when the dog starts displaying completely natural behaviors that the owner wasn’t prepared for.
Why Breed Purpose Matters
Many of the behavior issues people struggle with are not “bad behavior”—they are simply natural instincts.
For example:
- A dog that pulls on leash may be bred to cover long distances
- A dog that chases everything may have strong prey drive
- A dog that is wary of strangers may be a natural guardian
These behaviors are not random—they are deeply rooted in genetics.
It is not the dog’s responsibility to suppress those instincts. It is the owner’s responsibility to understand them and provide proper guidance, structure, and outlets.
It’s Not Too Late to Learn
If you already have a dog and didn’t research the breed beforehand, don’t worry—you’re not alone.
We see owners learn, adapt, and completely transform their relationship with their dog all the time.
The key question is: Are you willing to understand your dog and meet their needs?
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Common Dog Breeds and What They Were Bred For
Here are some of the most common breeds (and breed groups) we see in pet homes, along with the behaviors they were bred for:
1. German Shepherds
Bred for herding and guarding sheep. Highly athletic and intelligent, with natural protective instincts. Often wary of strangers.
2. Retrievers (Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Poodles)
Bred to retrieve game for hunters. Love water, enjoy carrying objects, and have a strong desire to work.
3. Hounds (Beagles, Dachshunds, Coonhounds)
Bred to follow scent trails. Their nose often overrides commands. Independent and driven to track.
4. Mastiffs (Cane Corso, Bullmastiff, Dogo Argentino)
Bred to guard property and protect against large threats. Strong protective instincts and territorial behavior.
5. Rottweilers
Bred to guard livestock and property. Naturally confident and often reserved with strangers.
6. Dobermans
Bred specifically for protection work. Loyal, alert, and naturally suspicious of unfamiliar people.
7. Terriers (Jack Russell, Yorkshire, Wheaten)
Bred to hunt and kill small animals. High prey drive, intense energy, and persistent behavior.
8. Boxers
Bred for guarding and hunting. Energetic, playful, and protective.
9. Pointers (Weimaraner, Vizsla, German Shorthaired Pointer)
Bred to locate and point game. High energy, strong hunting drive, and need for activity.
10. Border Collies & Australian Shepherds
Bred for herding livestock. Strong instinct to control movement—often seen as chasing, nipping, or herding people.
11. Bernese Mountain Dogs
Bred for pulling carts and working livestock. Strong, steady, and capable working dogs.
12. Doodles
A mix of retriever and another breed. Behavior can vary widely—sometimes combining traits from both parents.
13. Spaniels (Cocker, Springer, Brittany)
Bred to flush out game. Energetic, social, and often love water and retrieving.
14. Schnauzers
Bred to hunt vermin and guard property. Alert, energetic, and protective.
15. Huskies & Malamutes
Bred to pull sleds over long distances. Extremely energetic, independent, and driven to run.
16. Understanding Your Dog Changes Everything
When you understand what your dog was bred to do, their behavior starts to make sense.
Instead of trying to “stop” natural instincts, you can redirect them in a healthy and productive way.
This leads to:
- Less frustration
- Better communication
- A calmer, more balanced dog
Need Help With Your Dog’s Behavior?
If you’re struggling with your dog’s behavior, professional guidance can make all the difference.
We offer dog training in Hamilton and puppy training in Hamilton to help you better understand and manage your dog.
Book a Consultation
by The Crunchy Canine | Jan 17, 2022 | Puppy Training
If you are a family with kids and are considering getting a new dog, we hope this question has crossed your mind! We see so many people get dogs that are just not a good fit for families and all because they maybe met one dog of that breed that they really liked, or they just like the look of the dog! It is incredibly important to do your research and really get a feel for what you are signing up for! Just because you met a really nice, friendly, and calm German Shepherd does not mean that all German Shepherds will be the same.
So to save you some time, we have compiled our list of favourite breeds for families with children!
Active families with young children – For active families with young children we recommend Beagles or Labrador Retrievers. Both breeds are known to have easy going dispositions, friendly, should not have stranger danger, and love to get out and have some fun. Both have their own unique instincts based on what they were bred for but they should be adaptable to family life. We feel strongly that if you have a household with people coming and going, you should steer clear of breeds that genetically are predisposed to have stranger danger or be weary of people who are not in their inner circle. Labs and Beagles should welcome guests into your home with a wagging tail, enjoy being around kids, and always be up for adventure! Of course your Lab will want to retrieve things, and your Beagle will want to sniff, but neither of those traits should affect them being an amazing family pet! Plus both are super cute! Unfortunately, both do shed though. When choosing a Lab breeder, make sure you pick one that does not breed for colour (and certainly no dilute colours). We prefer Black labs and Yellow labs over Chocolate for personality and trainability. Golden Retrievers are another fan favourite and we do love them, but over the past few years we have seen breeding go down hill so if you can find a really good breeder then they are also a great choice!
Families with young children who are not overly active – If you have young kids but you’re family is not overly active you need to make sure you can provide your new dog with suitable exercise. However, there are two of our favourite breeds that will require less exercise than most. We absolutely adore the Havanese and King Charles Cavalier Spaniels. Both breeds are small, non-shedding, and low energy. In fact they were basically bred to be lap dogs. Unlike many other small breeds, they should be friendly, easy to train, and up for adventure but also happy to spend the day bingeing Netflix. If you are looking for a larger breed dog you can luck out with a lower energy lab if you go with an English or “show” lab, and if you are open to a giant breed the English Mastiff or the Leonberger are our favourites.
Families with young children who want a “doodle” type dog – Doodles are all the rage these, but there are so many bad “breeders” out there that we strongly recommend you consider other breeds instead. While the Doodle type dogs are cute, they are often very high energy, can be neurotic, prone to running away, and just overall challenging to train especially when you have young kids in the house. If you like the look we would recommend a Portuguese Water Dog, Barbet, or Standard Poodle. You might even consider a Wheaten Terrier if you are up for the challenge of a terrier breed! If you do go for a Doodle type dog, stick with the original Labradoodle or Goldendoodle. There are some nice dogs who are other Doodle type mixes but keep in mind you get both the best and the worst of the breeds so that in itself can be very challenging!
Families with young children who want a dog for protection – Unless you are buying a dog to train for protection then avoid this train of thought. We are not saying that a German Shepherd cannot be a good family dog. We are saying they were not bred for that and unless you understand the breed really well and are up for the challenge then you might be very disappointed. We see so many Shepherd type dogs available for rehoming around the 6 months mark and many from families with young kids. Another trend we are seeing is power breeds like Cane Corsos, Rottweilers, and Bully type breeds common among families with young kids. Again, we are not saying it wont go well, but we very often see it not go well. These dogs may be great with your family but are often prone to stranger danger, resource guarding and dominant behaviour around lower standing members of the family.
So to sum that up…for families with kids we love:
- Labs
- Beagles
- Golden Retrievers
- Havanese
- King Charles Cavalier Spaniels
- English Mastiffs
- Leonbergers
We hope this helps you on your journey of selecting the right dog for your family!
