Dog Breeds Sociability Toward Visiting Strangers
1. Very Friendly:
These breeds often are very playful and may jump on people who enter and smell and rub up against visitors. This may not bother some people who love dogs, but annoy those that do not. Choosing this breed may keep your friends from visiting very often.
2. Friendly:
These breeds like almost everyone, but are slightly less friendly toward people with whom they interact. They may jump up on people, but they will quickly get the message from certain people that this is unacceptable behavior.
3: Reserved:
These breeds are often described as standoffish. They usually hang back and don't approach strangers instantly, but will warm up to visitors who encourage them after one or two visits.
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Very
Friendly * Affenpinscher * American Foxhound * Beagle * Bichon Frise * Clumber Spaniel * English Cocker Spaniel * English Foxhound * Golden Retriever * Irish Setter * Newfoundland * Old Eng. Sheepdog * Otterhound * Siberian Husky * SH Fox Terrier * WH Fox Terrier * Sussex Spaniel |
Friendly * Airedale Terrier * Alaskan Malamute * American Water Spaniel * Basset Hound *Bedlington Terrier * Bloodhound * Border Terrier * Borzoi * Boston Terrier * Boxer * Brittany Spaniel * Brussels Griffon * Cocker Spaniel * Collie * English Setter * English Springer Spaniel * Field Spaniel * Flat-coated Retriever * German SH Pointer * Great Dane * Japanese Spaniel * Keeshond * Labrador Retriever * Lakeland Terrier * Mastiff * Miniature Schnauzer * Norwegian Elkhound * Papillon * Pembroke W. Corgi * St. Bernard (wb) * Scottish Deerhound * Shih Tzu * Silky Terrier * Standard Poodle * Vizsla * Welsh Terrier * Yorkshire Terrier |
Reserved
cont' * Afghan Hound * Australian Terrier * Basenji * Belgian Malinois * Belgian Sheepdog * Belgian Tervuren * Bernese Mountain Dog * Black & Tan Coonhound * Bouvier des Flandres * Briard * Bullmastiff * Bull Terrier * Cairn Terrier * Dachshund * Dalmation * Dandie Dinmont * English Bulldog * English Toy Spaniel * French Bulldog * German Shepherd * German SH Pointer * Greman WH Pointer * Giant Schnauzer * Gordon Setter * Great Pyrenees * Greyhound * Harrier * Irish Terrier * Irish Wolfhound * Kerry Blue Terrier * Lhasa Apso * Maltese |
Reserved * Manchester Terrier * Miniature Poodle * Miniature Schnauzer * Norwegian Elkhound * Pekingese * Pointer * Pug * Saluki * Samoyed * St. Bernard * Standard Poodle * Standard Schnauzer * Toy Manchester * Toy Poodle * Weimaraner * Welsh Springer Spaniel * Whippet |
Fearful * Cocker Spaniel * Puli * Shetland Sheepdog * Toy Poodle * WH Pointing Griffon |
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Suspicious
*Akita * Kuvasz *Chihuahua * Miniature Pinscher * Chow Chow * Old English Sheepdog * German Shepherd * Schipperke * Tibetan Terrie |
Aggressive
* Am. Staffordshire Bull Terrier * German Shepherd (pm) * Cardigan W. Corgi * Komondor * Chesapeake Bay Retriever * Pomeranian * Doberman Pinscher * Rhodesian Ridgeback * Irish Water Spaniel * Rottweiler * Toy Poodle |
pm = puppy mill
4. Fearful:
These breeds are shy, submissive, or timid. Most of these breeds are listed in both the reserved and aggressive categories. When visitors enter these animals tend to hide. If left alone they will slowly come out of their hiding place. They may eventually become friendly with visitors over time, but usually they become more aggressive, snapping at visitors if they walk by or move. If shouted at, punished, scolded, or stared at by the visitor, they will almost always be fearful of them. These dogs need extensive training and socialization to reduce their fearfulness.
5. Suspicious:
These breeds may take a rather long time to trust visiting strangers. They may growl if approached or petted. They are generally not aggressive unless provoked. With proper training these dogs may be made less suspicious of visitors.
6. Aggressive:
These breeds have been called aggressive, dangerous, vicious, and ill tempered toward visiting strangers. The likelihood of danger to visitors varies with the breeds size and strength and the amount of socialization and training these dogs receive. Breeds in the aggressive category