Is my dog dangerous?

Question

One of my dogs is half rottweiler and half german shepherd. I heard that both of those types of dogs are very vicious and aggressive. And I also have heard that dogs turn out to be how you raise them. Which is true? And when this dog gets grown could it hurt me or my other dog?

Answer 1

animal aggression and people aggression are two TOTALLY different things.
there is dominance
there is aggression
and then there is prey drive
knowing the difference and training your dog properly is the key!!!

http://www.coonhoundrescue.com/barkbuster1.html


EDITED:
LovelyEmily's statement is ridiculous...dog don't "turn on you". dogs do not have a sense of anger or revenge, or rage. dogs bite for a REASON! usually because humans are too stupid to know that their actions caused it.
what would you do if a kid was pulling on your hair? it hurts and you want it to stop...you try and pull away but the kid just grabs more hair, you feel trapped and don't know how to get out of the situation..what do you do? you DEFEND yourself...and they bite.
this is TOTALLY the owners fault! not teaching YOURSELF and your CHILDREN how to behave around ANY dog is just asking for trouble.

Answer 2

They are not so much vicious as they are both protective and yes, aggressive breeds. That's not necessarily a bad thing. You need to make sure that you put your dog though a training. ((Every dog needs it)). You and your other dog are a part of the "pack" so the dog probably won't be aggressive toward you. You also need to establish that you are the dominant "alpha" in the pack and everything will be fine.

I have an aggressive breed and used, "How To Be Your Dogs Best Friend" by the Monks of New Skeet. They breed German Shepherds and train all breeds. Great book!

Caesar Millan is the Dog Whisperer and his show on the National Geographic Channel; rocks! If you google "Dog Whisperer" Caesar Millan you will be able to buy his first season on DVD. He's awesome with dogs and has great ideas for their humans! I've used his techniques on my three dogs and they really work.

I think it's more of how they are raised...than the breeds AND you still need to train every dog...

I wish you the best!

P.S. Please spay and neuter!

Answer 3

Dogs are a reflection of their owners. Bad owners most likely have bad dogs. If you dog is a puppy that has never encountered any type of absue, is raised in a good, loving home, gets proper meals, is not chained outside 24 hours a day, etc. there is no reason to believe that he will ever be anything but loving.

Anyone that has told you that rottweilers and german shepherds are all vicious is misinformed. There is no breed of dog that has ever been or is currently bred to be vicious. Vicious dogs are a product of society, for domestic animals - they are a human creation, not nature's.

If you have questions about either of the breeds in your mix, training, multiple dog issues, etc. check out the following sites:

http://www.master-dog-training.com/
http://www.rott-n-chatter.com/
http://www.germanshepherds.com/
http://www.amrottclub.org/

Answer 4

Both breeds are tough, but if properly bred, raised and trained they are NOT vicious or dangerous.

Start obedience training NOW! The best (and cheapest) way is to take your dog to training classes at your local AKC recognized obedience club. (www.akc.org) And/or read some great books on training. (Try not to pick books randomly - there are a lot of bad books out there also!) These are some of my favorites and you can get them on Amazon.com
What All Good Dogs Should Know – Volhard http://www.volhard.com/
Good Owners, Great Dogs - Brian Kilcommins
Dog Tricks : Eighty-Eight Challenging Activities for Your Dog from World-Class Trainers by Haggerty and Benjamin
Don't Shoot the Dog - Pryor
Training Your Dog: The Step by Step Method - Volhard
Dog Problems - Benjamin
Cesar's Way - Cesar Millan
Also, watch the Dog Whisperer on the National Geographic Channel. Cesar Millan is the best trainer I've ever seen on TV.
http://www.dogpsychologycenter.com/

Answer 5

All dogs are aggressive due to the fact they all come from wolfs. Some of the most aggressive are the smaller breeds the troble is the bigger the dog the bigger the bite thus more damage. Rotts and German shepherds are both dogs people think are "bad". Make sure you train him well and he do what you tell him right away. Socialize him well with humans and animals. I own what most dangerous, pit bull, I have two and they get along with dogs, cats, kids and ginnie pigs. It is the way you train your dog that makes your dog what it is.

Answer 6

The important thing is the training of a large dog. They can be dangerous under certain conditions. Dogs like this will bond to one master usually and will put up with other members of the family and even be playful and friendly. They will tend to be aggressive with strangers who come on the yard or act suspicious to the dogs thinking and should give an aggressive show without attacking. If they do start to take action against people you will need to get rid of the dog.

Answer 7

ANY dog can be vicious or aggressive. Just work with him and train him and u will have a great dog. Socialize him and get a dog trainer for some extra help. Keep him healthy and happy and he will turn out 2 be an excellent dog

Answer 8

Rottweilers and GSD's are usually wonderful dogs, which is why they are so popular. As any dog, they need to be well-trained and well-socialized, especially due to their large size. Contrary to what is said by many here, some individual dogs (not breeds) are just inherently dangerous--just like some people are. Most dogs are not. Some "nice" dogs hurt people, while some "dangerous" dogs never do. Stack the cards in your favor with good socialization and training, and enjoy your dogs! And hey, cars (ahem, inattentive and reckless drivers) are more dangerous than dogs any day.

Answer 9

our family had a rott/shep mix, and she was the best dog ever. she was great around kids, loyal to the bone. one of the reasons that rottweilers and german shepards get a bad "aggressive" name is that they are often over bred, which can develop a more aggressive dog. environment also plays a huge part in any pets behavior. you got your pet while still a pup, and how you treat and respond to it will vastly impact how it turns out. you are the "master" and the pup is the dog, so a lot depends on you. love your doggies, treat 'em right, and they'll pay you back tenfold. your young dog is a great mix, though, shepweillers make good home buddies. best of luck to you!!

Answer 10

If your dog is mixed there is no way you can predict his future aggression tendencies.. It would depend on his/her parents. If both dogs are male, then eventually they will (the two dogs) determine who is the dominant one. Dogs are pack animals and its very little you can do to stop that occurrence.
Training does have an effect on how a dog behaves. Still, aggression is passed from parents. You may eventually have to see a professional dog trainer's help.