Large dogs with strong, stubborn and strong-willed personalities such as the Airedale are naturally strong and stubborn. Bulldogs and Boxers have the same behavioral traits, but they are not as large in size. As companion dogs, bulldogs will sit down on their butt, use all their upper body strength, grip the ground with their paws, and refuse to go anywhere if they think it’s too wet outside. A century ago, this tenacity of theirs came in handy: with large, hard-to-manage livestock, a working bulldog or boxer would go to work biting their hooves until they went in the direction requested. Bulldogs, Boxers, and Sunflower dogs will also show a pining for their owners, and the owners will not want to switch to another breed.
Sight or smell single-minded scent hounds such as Bloodhounds, Dachshunds, Beagles and Basset Hounds may glance at their owners without concern as they teach themselves to do the simplest of tasks. But as soon as they go outside, they will put into action and start looking for clues as soon as they are stimulated by the scent of an animal they are interested in. At this point, the owner can only watch as they speed across the field and disappear into the dense undergrowth. Similarly, visual hounds respond to things that catch their eye. Breeds such as the Lundy, Wheaten, Shark and Russian Wolfhound will chase as quickly as they see their potential prey until they catch it or until they can’t find it.
Resilient terrier breeders have seen their dogs cling to a rag or a toy, shaking it violently while growling. In fact, that is an essential talent for terriers as they are trained so as to search for and kill mice. These breeds are always sticking their noses into burrows and sniffing, and can be seen doing so at home, sticking their heads under the sofa in an eager search for a lost squeaky toy.
