[dawn53]

The big caveat to that is if you are dealing with a breed whose temperment is pretty predictable, and you adopt a pure bred dog from an adoption agency or rescue organization.

We have Weims. The Weim we adopted at 2 years old has a Weim temperment, through and through, just like our other Weims. Every Weim I know has the same traits, not to say they’re exactly what every dog owner would want. They’re velcro dogs and definitely addicted to their people, and some folks don’t like that, but in our experience whether you adopt the Weim or raise it from a pup...the temperment is the same.

[Roos_Girl]

Sure, but I would say that Weim's have a very distinct look. Have you ever been to a dog show and seen what a truly well bred lab retriever looks like? They're miles from what most people that own a "lab" have in their back yard. I would just caution that with a dog coming from a rescue you never truly know what is mixed in with your "pure bred" whatever unless in the very rare case the dog has been given to rescue along with its paperwork. Please don't think I'm saying that the piece of paper is the end-all-be-all.

Off the top of my head I really can't think of one breed whose temperments can't be generalized or aren't predictable.