*Please note I am NOT a certified animal behaviorist. All my knowledge and training methods on behavior modification come from hands on experience with other trainers, as well as working through all of these behavioral issues with my personal dog. I have brought my dog to multiple animal behaviorists and tried their methods and found they were not successful for him. I have learned MANY different approaches to help a dog work though behavioral issues.
With that being said, Some behavioral issues are genetic, You CAN NOT train genetics out of a dog. What I CAN do is teach you how to manage a dog with genetic behavioral issues.
For example, My dog genetically lacks confidence, I know this about him. Rather than trying to change that, I built his confidence as much as I could and now when we run into things he is not so sure of, we stop and work through it until he is comfortable. I CAN NOT change that he has a genetic predisposition to being fearful through training but I can train him to react a certain way when he feels fearful.
What this looks like:
Before working on building Sarge's confidence, when he was afraid, he would back up, plant his feet, put his hackles up, and bark. Through confidence building exercises, I trained Sarge to have a new reaction towards feeling fearful. Now, when he is afraid of something, he may still put his hackles up, but rather than backing up or barking he actually moves towards whatever is making him afraid and with a little encouragement he now overcomes his fears MUCH quicker.