27/12/2024
Capacity limits potential.
Capacity refers to the maximization of inherent physical, mental, and behavioral traits that determine an animal’s potential and ultimately their suitability to different tasks.
Genetics lay the foundation for a dog’s capacity, as well as their suitability to specific roles given that capacity. Traits such as drive profiles, environmental soundness, and temperament are often influenced by hereditary factors.
Capacity is physical. Capacity for endurance, strength, speed, and natural jumping technique.
Capacity is cognitive. Capacity for trainability, memory, and problem-solving.
Capacity is behavioral. Capacity for drive expression, emotional stability, handler sensitivity, and recovery.
Even within the same litter, puppies inherit a unique combination of genes from their parents, leading to variations in capacity within different traits.
While genetics provide the baseline for capacity, environmental influences and training shape the realization of that potential. Training maximizes a dog’s innate capacity.
Even with strong genetic traits, untrained dogs may not reach their potential. Likewise, even the most experienced of hands cannot create excellence where capacity limits it.
Consider every individual trait as a drinking glass. Genetics determines the size of each glass. Training fills the glasses.
No amount of training can make a glass larger. The glass of a dog whose capacity in any given area has been reached in training cannot accommodate more.
Pouring into an already-filled glass will not make it hold more.
Capacity defines the upper limit of potential, while potential represents the possibilities within that limit.
Our jobs as working dog breeders, trainers, handlers, and enthusiasts is to be honest and critical in evaluating the capacity of our dogs.
Good training maximizes potential in good genetics. But good training cannot create what is not there to begin with.
