Medical. The health of your puppy is one factor that can certainly affect his/her behavior. In fact, one of the ways we know that a dog is sick is through careful observation of behavior (i.e. excessive drinking, failure to eat, long periods of indolence, etc.). This is not to say that most behavioral changes are medically induced. Most of the common behavioral changes we see are, in fact, psychologically induced (excluding the changes brought on through maturity-i.e. leg lifting in the male).

Genetic. At present there are approximately 130 breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club). Tremendous differences exist in temperament and behavior between breeds. In fact, one of the main reasons an owner selects a particular breed is because of the temperamental and behavioral qualities the breed is supposed to exhibit. For the most part, one can only make broad generalizations and comparisons between breeds about temperament and behavior. For example, Pitbull terriers are probably more aggressive than Shetland sheep dogs. Likewise, Doberman pinchers are probably better at learning obedience commands than a Basset Hound or Bloodhound. Although gross differences and similarities are present, one must never lose sight of the fact that each dog is an individual and will behave as such. Each dog has a "personality" of its own. In fact, behavioral and temperamental differences between individuals within the same litter are often greater than the differences between dogs of different breeds or from different litters.

Hormonal. The effects of behavioral castration on male dogs has now been documented by animal behaviorists. Systematic studies have appeared in the veterinary literature documenting these effects. The effects most often noted are those which observant dog owners have known for centuries; namely, castration may have the effect of making a male dog more tractable. Castration lowers the probability that an adult male dog will exhibit undesirable male-like behavioral patterns. These behavioral patterns include various types of aggression, in-home leg-lifting, roaming, and mounting. On the other hand, castration has little or no effect on behaviors which arise due to fear or "anxiety".In contrast, the behavioral effects of neutering a female do not seem to be as pronounced. Like the male, spaying the female will not affect the ability to perform watch-dog activities. The belief that dogs get fat and lazy after neutering is largely a myth. This has undoubtedly occurred in the past-but not because of the operation per se; instead, it probably is the result of the owner's feeling that the dog needs to be fed more and exercised less.
The bottom line: if you do not plan to breed or show your puppy, then have your puppy neutered. Consult your veterinarian for the best age when this should be done.

Early Experience. "Child is the father to man." These are famous words which indicate how important the early life experiences of an individual dog might be. Generally speaking, the experiences received by your dog between the fifth and tenth week are the most crucial. (Some canine behaviorists refer to this as the "critical" or "sensitive" period.) During this time the pup must become adequately socialized both onto man and onto his own species (i.e. Canis familiaris). If adequate socialization does not occur, then the puppy might mature being deficient in social skills to either other dogs or to man (i.e too aggressive or too fearful). Most important, puppies who are not properly socialized are extremely difficult to train. In short, proper socialization will exert a strong beneficial effect on "personality" and behavior in the subsequent juvenile and adult years.

Learning. Learning plays a key role in determining the kinds of behavior your puppy exhibits. Obviously, your dog in the future is a large part a result of the learned experiences acquired in the past. In order to appreciate how learning "works", you need to be aware of the two main types of learning as they relate to dog training and dog behavior. These two main types are referred to as: (a) Classical Conditioning and (b) Instrumental Conditioning.

The above information will be review and you will be given specific feedback about factors affecting your puppy's temperament during the class sessions.