# Tell Me About Rottweilers



## Little Wise Owl (Nov 12, 2011)

Seeing how I got shutdown on a Rottweiler specific forum, I figured I'd post here. Since you guys are a whole lot nicer and accepting. haha WHO NEEDS THEM ANYWAY. 

My boyfriend and I are looking into a Rottweiler in the future (either adopted or puppy depending on which comes up first and is more ideal) and I would like to start learning more now. I know a few of you here have Rottis (and mixes). My understanding is that they do best when they're well exercised and/or preferably working. They're weery of strangers (dogs and humans alike) and love their people greatly.

I've met exactly four Rottweilers. Two were adult males and two were tiny puppies. Both adults came over to me (to completely separate times and situations) and sat on my foot, leaned against me, looked up and DEMANDED pets. One began grumbling when I stopped petting him. It was so funny. 

I'm smitten but I need to know more about them.

So, please, tell me about them. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

Here are some pics from a Dog Show. This guy was so goofy and cute.

















And cute, blurry, shark puppies haha


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## MrsBoats (May 20, 2010)

I think I know what rottweiler specific forum you were on...rottweiler.net? I hang out over there...they are a very passionate crew of people who have seen more jackasses own rottweilers who have no business owning them. Then bad things happen like the dog bite someone or their own owners. I would listen to them...because they don't sugar coat what it takes to own a rottweiler. 

I will be the first one to say that Rottweilers are not the breed for everyone. Have you had a dog before?? I usually don't recommend rottweilers as a good starter dog for someone either. The Westminster announcers on TV said something along the lines of "Rottweilers need owners just as determined as they are." That is very true...because my two dogs would walk all over a person with a soft personality. Rottweilers need a good leader and one they respect...and I don't mean any of that alpha dog, dominance crap. Rottweilers are very good at figuring out if someone says what they mean and mean what they say. They are also free thinking dogs who are very smart. If there isn't a clear leader between a rottweiler and their owner...the rottweiler will step up and take over that role. They will challenge you if they think they can get away with it...they are always trying to figure out if they can slip into the "brains of the operation" spot between the two of you. When owning a rottweiler, you must say what you mean, mean what you say...and be prepared to back up what you say. A rottweiler will respect you for that...they don't do "wishy-washy."

What do you want know about them?? I'll give it to you straight about lines, drive, temperament when it comes to rottweilers. Some rottweilers are big teddy bears and those with a correct rottweiler temperament are not. I take owning rottweilers just as seriously as the RDN crew and you have to know what you are getting into before you get one.


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## Little Wise Owl (Nov 12, 2011)

I will admit, I was just rubbed the wrong way (just that time of the month) by RDN. I'm not giving up on them... It was just very frustrating for being scolded almost instantly for a silly reason..

Anyway, I will admit I am a bit intimidated by Rottweilers simply because I've never had the chance to work with one. I'm not expecting a walk in the park with one. I guess what I'm most unsure is possible aggressive behaviour towards humans i.e. growling at me or my partner when not wanting to be touched. I've never dealt with a dog who will growl at their owner so I how to respond to that. My other concern is their compatibility with (respectful) children, other dogs (that they're raised with) and cats. I do not have children (yet) but my siblings are young and my parents foster. I imagine that in this case, socialization and proper training is key (obviously). This is sort of why I'd prefer to start with a puppy that I can work with.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

I love, love, love rotts, but I am not the owner for one. I'm not consistent enough, I'm not serious enough, and I don't like socializing enough myself not to make the dog a liability and endanger it and others (Ie: I'm shit at socializing dogs because I'm introverted and kind of antisocial). 


So I guess you can take from that what you want - and I don't mean that you shouldn't have one, just that you should really examine yourself and your personality to figure out what your handling abilities and personal strengths and weaknesses are when it comes to that sort of thing and take it from there.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

Ms Boats will be the best to talk to.

My uncle had a rott when I was younger and we'd go hang out on his ranch. Hannah was her name. Great dog. A LOT of dog.

I have a lot of fond memories of her, she was great with us kids. Very nanny-like with us. I have a lot of pictures of me with my arm around her and her grinning.

I also remember one time we were over there and they'd had a calf die. Mama cow was guarding the dead calf and they were trying to remove it to keep coyotes away. My uncle was in the way when Mama cow charged at him. Hannah was there in a flash in between the two of them. The cow lost an ear in it but she surely saved my uncle from serious injury. And then she was hanging out with us and the pony the rest of the night, docile as can be. 

I've also heard many stories about how she hated rough housing, especially involving my cousin ('her boy'). 

She did agility but had some knee problems and with her size they had to stop. She also did obedience. And she also pushed cattle around for them.

Very good dog, but also one of a very few dogs that I know without a doubt would engage in a situation if need be. And that kind of dog takes a lot of responsibility to own, imo.


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## Foresthund (Jul 17, 2013)

I disliked Rottweiler.net as well,they seemed to get very upset when I said you should break up two dogs when they fight,especially if their injuring each other. They also seem to get upset if mention doing something like doing frisbee with your Rott,sense they would just injure themselves or its impossible for them I guess. Despite knowing that some can do it.

Rottweilers do vary a bit,their is plenty of push over types that would not be that hard to own. The Rott I ended up with is a bit more intense,thus I found challenging finding a place that would except him,for rentals just like Pit bulls they are often refused almost just as much. They can also be a more assertive breed so unlikely to take crap from other dogs and are not always easy to separate when in the fight. Like my dog will not bite unless bitten first but once that happens he will go all out and can cause a good amount of damage to another dog. 
They are very biddable dogs so shouldn't have much issues training them even though they can be headstrong sometimes. They growl a lot,especially during play so reading body language and knowing your dog is important. They can be goofy and playful dogs none the less.


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=htt..._rottw_judges_handbook_021108.pdf&h=lAQHa9erF

This is the judges handbook for Rotts (for AKC)

I trust Mrs. Boats expertise (of course)


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## Jacksons Mom (Mar 12, 2010)

I love Rottie's. I'm going to chime in a bit, but take what I say with a grain of salt - I had a _slight _hand in helping to raise one, but haven't been around many others (except for my aunt's, who I spent a lot of time with while growing up). I was a dogsitter for a Rottie from the time he was 8 weeks old until a little over 2. He definitely had a stubborn side... if he doesn't want to do something, he'd make it clear. You try to get him outside and he doesn't want to go outside? He'd just stand there by the door, stare at you, and look at you like you're nuts. LOL.

He was a big ole' bear though honestly. He loved to jump up and give me hugs and kisses. But he wasn't extremely obnoxious about it, or 'rough' about it either. But he certainly didn't greet everyone like that. He was VERY cautious of strangers... and on walks, I could tell as he got older, that he was on look out at all times. If someone was suddenly walking behind us on the trail, he'd look back, look up at me, look back again, just to make sure everything was okay. I never let anyone pet him because he had gotten questionable and since I was just his dogwalker, I did not want to be held responsible for anything. He was certainly the type of dog that would've 'protected' me if necessary, I have no doubt about that.

He did have a bit of a reactive problem with other dogs on walks but nothing terrible or anything that I couldn't control (and again, this could've just been HIM, not typical for breed?). They did used to take him to the dog park, as did I on occasion, but he did not appreciate how some dogs played and found lots of in-your-face type stuff disrespectful so we stopped taking him, since we did not want him to get blamed for anything that were to possibly go wrong. He always did GREAT with Jackson - they walked together almost every day and when it was just the two of them, they did wonderful off leash in the dog park. Both had a mutual respect. I think that was the Rottie's thing... he got along with dogs who respected him, and he did the same thing back. An obnoxious Lab puppy playing in his face was something he was not comfortable with for example. And it was a definite change right at about 1.5yrs old with him becoming more dog and stranger reactive.

I did a few overnight sittings with he and Jackson in the house, and it went well. Jackson was totally comfortable with him, and used to egg him on to play, and sometimes they'd get too rowdy for a small town house so I'd have to have them calm down. But overall they really did well together and I was always very careful to make sure toys/food/etc was picked up.

He was a resource guarder - bad. You couldn't take anything from his mouth, even the owners. He had been as a pup too. I remember at 8 weeks old, he was doing a growl at me when I took something from him, but at the time, it almost just seemed puppy playful sort of, but... it kind of scared me one day when I dropped a poop bag holder, and bent over to grab it, and he growled at me. I learned how to handle it and what to avoid doing. 

They got him from a good breeder apparently, but who knows. They also were very Cesar Millan-esque in training and while I don't believe they purposely were trying to mess him up, I really think they made his small issues turn larger. He also went back to his breeder for training for 2 weeks at around... 7 months old? so who knows what happened there.

As far as exercise though, they hired me so he was getting out during the day for a 1 hour walk - we would typically walk 4 miles, he and Jackson and I. And sometimes the husband would take him running in the evening. When we used to go to the fenced in dog park when it was empty, I would use the chuck-it and he would fetch forEVER. But now, honestly, as far as I know, they don't really completely trust him anymore around others (pets and people) so it's no more dog parks, or pet stores, etc. They just walk him and run him in an open empty field and avoid other people just in case. 

I really did love that dog though, always had a soft spot for him. He was my favorite out of the dogs I used to walk on a daily basis and honestly my easiest, even with his 'issues'.

He was also my ideal as far as looks goes. Wasn't as stocky and his head wasn't too large. I can't think of the right word. But he was kept in good shape.





































one year old.









He was about 8 months old in this shot.


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## Jacksons Mom (Mar 12, 2010)

MrsBoats said:


> I will be the first one to say that Rottweilers are not the breed for everyone. Have you had a dog before?? I usually don't recommend rottweilers as a good starter dog for someone either. The Westminster announcers on TV said something along the lines of "Rottweilers need owners just as determined as they are." That is very true...because my two dogs would walk all over a person with a soft personality. Rottweilers need a good leader and one they respect...and I don't mean any of that alpha dog, dominance crap. Rottweilers are very good at figuring out if someone says what they mean and mean what they say. They are also free thinking dogs who are very smart. If there isn't a clear leader between a rottweiler and their owner...the rottweiler will step up and take over that role. They will challenge you if they think they can get away with it...they are always trying to figure out if they can slip into the "brains of the operation" spot between the two of you. When owning a rottweiler, you must say what you mean, mean what you say...and be prepared to back up what you say. A rottweiler will respect you for that...they don't do "wishy-washy."
> 
> What do you want know about them?? I'll give it to you straight about lines, drive, temperament when it comes to rottweilers. Some rottweilers are big teddy bears and those with a correct rottweiler temperament are not. I take owning rottweilers just as seriously as the RDN crew and you have to know what you are getting into before you get one.


Your description very much sounds like the Rott I used to watch!

I used to get so frustrated with the owner. Occasionally the husband was home when I would come in, and naturally, the dog was excited to see me. The guy would literally grab him by his scruff, and like SIT him on him, in order to get the prong on him. Whenever I walked in by myself, it was very easy to settle him. I would simply turn my back towards him, tell him 'no jump' and I'd have him leashed up within 10 seconds. It always took about a minute or two when the husband was home. He had never owned dogs before, and I know he had watched a lot of Dog Whisperer, and unfortunately, I fear for what the Rott is like now and I partially blame their harsh methods.


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## SDRRanger (May 2, 2013)

I am no expert, but my own experience was with a friend's big 150lbs male. He was born at my friend's place (he had the mum too) and he was the softest, sweetest dog with people he knew. I used to love having him in the barn with me late at night though, because he always made sure he was with me when people came in.


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## luv mi pets (Feb 5, 2012)

The ugly- they SHED , the bad-too many that are being bred without health checks, the good-get a good one and you will forever have a fondness for them


I have owned a female and her son. 

The female. Anybody could have owned her She was a total marshmallow and loved her family. Kids could have friends over and she never gave us a reason to be worried about her When my daughter was an infant, Rebel would lay down right near her and make sure the baby was okay. I also have memories of my son and her berry picking. My son would be picking raspberries off the bushes and her was Rebel picking the berries off with her teeth. She also learned how to pull the wagon with the kids in the wagon and off we would go on adventures around the farm of 200 acres. The time my son found a garter snake and let it loose in the house. We found the snake the next morning. The snake was all curled up underneath Rebel. She did have a fierce side. Do not mess with her family. Once a guy pounded on the door when we were gone. Rebel jumped thru the screen to get to him. The guy was still shaking when he found us at the party down the street. She helped me herd up the pigs when a wind storm and flooding knocked down their shelter and fence. I could take her anywhere and she listened on and off leash. Her only downside the shedding. ARrrghhh!

The male-her son- not for the first time dog owner and tested us through out his life. He did love our kids with all his heart and protected the kids from everything and everyone. You just had to put him away when people came over. My daughter could walk him down the street with nothing more than a show lead and he would never think of pulling her down. He was sold and when his owner died in the truck, he was given back to us. The dog prevented the EMTs to get to the guy. He had a massive heart attack and the wife had to get the dog out of the truck. He had many faults good and bad but the one thing the rotts shared in common was a love for their family and a devotion to our kids that was good at the time 

I did rescue a couple of rotts from the shelter. One was a 8 month old female stray and my neighbor adopted her. She was also another good dog that anybody could own. My neighbor also adopted another rott that was a victim of abuse. We took her away from her owner and charged him with abuse and charged him with dangerous dog. The rott would run loose and chase the kids that were in the street playing. She did not have a bite record nor did she get a dangerous dog on her. The charges were dropped when the owner signed the dog over to the county. Court system mumble jumble. The dog was supposed to be put down. I talked to the supervisor and the county vet at the time about adoption. My neighbor had no kids and since I was the only one around who had kids, I agreed she could have the dog. It was the perfect place for her, She lived out the rest of her life knowing nothing but love. This was a big contrast compared to the life she once lived. Prior she was left loose in a back yard, with a prong collar around her neck. This is where the abuse case came from. The prong collar caused a slice on her throat. It looked like someone took a knife and tried to slice her neck open She could not wear collar after that. She had scars on her neck the rest of her life. She would climb, jump, the fence to be out front where the kids were playing. Big dog and the kids were scared of her. Parents would call AC and after numerous calls and than the neck injury we took the dog away. The dog turned out to be a real big baby. Probably not to the average owner, but for a neighbor with no kids the dog lived the rest of her life being loved and showing love.

Will I ever own another one? The shedding thing, probably not, but all it takes is some lonely fuzzy critter needing a home and I am a SUCKER!


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## Little Wise Owl (Nov 12, 2011)

Thanks for the responses everyone. They paint a decent picture of the breed for me. 

luv mi pets: Do they shed more than a GSD? A GSD who leave dog-butt prints of fur wherever she sits on a carpet? lmao

In regards to RDN, this is the reason why I'm hesitant to go back.










Even when in a sticky it says you're allowed to post pictures of loved ones in your Introduction thread. But whatever.

Anyway.

How does a Rottweiler compare to a German Shepherd in terms of temperament and energy? Or is that like trying to compare apples to oranges? I'm only asking to gain a very basic idea of what I might expect. Would you saying with with a GSD is easier, harder or similar or don't even bother comparing? haha I only ask because a GSD is the only large dog I have experience with.


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## Equinox (Nov 11, 2008)

Little Wise Owl said:


> In regards to RDN, this is the reason why I'm hesitant to go back.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


LMAO! For links and mention of another dog in an introduction thread?!?? What kind of forum does that? Glad that my main breed specific forums are not like that... over on the big GSD board some of the most well loved and well known dogs are Dalmatians and collie mixes and what have you. But I guess every forum has their faults? The warning message is awfully rude, though.



Little Wise Owl said:


> How does a Rottweiler compare to a German Shepherd in terms of temperament and energy? Or is that like trying to compare apples to oranges? I'm only asking to gain a very basic idea of what I might expect. Would you saying with with a GSD is easier, harder or similar or don't even bother comparing? haha I only ask because a GSD is the only large dog I have experience with.


I'd go with the apples to oranges option. There are so many different types and lines within the German Shepherd Dog breed that your experience can be very different depending on the dog you have. I would say that GSDs are less stubborn than Rottweilers have been described to be, as a good GSD should be biddable and eager to please, even in the absence of a tangible reward (note: that doesn't necessarily mean that GSDs are easier to train). I've also found that the Rottweilers I've known are goofier in general, but my experience with them have been limited to mostly pet bred dogs and a handful of show and performance/sport bred ones.


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## UpShift (Dec 29, 2013)

I have a one year old female and have had her since 8 weeks old. She can be incredibly bullheaded. She knows what she shouldnt do and waits until my back is turned to do it. She is a brilliant dog though. I can teach her a command in half a day. She is goofy and loves to play. I spent a lot of time socializing her but she is still weary of people. She will very cautiously approach anyone the first time...she's even been known to run away. Yesterday she was spooked by a neighbors snowman. Each dog is different. Mine is a teddy bear. She rarely barks or growls and plays very well at the dog park, with children and other dogs. Mine doesn't really shed, but she also gets fairly regular brushings with a deshedding comb. 
As far as exercise..she does fine with 2 25 minute walks a day plus time to romp outside. before we had our second dog she was very mischevious and I think that was due in part to a lack of exercise and being bored in general. She is perfectly content to just hang around and chew on a toy as well. Could she do with more exercise? Yes, but she isn't tearing up the house and making me pull my hair out on days we just can't go for long walks.
The only temperment issue we have with her is that she doesn't really warn us if she is feeling threatened. So instead of a growl or snarl before she bites, she just bites. But this is usually when having to go through some kind of physical manipulation like with cleaning ears, doing nails or being at the vets office.
Bottom line, while you can try and pin down traits to a breed, each dog is their own individual. I never had a rottie before but I'm completely in love with them now.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

Wow that is messed up! You specifically stated you wanted to join because you were considering the breed and wanting to learn about them?

That's frankly really bizarre.


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## MrsBoats (May 20, 2010)

In regards to the "warning"...I assumed the members gave you a smack down which happens because newbie say things like I want my dog to live outside 24/7 or how to get my rottweiler mean, and other stuff like that which warrants it. The guy who owns RDN is a megalomaniac...and there are a lot of knowledgeable people who have left because of that which is unfortunate. There are a lot of rules to what can be posted and what can't. The board has been used a form of advertizing in the past for breeders and litters...so they opted for no links because a few jerks ruined it for everyone. 

Foresthund, for the smackdowns you got...I have no idea what you said that irked them. But, in regards to a dog fight...you don't just break one up between two rottweilers. This post is a good friend of mine and this bitch fight happened about 12 or so years ago - http://www.rottweiler.net/forums/454398-post12.html Her husband's hand is still messed up from trying to break up a dog fight on his own. I tell you what, if my two boys got into a fight and it's only me there (which is my absolute worst nightmare)...I am not going to attempt to break them up. I don't have the strength to do so and I would end up heading to the hospital. My husband is 6' 4" and 280 pounds...and he might be able to break them up by himself, but I am willing to bet he's going to get hurt in the process. This is how you break up a dog fight - one person behind each dog and grab the back legs with both hands and start pulling the dogs apart and directly backwards. Do anything else and you're going to get hurt and probably badly. As for the frisbee stuff...yes, the risk of injury is there. Yes, I do agility with my dogs...and the risk of injury is there. But, they aren't leaping and twisting in the air trying to catch a frisbee. One of Lars' relatives messed his back all up doing dock diving for a season...and it more or less ended his agility career. That's a lot of mass and weight to send flinging into the air and landing in water or on the ground like with a frisbee. Just because they can...doesn't mean it's a great idea to do it. Please don't take this the wrong way...but some of the photos you post of your rottie climbing on stuff, leaping, or jumping straight in the air, they make me cringe. I think you're flirting with not "if" with an injury...but when. Like I said, please don't take that the wrong way...I would just hate to see your dog get hurt.

Anyway...back to rottweilers and Little Wise Owl. Someone said that they knew a rottweiler who was 150 pounds. They do not get that large if they are bred well. The maximum weight for a rottweiler who is in the breed standard range of size will be anywhere from 70 - 110 pounds. 150 pound rottweiler is a) morbidly obese, b) way too big and poorly bred, c) some sort of mix with a giant breed like a mastiff, or d) all of the above. My boys weigh 85 pounds and 78 pounds. Lars is 25.5" tall and Ocean is 24.5" My rescue who was a puppy mill product was 29" tall (the maximum height for a rottweiler male is 27") and Sam weighed 128 at his heaviest. Rottweilers are considered to be medium to large dogs...not large to giant. 

I don't find my rottweilers to shed any worse than other breeds. I have two so I do have a decent amount of hair kicking around the house. But it's nothing that regular house and car cleaning can't keep up with. Do I own any light colored clothes?? Not really. But if I had a golden or a yellow lab...I wouldn't probably have much in the way of dark clothing either. Shedding isn't something I would say is a deal breaker with the rotties. 



> Anyway, I will admit I am a bit intimidated by Rottweilers simply because I've never had the chance to work with one. I'm not expecting a walk in the park with one. I guess what I'm most unsure is possible aggressive behaviour towards humans i.e. growling at me or my partner when not wanting to be touched. I've never dealt with a dog who will growl at their owner so I how to respond to that. My other concern is their compatibility with (respectful) children, other dogs (that they're raised with) and cats. I do not have children (yet) but my siblings are young and my parents foster. I imagine that in this case, socialization and proper training is key (obviously). This is sort of why I'd prefer to start with a puppy that I can work with.


If you do find the idea of a dog challenging you to be a concern, I recommend you think long and hard about getting a rottweiler. If you lay down the leader role early and from the start...it will make your relationship with your rottweiler easier. Think about parents...if a teenage kid has a parent that says "Oh sweetie...it would really make me so happy if you could try to be home by 10 pm tonight. I know it's so hard to do that...and if you can't, that's okay. If you try to be home by 10, I'll bake you cookies for being such a great kid." That kid is totally going to break curfew. Rottweiler want and need the "parents" where it's "You will be home by 10, no if's, and's, or but's. If you're not home by 10, you're grounded for a 2 months." Despite me being a strong leader...I still have a lot of fun with my dogs, they sleep on the couch, they go to the beach, and we play a lot. But, they know where they stand and I stand and they know that there's no grey area when I ask something of them. Do they still challenge me...you bet. Just two weeks ago, Lars marked a jump at agility class...and he thought he had all the right in the world to do that. As I chased him away and verbally corrected him...I got growled at. When that happens...I get that stone cold silent but scary mom act on. You know...the one mode your mom went to when you were in so much trouble her calmness was terrifying. Then he was escorted into his crate and missed his turn to run. Ocean doesn't challenge me as much...and he and I are still figuring each other out. But I do know...if I pushed them too far with very harsh physical corrections, Lars would give me a warning bite but Ocean would probably really try to mess me up if I pushed him. It's all about mutual respect between rottweiler and owner. 

With all of that being said, my dogs come from working line rottweilers. They are a different creature than most rottweilers people see. Working line rottweilers can be very tough for people who are new to the breed. I see it a lot and people quickly get in over their heads with what we call "too much dog." That's actually why I have Ocean...a pet home with kids and no previous rottweiler experience wanted him. My breeder knew he was not going to be a good match for them. Thank god we took him...he would have been a catastrophe for that home. He would have either ended up in a shelter, put down, or back with the breeder with all sorts of issues. Conformation and obedience lines tend to be less driven than the Schutzhund lines. If you are thinking about getting a puppy from a ethical breeder...make sure you understand what they are producing and what the dog's purpose is. If you still think the rottweiler is the breed you want and you're not sure if you are able to be a strong leader, I would recommend you look at a rottweiler specific rescue. I volunteered for one in New England for 5 years. Rottie rescues will temperament test each dog that comes into the program. Those dogs that are accepted in...they are bomb proof and make good starter rottweilers for someone who wants to get into the breed. They typically are watered down in temperament, easy to handle and less likely to outright challenge you. Females tend to also be a little bit less likely to challenge...but they can if they are an iron willed bitch (they do exist.) Rescues don't usually have tons of puppies and when they do, there's a long waiting list. Adult temperament tested rottweilers can make great pets for those who are new to the breed. 

I've never owned a GSD before so I can't compare them with a rottweiler. 

Hopefully, this will help you make a decision on whether a rottweilers is a good match for you. If there's anything else you want to know, please ask.


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## ireth0 (Feb 11, 2013)

Been following this thread with interest. 

Rotties are a breed that I always keep coming back to as one I'd like to own one day. I just find everything I hear/read about them to click with me. Certainly not for Nextdog, (unless we adopt a mix, which we may) but maybe once I flesh out my training skills a bit more.

I actually very much prefer a "The rule is the rule is the rule. If you don't like it, consequence is x" approach to a lot of things, so I do feel like I could 'law down the law' and stick to my guns. 

The thing that really holds me back is their size/strength compared to mine. I'd want to be more confident and experienced in my training ability for sure. Thank you very much Mrs. Boats for sharing!


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## MrsBoats (May 20, 2010)

You're welcome.  I wouldn't let your size hold you back from owning a rottie. I'm not a large woman...I'm 5'4 and 150 or so pounds. But, I'm still young enough to have the strength to keep one of them from dragging me to go pee on a tree. LOL But, with two on leash...they out weigh me at that point. I don't walk them together unless I have "training tools" on their necks. There's no way I could keep them together from dragging me down the street if they really wanted to without those tools. I'm not about ready to attempt it either. Most of the time it's a non issue anyway...if we go walking with both dogs, MrBoats takes O and I take Lars.


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## ireth0 (Feb 11, 2013)

MrsBoats said:


> You're welcome.  I wouldn't let your size hold you back from owning a rottie. I'm not a large woman...I'm 5'4 and 150 or so pounds. But, I'm still young enough to have the strength to keep one of them from dragging me to go pee on a tree. LOL But, with two on leash...they out weigh me at that point. I don't walk them together unless I have "training tools" on their necks. There's no way I could keep them together from dragging me down the street if they really wanted to without those tools. I'm not about ready to attempt it either. Most of the time it's a non issue anyway...if we go walking with both dogs, MrBoats takes O and I take Lars.


Thank you!

I'm mostly just concerned that I don't want to bite off more dog than I can chew, so to speak, and by doing so put the dog in a bad position because I was lacking somehow.

I'm also concerned that if I were to approach breeders they might misunderstand and think I wanted an easy dog, instead of an easiER Rottie. (especially since I have no Rottie experience, other than the few mixed breeds I've handled at the shelter) With all the health issues plus the potential for poor temperament, I want to make sure that the breeder is a good one, if we go that route someday.


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## Foresthund (Jul 17, 2013)

MrsBoats said:


> In regards to the "warning"...I assumed the members gave you a smack down which happens because newbie say things like I want my dog to live outside 24/7 or how to get my rottweiler mean, and other stuff like that which warrants it. The guy who owns RDN is a megalomaniac...and there are a lot of knowledgeable people who have left because of that which is unfortunate. There are a lot of rules to what can be posted and what can't. The board has been used a form of advertizing in the past for breeders and litters...so they opted for no links because a few jerks ruined it for everyone.
> 
> Foresthund, for the smackdowns you got...I have no idea what you said that irked them. But, in regards to a dog fight...you don't just break one up between two rottweilers. This post is a good friend of mine and this bitch fight happened about 12 or so years ago - http://www.rottweiler.net/forums/454398-post12.html Her husband's hand is still messed up from trying to break up a dog fight on his own. I tell you what, if my two boys got into a fight and it's only me there (which is my absolute worst nightmare)...I am not going to attempt to break them up. I don't have the strength to do so and I would end up heading to the hospital. My husband is 6' 4" and 280 pounds...and he might be able to break them up by himself, but I am willing to bet he's going to get hurt in the process. This is how you break up a dog fight - one person behind each dog and grab the back legs with both hands and start pulling the dogs apart and directly backwards. Do anything else and you're going to get hurt and probably badly. As for the frisbee stuff...yes, the risk of injury is there. Yes, I do agility with my dogs...and the risk of injury is there. But, they aren't leaping and twisting in the air trying to catch a frisbee. One of Lars' relatives messed his back all up doing dock diving for a season...and it more or less ended his agility career. That's a lot of mass and weight to send flinging into the air and landing in water or on the ground like with a frisbee. Just because they can...doesn't mean it's a great idea to do it. Please don't take this the wrong way...but some of the photos you post of your rottie climbing on stuff, leaping, or jumping straight in the air, they make me cringe. I think you're flirting with not "if" with an injury...but when. Like I said, please don't take that the wrong way...I would just hate to see your dog get hurt.
> 
> ...


I know it's risky,but if the dogs are causing serious damage I do think it's worth it for my own dogs. I know personally the truly nasty fights are not easy to separate,the Rott vs Pit ones I had to deal with mainly.
Without the right equipment on hand I can't fully separate them without help from the other owner. While other more minor fights as long as I pull one dog away quick enough I can separate if by myself without equipment. I`m a large female so it probably helps as well. It's just something I feel compelled to do ever sense I was 14 years old,just crazy that way. I guess it's their choice,I was just trying to be helpful but I guess I wasn't.

I know their is a risk of injury with frisbee,but if the dog is sound,conditioned and trained into it I don't feel it's impossible to get a Rottie into it. It's not like they even have to jump high for them. My dog had a lot of flirt pole conditioning which has kept him from injuring from jumping or twisting around. Still it's like when I first tried flirt pole he clumsily fell backwards and sprained his leg,I should of taken it a little slower. Now he's smart enough to avoid injuries with flirt pole or frisbee and haven't had one sense. Not that their impossible but conditioning is important.
They also said it was impossible to get a Rottie to catch it when the frisbee is off the ground,which I know is harder for the breed but I've seen videos showing it's not impossible. I don't like when people say something is impossible or you shouldn't even try it just because of the breed isn't in the top 10 most common breeds of that sport or activity,if they don't want to do it that's fine but keeping other people from it just seems kind of malicious.
The worst sprain he got was of course him just falling off board walk when he tried to sniff some bushes near it and his leg got stuck.


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## luv mi pets (Feb 5, 2012)

To me the shedding was more like a lab. I have noticed some rotts have more of an undercoat than others. I also see some rotts have fear issues.


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## Foresthund (Jul 17, 2013)

The coat does seem to be the same texture,length and shedding ability as a lab. Although if you live in a colder climate I don't think they shed as much.

I don't think they have more fear issues than other popular dog breeds,I don't see it more than with GSD's,Labs or Pit bulls. Sense they are popular they do range in temperment,


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## MrsBoats (May 20, 2010)

Ethical breeders also breed for sound temperaments...and a rottweiler with correct temperament isn't a fearful dog. They are confident dogs with a wait and see attitude. Lars is very much that. Ocean is much more suspicious of things and people...he comes from purely schutzhund lines where Lars is a mix of obedience, conformation and schutzhund. That's why I said earlier make sure you know what a breeder is producing and if those lines will fit into your lifestyle. Ocean is like a secret service agent...everything is a possible threat that needs to be neutralized by any means possible. We have been working with that with him to let him know the entire world isn't a threat that he needs to take on with guns blazing. He is what people call a "sharp" dog...and he would be a disaster in hands that didn't know how to manage it. I will say, that he is getting much better about shooting first and asking questions later. I think that is because a) he's maturing and is over 2 years old now and b) we've socialized the hell out of that dog and taught him what is acceptable behavior and what is not. 

A reputable rottweiler rescue that temperament tests potential intakes will most likely not take in a dog that is fearful of the world. So, again, that is a great place to get a dog. Most rescues foster the dogs for a minimum of two weeks and they will know the personality of the dog...and be able to tell you everything that you would be taking home. 

Please don't get a dog from anything but a code of ethics breeder or a reputable rottweiler rescue. Backyard breeders will produce dogs of questionable nerve and temperament as well as not putting any thought into health testing. With rottweilers, the appropriate tests you should look for is hips, elbows, eyes, and cardiac. I would run from a breeder that doesn't test any of their dogs for cardiac issues because sub aortic stenosis is a big problem in our breed. SAS will kill a Rottweiler suddenly like a massive heart attack. To find whether or not a breeder tests their dogs, go to http://www.offa.org/ and you can do an advanced search by kennel name and rottweiler. One thing I will say with rotties is a grade 1 elbow isn't a deal breaker...grade 2 won't even impact a dog's mobility even later than life. But, it is frowned upon to breed a grade 2 elbow, however even to a normal elbow. A grade 1 elbow in some breeds like labs is like a grade 3 in rottweilers where the dog is physically effected. So, just something to keep in mind when looking at breeders.


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## luv mi pets (Feb 5, 2012)

Listen and heed the words of Mrs. Boats. If you are going to buy a puppy from a breeder do your research. Understand your research. In the end the time you spent studying and listening will pay off when you have a very stable adult because you took the time in search of a puppy.

It is a popular breed and when breeds become popular you start seeing subpar adult dogs with health and temperament issues. Five years ago you did not see too many fearful Rotts, now I am starting to see more and more. Fearful to the point of urinating on themselves. Fearful dogs tend to be biters. Biters do not make good family dogs. 

I do like the breed and enjoyed the ones I owned for many years. Rescues have some really nice young to adult dogs. The ones my neighbor ended up with were hidden gems. The dogs were not enjoyed by their previous owners but my neighbor ended up with some really good dogs. These dogs are not for everyone nor are some owners right for this breed. You get a good one and you will always have a heart spot for them.


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## Little Wise Owl (Nov 12, 2011)

Mrs.Boats- Thank you for the elaborate explanations. I do want to note that a dog challenging doesn't really concern me more than the proper response TO a dog that challenges me (does that make sense?). Like for example, in that situation where your dog growled at you for chasing him away, what would be the WRONG reaction on my part? What is a reaction that would end in him biting or becoming physical? I've never had my own dog growl AT me over anything but I know that I wouldn't let them get away with it. Additionally, are there any books you can recommend to me?

Also, I can already tell you that IF I end up going to a breeder, I won't be getting from any Joe Schmo. I understand that the breed has some serious health issues and would never support someone who doesn't health or temperament test their breeding stock.


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## MrsBoats (May 20, 2010)

Little Wise Owl said:


> Mrs.Boats- Thank you for the elaborate explanations. I do want to note that a dog challenging doesn't really concern me more than the proper response TO a dog that challenges me (does that make sense?). Like for example, in that situation where your dog growled at you for chasing him away, what would be the WRONG reaction on my part? What is a reaction that would end in him biting or becoming physical? I've never had my own dog growl AT me over anything but I know that I wouldn't let them get away with it. Additionally, are there any books you can recommend to me?
> 
> Also, I can already tell you that IF I end up going to a breeder, I won't be getting from any Joe Schmo. I understand that the breed has some serious health issues and would never support someone who doesn't health or temperament test their breeding stock.


I can't answer how you should handle that it varies with situation, handler, and dog. The few times with Ocean where he has growled at me...I can shut it down with a strong verbal correction and telling him to "down" which he does. Then it's over. 

Lars and I have true "fights" over stuff where he has growled at me. It happens about once a year where he growls at me and I can count how many times he's done it (6 times in six years)...and it's after something where he doesn't believe he is in the wrong. I've handled it differently every time. This last time...I calmly, coldly, and firmly took his collar and lead him from the area in the barn we were running and took him to his crate where he missed his turn. The two more volatile times he's challenged me was once when he refused to go into a down for a dropped bar in a different agility class. I told him to down...he did, but then he stood up. I told him to down again and he growled at me. He and I got into a pissing match about me sternly telling him down and him staring me down and snarling at me. I knew he would have bitten me if I reached for his collar. I told him to get into an x-pen which he did and I started to close the x-pen in around him and I kept forcefully telling him down and he was still growling at me. I closed in the x-pen until he had no room to move...I couldn't control him physically...but I could control his space. He finally knew I had won...and he shot me this death glare and he went into a down. That whole thing went on for about 5 minutes and the rest of the class was ashen after watching that battle. 

The other bad fight we had was he marked an agility trial secretary in her chair. I grabbed his collar as a correction for peeing on a person. He growled at me and down to the floor he went. It was absolutely a reflex move on my behalf. He and I had a quiet battle there on the floor as we were getting ready to go and run an agility course. He stopped growling, I let him up, we went and ran the course. I let the situation dictate how I handle it...and I never deal with it the same way. 

I would recommend you getting a trainer who has experience in working with working breeds and uses positive methods in training. I don't think positive only really works with rottweilers if you have a dog from working lines. Books? Read Bones Would Rain from the Sky by Suzanne Clothier. She talks about being a strong leader that your dog will respect. That book works for any breed of dog. There's The Other End of the Leash by Patricia McConnell and Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson which talk a lot about deepening relationship with your dog. But, Bones Would Rain from the Sky was the book where I learned the most about working with my dogs. I'll see if there's something that I can recommend for basic training. Most of the training books I have are more dog sport specific for competitive obedience and agility.


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## OwnedbyACDs (Jun 22, 2013)

I have been told that rotties have a similar temperament to ACDs, is there truth to this? I might want to consider a rottie in the future.


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## MrsBoats (May 20, 2010)

If you can successfully handle a ACD...you could handle a rottie. The ACD's I've met at agility trials are pretty similar to rotties in temperament. I like them and their drive. They are similar to my two nuts with drive...but they typically have more drive than the average rottweiler does.


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## Little Wise Owl (Nov 12, 2011)

Mrs. Boats, I am so thankful you're here to be so descriptive and informative. I'm going to pick up The Other End of the Leash and Bones Would Rain from the Sky. Have you heard anything good or bad about the Rottweilers for Dummies book? 

On another note, I would love to meet the Rottis and breeder of Esmond Rottweilers








http://www.esmondrott.com/


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## OwnedbyACDs (Jun 22, 2013)

MrsBoats said:


> If you can successfully handle a ACD...you could handle a rottie. The ACD's I've met at agility trials are pretty similar to rotties in temperament. I like them and their drive. They are similar to my two nuts with drive...but they typically have more drive than the average rottweiler does.


Josefina, though cute looking is very high drive, prey drive, that is. she doesn't have "working" drive LOL ... she is afraid of livestock, she will "herd" them until they stop and face her, then she runs LOL. 

Buddy on the other hand, sweet as he is, he doesn't have much prey / toy drive but put him in front of stock and he will work them. We are working on getting him to work stock in front of a human because apparently at his other home he must've been punished for going after stock . 

Izze was the best working dog I had, I sat and watched her work a steer who we had separated to fatten up for slaughter, from one corner of the pen to the other for most of the day, til she was close to collapsing (I actually had to go and get her and bring her inside to stop her), I think Buddy would have been like that too if he had been raised in a home like mine where his working instincts would have eben nurtured instead of suppressed .

I rottie is a serious consideration for me in the somewhat distant future.


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## MrsBoats (May 20, 2010)

Little Wise Owl said:


> Mrs. Boats, I am so thankful you're here to be so descriptive and informative. I'm going to pick up The Other End of the Leash and Bones Would Rain from the Sky. Have you heard anything good or bad about the Rottweilers for Dummies book?
> 
> On another note, I would love to meet the Rottis and breeder of Esmond Rottweilers
> 
> ...


I am very familiar with the Esmond Rottweiler.  Lars is 80% Esmond even though he is a Deerwood's Rottweiler. Ocean is about 50% Esmond and he is a Deerwood Rottweiler as well. 

This is Lars' father - http://www.esmondrott.com/gable.htm
This is Lars' mother - http://www.esmondrott.com/jetta.htm
This is Lars' maternal grandfather - http://www.esmondrott.com/yngo.htm
Here's Lars' litter's page - http://www.esmondrott.com/deerwood_L.htm

This is Ocean's mother - http://www.esmondrott.com/jada.htm (and she also is an Yngo daughter.)
This is Ocean father - http://www.vonborrell.com/atom.html and Ocean's more serious personality comes from the dogs in Atom's pedigree.

From what I understand about Esmond is right now, they are placing puppies with homes they already have a relationship with. They have such a large network of former puppy owners and those who have relatives of their dogs...they don't need to search for new potential owners and they can keep their puppies "in house" so to speak. That could change though by the time you are looking for a dog. Lately, they have been producing dogs that are more conformation type dogs that serious working dogs....that will work in your favor if they are considering outside the Esmond circle homes. They would be a good source for a breeder referral if they aren't taking in outside new owners. They know pretty much everyone that is along the lines of themselves ethics wise.


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## ireth0 (Feb 11, 2013)

MrsBoats said:


> I am very familiar with the Esmond Rottweiler.  Lars is 80% Esmond even though he is a Deerwood's Rottweiler. Ocean is about 50% Esmond and he is a Deerwood Rottweiler as well.
> 
> This is Lars' father - http://www.esmondrott.com/gable.htm
> This is Lars' mother - http://www.esmondrott.com/jetta.htm
> ...


Baby Lars... Omg.


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## MrsBoats (May 20, 2010)

Lars was one adorable puppy.  The puppy with the green ribbon collar (and all of the fuzz) in the photos is Lars. There are quite a few of them. 

The Deerwood's L litter (affectionately called the L Ninos) turned out to be one kick ass litter of dogs. This is who the "heavy hitters" are all now - 

V-1 BOSS Am GRCh Deerwood's Lasso The Moon! CD, RE, HIC, CGC, TDI ("Luna")

V-1 Am Ch Deerwood's Livin N' Fast Forward UD, TDX, RE, SchHIII, ZtP, TR1, AD, BH, HIC, CGC ("Lorenz")

Am Ch MACH Deerwood's Leave It To Levi HT, PT, HSAd, RN, STDsd, JHD ("Levi")

Am Ch Deerwood's Livin' On The Wild Side CD, Am/Can TD, Am RA, Can RN, ASCA CD, CGC ("Lola")

Deerwood's Let There Be Lyte! CD, RA, Can RN, AXP, OJP, BH, AD, TT, CGC ("Lyta")

UKC CH Deerwood's Larson Bravo Zulu CDX, RE, NAP, NFP, NJP, U-CD, U-RO2, OJC, OCC, EAC, TG-E, WV-E, 0-TN-E, RL2/AOE, L1/L2, HIC, TT CGC, TDI ("Lars")


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## Rescued (Jan 8, 2012)

MrsBoats said:


> Lars was one adorable puppy.  The puppy with the green ribbon collar (and all of the fuzz) in the photos is Lars. There are quite a few of them.
> 
> The Deerwood's L litter (affectionately called the L Ninos) turned out to be one kick ass litter of dogs. This is who the "heavy hitters" are all now -
> 
> ...


Just curious- did people have to pick call names that were L, as well? I have heard of the reg name being based on a letter for a litter, but have never heard of breeders requiring that for the call name too!


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## MrsBoats (May 20, 2010)

Rescued said:


> Just curious- did people have to pick call names that were L, as well? I have heard of the reg name being based on a letter for a litter, but have never heard of breeders requiring that for the call name too!


The Deerwood's J litter (Jetta, Jada, Joy, Jerome, Juna, Jaena, and Jaden) puppy owners started and did that on their own...and it's sort of a tradition that stuck ever since. I actually love it because you know exactly what litter a dog belongs to. The M litter it's Montee and Manny. With Ocean's O litter, it's Ocean, Onyx, Odessa, and Omega. Easy peasy to figure out who is are littermates.


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## OwnedbyACDs (Jun 22, 2013)

Little Wise Owl said:


> Mrs. Boats, I am so thankful you're here to be so descriptive and informative. I'm going to pick up The Other End of the Leash and Bones Would Rain from the Sky. Have you heard anything good or bad about the Rottweilers for Dummies book?
> 
> On another note, I would love to meet the Rottis and breeder of Esmond Rottweilers
> 
> ...


If I ever get a rottie I want it to look like this guy!

Mrs Boats, what, if any are the differences btw males and females? With ACDs males are ... I guess "goofier" would be the best way I can describe them while females are very "all business", quicker to mature and more serious.


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## MrsBoats (May 20, 2010)

Males versus females are similar in rottweilers. It is generally recommended that females are best for novice rottweilers owners though. 

Truth be told about the dog pictured there...his eye set is way too close for my taste. I find it really distracting...it makes his eyes look piggy in my opinion.


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## OwnedbyACDs (Jun 22, 2013)

Lol for ACDs it's backwards, males Are usually recommended because they are easier lol, Acd females tent to be more "hardcore" and stubborn then males.

I really want for rottie now  lol


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## Little Wise Owl (Nov 12, 2011)

Mrs. Boats, I knew it was you who had the connection to Esmond. Eeee! Baby Lars is so cute!!! Gable and Atom are absolutely dreamy Rottis btw... Same with Jada. I emailed Esmond about a year ago and was told that they usually only home their pups with repeat owners so I doubt we'd ever end up with one (but I can dream!)


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## Little Wise Owl (Nov 12, 2011)

MrsBoats said:


> Truth be told about the dog pictured there...his eye set is way too close for my taste. I find it really distracting...it makes his eyes look piggy in my opinion.


Even though I do think he's very handsome, I must agree his eyes are rather close together. It makes him look dopey cute. lol


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## OwnedbyACDs (Jun 22, 2013)

Little Wise Owl said:


> Even though I do think he's very handsome, I must agree his eyes are rather close together. It makes him look dopey cute. lol


Yeah now that you mention it, I see what you mean about the eyes lol, it doesn't take away from the dog's overall impressiveness, but I do see what you mean now. 

Mrs boats I wish we were closer to each other, I would really like to get some real-life breed experience with you (per your agreement of course  )


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## Little Wise Owl (Nov 12, 2011)

OwnedbyACDs said:


> Mrs boats I wish we were closer to each other, I would really like to get some real-life breed experience with you (per your agreement of course  )


Ditto! lol


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## noonalae (Aug 27, 2018)

Little Wise Owl said:


> Seeing how I got shutdown on a Rottweiler specific forum, I figured I'd post here. Since you guys are a whole lot nicer and accepting. haha WHO NEEDS THEM ANYWAY.
> 
> My boyfriend and I are looking into a Rottweiler in the future (either adopted or puppy depending on which comes up first and is more ideal) and I would like to start learning more now. I know a few of you here have Rottis (and mixes). My understanding is that they do best when they're well exercised and/or preferably working. They're weery of strangers (dogs and humans alike) and love their people greatly.
> 
> ...


I am a first time Rottweiler owner. I have a 5 month old female Rottweiler puppy that I adore, I have had her for one month now and let me tell you, she is very very smart, quick to learn, very willing and a lot of fun. But she is also a puppy ,a BIG puppy and does puppy things, she is super fast, loves to zoom around the yard, jump and leap over things and chase her ball and other toys. Because of her puppy behavior and large size I would be leery of having her around small kids, only because she has ran over the top of my room mates little dogs, and cats. She has trampled my 3 year old chi and now he hates her and she has body slammed my standard 13 year old schnauzer(he knocked her to the ground, stood over her and roared in her face) even this does not stop her zooming, once she got up, she was full speed running once again. But as far as getting a long with other pets, cats and dogs? YES she does, she is great with them in my bedroom and outside as well(if she is not flying) when walking in our on leash park, we have passed other dogs and people, and she is good with this, no lunging and trying to attack them. There was one small issue when a lady had two out of control dogs(breeds un known to me) and she was running past us( I had moved way way over to one side of the road to let her pass) any way keeping all my schnauzer and my Rottweiler away from the road until she past us, her dogs decided to lung at us, that is when my Rottweiler puppy decided that she needed to protect me, she gave out a deep rumbling growl, bared her teeth and gave a very non puppy like warning. While I do not allow dog fights, I did not feel like she needed to be corrected for doing what she thought was proper. Other then that, I have never had her act badly towards any other animal.


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## 3GSD4IPO (Jun 8, 2016)

noonalae said:


> I am a first time Rottweiler owner. I have a 5 month old female Rottweiler puppy that I adore, I have had her for one month now and let me tell you, she is very very smart, quick to learn, very willing and a lot of fun. But she is also a puppy ,a BIG puppy and does puppy things, she is super fast, loves to zoom around the yard, jump and leap over things and chase her ball and other toys. Because of her puppy behavior and large size I would be leery of having her around small kids, only because she has ran over the top of my room mates little dogs, and cats. She has trampled my 3 year old chi and now he hates her and she has body slammed my standard 13 year old schnauzer(he knocked her to the ground, stood over her and roared in her face) even this does not stop her zooming, once she got up, she was full speed running once again. But as far as getting a long with other pets, cats and dogs? YES she does, she is great with them in my bedroom and outside as well(if she is not flying) when walking in our on leash park, we have passed other dogs and people, and she is good with this, no lunging and trying to attack them. There was one small issue when a lady had two out of control dogs(breeds un known to me) and she was running past us( I had moved way way over to one side of the road to let her pass) any way keeping all my schnauzer and my Rottweiler away from the road until she past us, her dogs decided to lung at us, that is when my Rottweiler puppy decided that she needed to protu ect me, she gave out a deep rumbling growl, bared her teeth and gave a very non puppy like warning. While I do not allow dog fights, I did not feel like she needed to be corrected for doing what she thought was proper. Other then that, I have never had her act badly towards any other animal.


Your puppy was not defending YOU. Your puppy was defending himself. YOU should have gotten further back and gotten between your puppy and the other dogs (at 5 months old your dog was scared of the other dogs). 

This thread is 4 and a half years old.


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