Why do people think Rottweilers are big, nasty dogs?

Question

With all the bad press in the papers recently, it has really got me down that people judge all Rottweilers on the only few bad ones.

Answer 1

People are ignorant and thick to be fair! I think this question should be re-phrased to say "why are parents so thick as to leave their babies unattended with dog's of any breed?", because to me, this is what it's all about!! No dog is 100% safe, it doesn't matter what breed, what background, under NO circumstances should a dog and a child be left unattended. It's all very easy to blame Rotti's for everything, but in the case of the baby killed in Leicester, those dog's were guard dogs...ie, bred to be aggressive, and that is a whole different thing, to a Rotti who has been well brought up in a family environment....but even so, no dog should be left alone with a child.

My motto is "judge the deed, not the breed", and if you can't follow that, then you're ignorant, pure and simple. If people are going to start hating Rotti's because of the bad press, then they may aswell hate all dog's, because all dog's are capable of attacks, even those yappy little Jack Russell things! Obviously the damage a Jack Russell could do is very little compared to a larger breed, but evenso, it's still an attack...but the paper's don't publish stories like that so much, because they don't actually want to educate the thicko's who think it's only a few breed's who attack! I actually wish the paper's would start publishing several "Jack Russell attacks" headlines, because it would be a highly laughable time, when these ignorant, dim wits decided that all Jack Russell's are dangerous! It's easy to use the Rotti as a scape goat, because it looks quite "scary"....wise up!

Answer 2

I had a rottweiler when I was young and he never growled at any one or bit any one. People are judging a book by its cover and I think that is just mean. By getting the right training and enough love a rottweiler is just as good and loving as any other dog. Rottweilers should also not be kept in cages or on chains because they get agitated an d brutal then. A rottweiler likes to have lots of room and respect from people.

Answer 3

the variety of tremendous number of human beings keep large dogs, no longer only Rottweilers contained in the living house all day and with small gardens. So at the same time as they take them to the park the only bypass loopy and what would you assume!! in case you're taking a baby to a swing park and say supply up taking section in on the swings then they often times do not pay interest also. at the same time as different human beings see those dogs then they imagine that they are out of control once you call them yet they don't come again yet truly they are only having abit of freedom. I easily have 2 Rottweilers 4yrs and 2yrs previous yet they are both walked 3 cases an afternoon. so my suggestion is in case you dont have the time then dont get a large dogs.

Answer 4

I see you have just joined us today. Welcome.
When you are on this site for a while you will see that there are many (not all) that are shortsighted and use racist and sexist stereotypes and much more....they believe them. Poor old Muslims are the flavour of the month at the moment and get a bit of a bashing.
I suspect this is a reflection of the world as a whole which is a bit of a pity.
Now..to answer your question....The media have stirred a great deal of hate in the last 15 years or so and have called rotties "Devil dogs etc" Many people believe this. One thing is interesting is that the Doberman has been left alone recently but was also tarred with the same brush at one time.

Answer 5

Because the press is kind of "after them", they sell their papers more easily if there is a big picture of a rottie on the front page with catch phrase such as "devil dog kills 5 month old baby". It is really a shame that as for other matters, the journalists go for the sensationnal, and don't try to inform. For example, they never explain that there is thousands of rotties in the country, and that only about 20 incidents happens per year involving this breed. You would probably find a highest percentage of "vicious" people who commit incivilities, regardless of the consequences for other (yes, speeding kills!)
Rottie is my favorite breed, they have character, and are very affectionnate pets.

Answer 6

Ive got a rottie, he is a big baby. Loyal, sweet, good with cats, kids and strangers.

ANY large breed dog that attacks is only from the way it was raised. Judging an entire breed because of some bad press, or a couple bad dogs is completly unfair.

Also, smaller dogs attack more often than large dogs.

It all depends on how you raise them and treat them. I rescued mine when he was fully grown and he is still a big baby.

Answer 7

I don't know, because there are far more nasty aggressive 'small' dogs than there are big ones like rottis or shepherds! Annoys me too.
How many people get badly bitten by other dogs and never report it? A family member was hospitalised by a springer spaniel, didn't see that in the paper though, it doesn't fit with the stereotype!

Answer 8

well it's just that isn't it, the bad press. they're aren't any good press about dogs, only negative and like lemmings most people believe everything they hear or read and so can't see past it.....

yes some dogs are capable of nasty things, but thats all dogs not just rottweilers, but then it doesn't help that they are quite big and some do look vicious even if they are not. so this helps with people's perceptions....

Answer 9

I've only ever known one rottie who was a big teddy bear. I believe that any dog - large or small - is capable of killing. We used to have a Border Terrier which is a small breed and when he used to get something in his mouth and go in for the kill (usually towels!) it was frightening. For this reason he was never let off the lead in public until trained not to kill (for information he used to get a towel in his mouth and shake it from side to side).

Also I know the pub where the little girl was killed and its not in the nicest of areas and lets just say it had a reputation for being rough and possible, and I'm kind of speculating here, the dogs were not trained to be pets. The dogs used to stand on the roof and bark at anyone walking past to the point where some friends of ours who used to live in the area would avoid walking past.

Answer 10

They were originally bred for herding and protecting cattle... which requires a lot of strength and stamina. This means they are going to be BIG dogs, capable of taking care of a COW. It's sad that people don't understand that a dog is what the owner makes of it. My 170 lb rott was a gentle giant, loved children and was a protector of those he loved, exactly what I wanted, trained and raised him to be. Since a rott can be big and ferocious if trained to do so... it's the owner that should take responsibility for the dog's actions.