Can you describe a “normal dog?”

I was just preparing a post for my Facebook page (it will post later today) and realized that in my comments introducing the piece I had put the words “normal dog” in quotes. It was in reference to a dog that had been on its own for 4 years and was now safe in a shelter and learning how to be a dog again. He is very fearful and shy and not what one would term a “normal dog” right now.

I haven’t had dogs one would call “normal” for some time now. Daisy was my first puppy mill dog, Jasper probably came from a mill or a backyard breeder, Cupcake came from a mill, as did Maggie. Of all of them, Jasper is probably as close to normal as they get.That’s a whole lot of not normal in my life.

And, I’m not the only one. I know lots of people with reactive dogs, frustrated dogs, or dogs who just need a little extra special handling. It makes me wonder what we consider to be a “normal dog” these days. Do they exist?

How would YOU define a normal dog? What characteristics would fit a normal dog? Does your dog fit your definition of normal?