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August 11, 2015

Nature vs Nurture

I like to think Eko and Penny have picked up some my better traits. They’re both highly social, fun-loving adventurers. I approach life with excitement and openness and I think my pups have learned to do the same. That said, I definitely wasn’t working with blank canvasses. Eko
I like to think Eko and Penny have picked up some my better traits. They’re both highly social, fun-loving adventurers. I approach life with excitement and openness and I think my pups have learned to do the same. That said, I definitely wasn’t working with blank canvasses.Rhodesian Ridgeback, puppy, chicago

Eko was a big cuddle-monster the day we met

Rhodesian Ridgeback, puppy, chicago

And he’s been that same attached-at-the-hip companion ever since

Rhodesian Ridgeback, puppy, chicago

I’ve taught Eko so much, but his loyal and affable nature came pre-programmed

The same is true for Penny.

Rhodesian Ridgeback, puppy, chicago

She was a wild, troublemaking ball-of-mayhem from the start

Rhodesian Ridgeback, puppy, chicago

And her mischievous, rough-and-tumble ways remain as strong as ever

Rhodesian Ridgeback, puppy, chicago

Penny was, is and always will be uniquely Penny

One of my favorite parts about having dogs is figuring how to blend their nature and my nurture to help raise the best pup I can. That process is as unique as each pup. It’s always interesting and (almost) always fun! It’s also a great way to learn about myself and how I can improve my own nature through nurturing my dogs.

What about you guys? What came “hard wired” into your pets and what traits do you think you have imparted to them?

Comments for Nature vs Nurture

  1. Emmadog says:

    One thing Mom does love about purebreds is you know in general how they will behave, but, that being said, we are all so very different! Some things are really genetic, but personality is definitely individualized.

  2. PigLove says:

    Oh Lord have mercy to the piggy heavens. Hard wired? I think this little Yorkie TERROR came hard wired here to the Hotel Thompson. He has two speeds now – fast and faster. He did have extreme fast but after a year, I think he’s settled in a little. He still likes to swing from tail but now not as much. I’m hoping that my calming nature of being a pig is kicking into his system. I’m hoping. XOXO – Bacon

  3. it’s amazing that Eko is the cuddly-monster and Penny is the engergizer bunny, normally we think girls are cuddly and boys… well …boys will be boys… like Easy :o) …but I’m glad that he acts normal for a Weim, the stories I’ve heard from other Weim-people are crazy but now I know he is not weird just a Weimaraner… or a weird-eraner :o)

  4. Jan & Rusty says:

    The vet once told me Rusty was the calmest Terrier he had ever seen. I like to think that’s due to my influence. I’m calm. Mostly.

  5. Kismet says:

    Kali is starting to get the peeps trained. It’s hard dealing with stubborn humans.

  6. DZ Dogs says:

    Stubborn for sure, but Ziva came to us fearful and anxious, now she’s confident and full of spunk!

  7. coastingnz says:

    I think it is very true how alike our boys are to us – to point of one dribbles when sleeps, snores and the other is a serious twitcher when sleeping – not pointing the finger at either of us doing any of the above…….

  8. Victoria says:

    Muffin was hard wired to be very chatty and sometimes demanding but also very sweet, affectionate and a goof ball – Rigby was anxious when i wasn’t around, always wanting me close – they are both pretty much the same but they listen pretty well when one of their unique characteristics gets overwhelming….I will say sometimes i think of renaming Muffin “princess” and Rigby “shadow” – ha ha

  9. Cupcake says:

    I was hard wired to be afraid of everything. Coincidentally, Mom is also afraid of everything. I like to think we give each other courage, now that I’m here.

    Love and licks,
    Cupcake

  10. Wendy says:

    I knew with Curdie the Sheltie I was getting an intelligent dog who could be “reserved with strangers”, and who would potentially bark a lot. His actual personality is love everybody and double love kids.

    I deliberately set out to train Curdie not to bark and he is generally pretty good with one notable exception. Shelties were bred to protect sheep from predatory birds so he will keep barking ’till any crows or currawongs have left the garden.

    Curdie’s five years old now; very calm and confident. I never put much of that down to me but he’s such a softie that harsh training or a hyperactive environment could have produced a very different dog.

  11. kimberlygauthier says:

    We have 4 dogs. Rodrigo and Sydney were our first pair. What came hard wired is Rodrigo is outgoing and loves everyone. Sydney is shy and reserved. She’s never liked other dogs, but now has friends that she enjoys, because I started taking our dogs on pack walks with friends.

    Scout and Zoey are boisterous, happy dogs. When Scout was a puppy he moaned a lot when sleeping (he still does this) and he and his sister barked a lot, they still do this.

    What blows me away is how smart they all are – I love it; I love every day I have with them.

  12. Mine are both food obsessed like me…………BWWWAH!!! Kidding……(well, sort of! lol)

  13. Uh…I think I need to plead the 5th, Will. I hate to give away some of my bad habits/traits because once I fess up, you’ll know why Sam is why Sam is. 🙂

  14. Jaclyn says:

    Duke is my 9 month old ridgeback and I love seeing what characteristics he was born with. Our breeder had created a Facebook group for all of us to post pictures and comments of our pups. It is crazy to see how much in common they are. We have had the privledge to meet up with some of his siblings in his litter. Duke along with some of his siblings will sit with his foot in his mouth or believe that every stranger is his friend. I believe his happy personality was something he, along with his siblings, were born with. We love having the opportunity to see and talk with the 8 other owners of these pups!

  15. Penny reminds me of gambler they are their own special being.

  16. I’m starting at the end and I already like this series. Great explanation. If you ask John you have to belong to ” the good old boy’s club” in order to pass any tests. He watch some pro’s dog do stuff that should of got them dropped but they carried them back each series. But then John’s dog does one thing wrong and he gets dropped. It seems like you can’t tick the pros off or the club would loose a lot of money if they don’t enter again but one person’s entry oh that doesn’t matter.

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