Concepts and meanings

Defense drive behavior - A dog that is predisposed to guard a stationary thing by staying close to it and letting the thread get within striking range. These dogs are not given to the chase for long distances as opposed to prey driven dogs. Weak nerve, lack of balance, anger, fear, cowardice - what one breeder says about another breeder's dogs to promote their own and generate more business. Threshold - A piece of wood or other implement placed across the entry way of a house to keep the thresh from being dragged outside in medieval England... also a level of pressure or stress where a dog will behave one way or another. The tipping point of a change in behavior. Braveness, balance, confidence - what a breeder says about their dogs as opposed to the other breeder's dogs - so they can sell more puppies. The problem arises when one realize that all these traits are possessed by all dogs to some degree and training, duty, and environment will heighten one or the other depending on the situation. Not all dogs will be brave in all situations or show cowardice in all situation. The thing to look for is not balance, bravery, cowardice, confidence, threshold etc.. but the appropriate behavior in a dog that suits your situation. It is my estimation that it is impossible to have a brave, balance, and confident dog without some level of fear, aggression, cowardice - It is these emotion that trigger the flight or fight in all species as they carry out their prime directive - to survive. Others will disagree - but those are my thoughts. Hugo - I think that in order to undertake any process we must agree upon operational definitions of what things actually mean in the context they are being analyzed. I think it is one of the basis of any inquiry. Good topic Hugo. Thanks for posting it.