Have you ever NOT bought a certain breed just because it was “hard to train”?

yes. Ive ruled certain breeds out because I did not feel they were fit for my lifestyle.. including trainability issues.

Ive ruled out dogs to buy based on exercize requirements, grooming requirements, size, etc.

I commend you for doing research and choosing a breed responsibly. Many purebred dogs end up in shelters because they were purchased without research. The dog develops traits that go with the breed, and the dog is dumped when the owners cant feal with those traits. Had they done a little research, the could have found a more suitable breed.

ADDED

Yes all breeds are trainable.. but some are easier to train than others. Huskies are smart, but can be stubborn. Terriers can be stubborn as well.

Yes, most of our dogs have been herding dogs because they are so easy to train.
This summer though, we ended up with a husky because her owners couldn’t care for her anymore.
Definitely a difficult dog to get to behave especially after 5 years in an outdoor kennel with no training.

Of course. Certain Breeds are definitely not for everyone. In fact all breeds are technically “not for everyone”.

Intelligence and the dogs ability to be trained were huge factors in selecting my dogs. (The purebred ones anyways).

We own Boxers and a mutt at the moment. My husband wants our next dog to be a Husky. (He actually wanted our most recent dog to be a husky) I’m dead set against it because I truly don’t feel confident enough in my abilities to train it properly. But that’s my feelings for now, I may feel up to the task a few years down the road and a bit more experience. My dogs are well behaved and trained so I’ve done something right so far.

I think everyone should at least consider this aspect when selecting a breed. (among other things of course)

I don’t consider ANY breed “too hard to train”. Alpha training is garbage, so this may be the start of your problems.

The JRT is actually one of the most trainable breeds out there – the problem is that not too many people train properly.

The Siberian isn’t impossible to train, it’s just that most people don’t understand how to train a Spitz sled dog.

I wouldn’t want either of these breeds because of the energy levels – it has nothing to do with my ability to train. I’m a great trainer AND a I have a number of great trainers that can help me.

One of the exceptions on this would be breeds that are difficult to potty train. I already have one of those and even though she’s 95%, when she goes inside, it’s a serious problem for me. I have no interest in adding another dog like that to my life.

It is good that you are evaluating your temperament to match yourself to the breed. I would point out that you can also select based on the sex of the dog. I have both Males and Females Siberians and the Males are completely different in their need for direction and discipline from the Females who are usually very docile and sweet disposition. I have seen similar behavior from all breeds. The boys crave the structure of the pack leader but my girls are very sweet and submissive but I have established my Alpha status with all of them from their birth.

I have selected my dogs based more on their initial interaction with me rather than a specific breed. You might be surprised by the variation in all breeds. Good luck and you are approaching this important decision very intelligently.

Totally. Ex: Akita, a real beauty and I looked into them for quite awhile. Finally ended up realizing with kids and young family sometimes visiting, it was just too much to take on. Great dogs, not for me. Not yet anyway