Working dog vs. Family companion

I first published this article in 2010; now, that is a long time ago!

At that time Seeuferhause Rottweilers had been in existence for about 4 years and now we are nearing 20 years of breeding experience! My involvement with Rottweilers (pre-breeding) goes back more than 30 years. Suffice to say much has happened in the time since this article was first published.

From a K9 perspective, we have continued to breed litters, produced dogs which have gone on to become qualified police / correction services dogs (to my knowledge, no other breeder has accomplished this since the article was first published), had many dogs bred by us compete successfully in the sport of Schutzhund, now known as IGP and have placed dogs in the most important role as YOUR family member / companion / guardian. I also hope that we have built a strong reputation for producing the type of Rottweiler that I truly admire.

On a personal note, obviously the time gap means some things have changed; we’ve changed jobs, friendships have come and gone, my dog training activity has undergone a number of iterations and I’m now a member of a new sportdog club (3Phase Sportdog Club) and some of my views on, and of the world both K9 and in general have changed.

As I read through the original article I am proud to confirm that for the most part my philosophy and outlook remains as it always has been; POWER, PERFORMANCE, STABILITY, there is however, some tweaking due to my now deeper understanding of some aspects.

I do hope you enjoy the reworked version of this article!

My focus has always been to produce hard/driven working dogs. As a total contradiction probably 90% of the dogs I breed end up in normal homes as family companion/guardians.

Those two terms, working dog & family companion; when you try to explain what you mean, can result in a debate that would last for hours; who am I kidding, from a K9 perspective the argument has been going on for decades and will continue to do so forever!! You see, everybody has a different opinion of what a working dog or family companion is. In all my time as a breeder I have had many discussions with everyday people, correctional facilities, federal police, private security personnel and even the same types from overseas and every time the specification is different. High prey, thick nerve, strong aggression, active aggression, defence drive, extreme prey, social dominance, submissive traits, nervous/shy etc. The list of adjectives goes on and on…..and no 2 people can agree… and if you manage to find 2 people that do agree, it is more than likely  they are close associates/friends.

Given this level of disparity and discontent in the dog world all I can hope to do is accurately capture my views of the world and post them on my webpage for all to see, discuss/debate and then of course do what always happens; DISAGREE!! No drama, I am happy to merely stimulate discussion.

My primary focus is to breed high performance working Rottweilers. This desire is not motivated because of a high commercial demand for them that will make me rich nor because the various law enforcement agencies have placed orders for 00’s of them – it is, simply because I like & prefer this type of dog. And, I know that many more people out there like them too; hence the debate of what a working dog vs a family dog should be – at times they are one in the same!

While my views of the pre-requisite traits of a Rottweiler are aligned with the prescribed ADRK standard they generally skew to the higher intensity of the scale and this may not necessarily align with that of other enthusiasts. Historically, I am guilty of forming views which have been overtly influenced by a specific group of traits that may at times have lacked the breadth required to produce a Rottweiler with a balanced suite of traits across the spectrum of all desired outcomes. Over time, I have come to understand this single minded approach is not favourable to achieving what I intended – my thinking and world view needed some adjusting and my active involvement in a multi-disciplined dog sport like IGP has been pivotal to increasing the breadth of my knowledge and the refining of my philosophical ideals related to the Rottweiler.

The ADRK adopted IGP (formerly known as Schutzhund) as the preferred method of evaluating a Rottweilers character, utilising the ZTP for good reason – there are so many elements to IGP and the ZTP specifically that the only dogs which will excel are those with a well balanced character/personality/temperament which can adapt as required. Any specimens skewed to a specific, concentrated set of traits as opposed to the broader spectrum will be found wanting. “Active Involvement” is the key! and, this is not in reference to the dogs alone – breeders of working dogs must be actively involved in curriculums which provide opportunity for education both theoretical and practical in matters of dog training, character/temperament evaluation and assessment.

The words of Dr Helmut Raiser are applicable more than any others in this case:

“those who breed and do not train are like the blind trying to describe colour”.

First I would like to discuss what in my view makes for a potential working dog vs. a family companion, then why both can be a product of any breeding program and to what degree.

When assessing a dog classified as a working breed, we look for what behavioural tendencies/traits exist. Those concerned with conformation or the show ring tend to focus primarily on the physical form of the animal. The ideal is somewhere in the middle; the physical must provide the functional aspects of the animal and the temperament or character the behavioural. There is also consideration for the breed standard or each working breed, however, in my view this is a topic that warrants specific discussion but not necessarily vital to this comparison of working dog vs family companion. Very much the same as a successful sports person or business person; there are physical functions and there is the mental aspect. One thing that cannot be disputed when it comes to achievement in any field is the overriding importance of the mental aspects to accomplish the physical – in other words, mind over matter!!!

If the mental is paramount, why do we (society) overlook it for the spectacle of the physical? The answer is simple; Sight is at the top of the hierarchy of human senses and considered the most important. While there may be some variance dependant on culture, the western world is all about the sight, and physical beauty standards. In my opinion I feel it is also easier to discuss, assess and critique a visual subject rather than have to assess a multi dimensional event such as a specific, or series of behaviour(s) which encompasses reactive and proactive physical action, emotional responses, unique and subtle body language cues among many other considerations. 

In the same manner that people can study, be educated and train themselves to make adjustments to their actions/behaviours, through modern and adaptive training systems, skilled dog trainers can mask behavioural characteristics which should they remain unrecognised will influence future generations; good & bad! It takes time and effort to educate oneself to a level of being able to evaluate a dog’s character & temperament – for the most part, humans just don’t have the natural ability to recognise and comprehend it!

Let’s consider the term, “instinctive traits” – in my view this is the most critical aspect of evaluating the difference between potential working dogs and the rest of the K9 population. Drawing on the comparison of those involved in weekend sports vs the professional athlete; at a base level the professional has a more intense expression of the physical traits required for their chosen sport. Both are competing in the same activity however the professional is naturally faster, stronger, more skilful and physically more adept at their chosen activity than the weekend warrior. With appropriate training and practise, the weekend warrior can bridge the gap somewhat and in some cases even look the part, however under the pressure of competition the professional will always prevail. It is my firm belief the same applies to the K9 world. Given the appropriate application of, and proficiency within a training program and the appropriate circumstances/environment a dog can look the part and seemingly better than it really is when completing a specific behaviour. As with any activity, as the degree of difficulty is increased either via physical or perceived (mental) means, those who are truly the exponents of excellence will prevail. This is why a dog’s instinctive reactions are more important than learned ones.

When we seek to evaluate the breeding stock we need to asses them in what would be unfamiliar environments and preferably have them participating in “out of context” activities to avoid the subject defaulting to learned behaviours. I’m sure that every single person that has attended a dog training class at some point has uttered the phrase “but he/she does that at home..” Even the simplest of task becomes seemingly impossible to complete in a new environment because the “context” for the dog has changed. This is the testing environment we need in order to successfully asses a dog for instinctive traits.

When I look at a litter of puppies at 7-8 weeks old, these instinctive traits are very evident and they are the difference. Generally what we see at this age is what the dog is without the outside influence of environment, people, training, other dogs etc. Puppy testing is a complex task, and we must be mindful that even the most sophisticated test conducted on a certain day, is just a glimpse into the puppy’s character/temperament – we hope the breeder is mindful of these evaluation requirements and is constantly assessing the puppies throughout the short period of time from birth to placing them in their forever home.

In the same manner that we (humans) change through the ages, because of our experiences, positive or negative, either prospering from them or otherwise, so too are puppies/dogs affected by the same factors.

The basic instinctive traits that I look for in potential working dogs are as follows:

• Self confidence
• High level of prey or chase drive
• Inquisitiveness
• Desire to pick things up with their mouth & a full hard grip
• High food drive
• Desire to posses toy or play items
• Positive reaction to pain combined with a high pain threshold
• Social dominance/confidence
• Gun sureness

The various manifestations of these traits are a discussion all of their own – we’ll leave that for another time.

All of the above can be formally tested using methods known as Campbell, Volhard etc. These methods are strict laboratory type methods that are conducted at specific ages and look for specific responses. I am not vehemently for or against. My preference is to borrow some items from these methods, such as the use of a strange person to test certain exercises, and then combine with my observations to make judgements on puppies over the entire formative period leading to the 7-8 week mark. As a breeder I have the privilege of seeing the pups on a daily basis for hours at a time, I would argue with anyone this gives a deeper insight into the temperament or character of the puppy than a 5 minute test, on a day when the pup might be “off or on” for one reason or other.

Any and all testing methods / temperament evaluators will agree on one thing; all of the above characteristics are present to some degree in all dogs. The intensity with which they are expressed varies, and this variation could be considerable and range from hardly there, giving the impression it is not here at all to intensely present and overwhelming. This is very much like all characteristics synonymous with humans, are present in all humans to varying degrees. Hang on…. does that mean that both working dogs and family companions contain the same characteristics but in varying degrees – that’s right!!! They are one in the same in terms of genetic make-up or DNA; but some animals express the behaviours associated with certain genes in a much stronger display.

A working dog breeder I know of once said, “To produce sufficient we must breed from extremes”. Admittedly, this governed my decision making for a considerable time however my views on this have shifted in recent yrs. I am now of the firm belief that the traits you desire must be evident, even pronounced but do not need to be extreme. Extreme does not present itself without collateral damage. For example, if a dog with an extreme level of attraction for a particular stimulus is presented with said stimulus and expected to perform complex or even simple tasks while ignoring this stimulus, it will likely be impaired in the presence of such stimuli resulting in poor decision making, impulse control or other. In order to successfully complete the task(s) we may require behaviour modification measures to be introduced. In the majority of cases the higher the stimulus the less control remains. This makes for a challenging scenario.

Irrespective of the intensity levels of traits present in breeding program specimens, the laws of nature dictate that a certain percentage of the offspring won’t express the intensity in behaviours that we desire in terms of working ability. On the flip side the characteristics that we try to eliminate from working dog prospects such as shyness, thin nerves, fear, extreme sharpness/defence etc, are also the same characteristics that should be avoided in family companions. Equally, those desirable working dog traits such as self confidence, inquisitiveness, and high pain threshold are also desirable traits for family companions.

Careful attention to the selection traits mentioned above will allow us to ascertain the varying levels present in each of the individual puppies and therefore allow breeders to make the correct decisions as to the suitability of the animal for the prospective purchaser. A breeder cannot underestimate the importance of their role in ensuring the correct puppy is placed with the appropriate owner. Diligent processes are required to understand the buyers requirements along with their relative experience and proficiency to make the correct decisions; unfortunately at times breeders become unpopular for not submitting to the buyer requests.

A one dimensional activity such as running a dog in the show ring, completing an endurance test, lure coursing, obedience trials etc does not adequately reveal the full character profile of the dog. We must submit the dog to a variety of actions/ situations that will adequately stress the dog in the varying instinctive traits listed above in order to have the opportunity to witness their reactions & assess accordingly.

Notwithstanding the need for the broader spectrum activity, one dimensional activities such as running a dog in the show ring do serve their purpose. If done correctly, the physical / mental stress of the activity will reveal weaknesses which may remain hidden when the dog is feeling strong. On flip side, it will also reveal that dog which is genetically stronger in that aspect.

The testing regime mentioned above is relevant to puppies however it is not easily applicable to adult dogs and therefore we require an alternative method to facilitate the assessment of adults. One such comprehensive program to allow for such evaluation of character traits is the sport of IGP, formerly known as “schutzhund”.

The sport of IGP utilises 3 disciplines (individual phases of activity), tracking, obedience and character assessment, along with extensive social tests, to ascertain the K9’s proficiency in skills/behaviours which provides indication of the presence and intensity of the instinctive traits. While many in the K9 world talk to “sport” being watered down in modern times, and trained behaviours portraying an illusion, an educated and skilled assessor can generally see through the dressing up provided by great training. It is also the case that the physical demands of the sport, along with the various pressure phases provide the opportunity of fatigue to wear down the gloss of training and repetition.

An example from the human world occurs in martial arts when the student is taking his/her black belt examination. Along with a gruelling display of technique syllabus & forms, they must spar (engage in ritual combat) against numerous opponents to ensure they are physically tired to allow their assessors to ascertain their form/technique proficiency when under stress.

As breeders, we have a responsibility to ensure we have a deep understanding of our breeding stock character/temperament (this also extends to the generations in the pedigree). If we do not take measures to actively know our dogs we are failing the community at large. It’s not about how many litters a breeder has in a year, decade or lifetime; it’s about knowledge and comprehension of a dog’s character. In saying this, my firm belief is that until a breeder breeds a sufficient number of litters they cannot know what their dog or their bloodline has a propensity to produce. It is also the case that unless the breeder actively participates in training activities aligned with the desired end result they cannot fulfil their obligations to the public.

My strong view is that our tendency to anthropomorphosise, and view dogs in an emotional, vane, humanistic manner is what has led to the dilution of these once great breeds of dogs. All working dogs were bred to fulfil a purpose; selective breeding created these breeds, however, breeding which is not true to the original purpose intended for these dogs has led to a marked difference on the temperament of the modern working breeds.

These well intended but incorrect breeding efforts have also been affected by social/political pressure which people find easier to accept than debate. Focus groups keep chipping away at the fabric of working dog breeds. Fighting the politics just doesn’t rate high on the list of priorities of the enthusiast. As such, the heritage and identity of these great working breeds rapidly drifts away because of the many seemingly small and insignificant impositions – over an extended period of time, a lot of the small & insignificant events add up to big changes.

One such change is the removal of the gun shot test during obedience exercises in IGP.

The starters pistol has been substituted by slapping two pieces of wood together; while this seems similar, it is not. It lacks the sharpness, the decibels and does not startle in the same manner. Can you imagine a large, physically powerful Rottweiler that cowers at the sharp sound of a car backfiring – how will this be prevented if we do not test for it??

Whether you are looking for a working dog or family companion be sure to do one thing – ask your breeder how they test their breeding stock and puppies for these very important genetic instinctive traits, if they cannot demonstrate this and give you an accurate and precise account of their dogs, you must question how they will make the correct decision when deciding on puppy / dog placement.

All of the puppies in our litters are subjected to temperament testing and thorough evaluation throughout the first 7-8 weeks of their life to ensure we make the correct decisions when placing puppies with their forever homes.

Feel to contact us to discuss further, we’d love to help you out with your new family member.

Laurie Boutzetis
Seeuferhause Rottweilers
12/01/2025