Silver,
Fair comment on the coyote cross. We purchased her and found out "after the fact" that she was likely a retriever/shepherd/coyote cross through the vet. It was a farm mutt really. The instincts and disposition in this little devil are hard to curb with her. She is aggressive to any animal outside "our pack". She make me work hard, but we love her of course and continue to work with her.
But, yes, my specific issue is a different maybe when compared to "fully domesticated dog breeds" in general but doesn't change my perspective. What does "fully domesticated" really mean and how does one measure that? (rhetorical question - no need to answer).
My point was, I have been able, with other dogs, train and mitigate the dogs impulsive behaviors, but the results vary dramatically by breed. I am never under the illusion that I'm 100% in control with any dog.
I had a dear old neighbor, for many years and after her late husband passed away I walked and spent lots of time with her dog. She was scared of it.
It was a boxer/pit cross and that dog was aggressive. It did not matter how much training and work you did with him, he was just was unpredictable.
Her other dog was fine. It was a lab/mutt and well behaved.
Same training and owner - far different results.
My point remains that different breeds will exhibit different dispositions and, as a result, require more/less training and/or mitigation to curb and modify impulsive instinctual behaviors.
You can't tell me for a minute that something like a golden retriever or spaniel has a similar disposition to that of a pit bull (or jack Russell terrier) - they just don't.
You are going to have to work much harder with the terriers to curb this unwanted behavior and you will always be less sure of the results and how the dog will react in a stressful situation where that instinct, disposition (and subsequent behavior) might be triggered.
Would you disagree? I'm genuinely curious.
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