are rottweilers instinctively vicious or is it all in their upbringing?

Question

We have a 2 month old puppy that is half shepard and half rottweiler and we are concerned for our 4 year old boy.
I don't understand if rottweillers are inherently viscious or if is all in the way they are raised. thanks

Answer 1

It's all in how they are raised! No dog is born bad, it's how they are treated that determines their personality!

Answer 2

Some people will say it is instinct, but I disagree. I had a rottweiler puppy that we raised around an infant, a 2 year old, a 4 year old, and a 6 year old that never harmed anyone or anything. In fact, it was the most gentle dog I've ever owned. We've also had 4 german shepherds that were all very sweet and gentle as well. I think it's all based on the upbringing, although there are some dogs that are just mean. Chances are if you treat it well, it will treat you all well also.

Answer 3

Vicious Rottweiler

Answer 4

You answered your own question. Rottweilers and I might add Pit Bulls ARE NOT INSTINCTIVELY VICIOUS! If you ever catch "The Dog Whisper" on TV, you will see what I mean. I have a friend that had a Rott that weights near 140lbs. He was as sweet as my Lab. Any dog can be defective, but usually a bad dog is the result of it's owner. Just a Note: Rott's are highly pron to hip problems because of so much inter breeding, just as Lab's and other popular breeds. Be sure you have the puppy you buy hips certified by the seller, and have it also checked by a Good Vet. Or you will have no recourse, and the both you and the dog will suffer for it.

Answer 5

Two things make up a dogs temperament, just like humans, genetics and environment. You have a mix, but you are only concerned with one part. Why is that? You have a better chance of a problem simply because you do not know anything about your dogs backround, ie, how the parents were, what kind of temperament they had etc. A name of a breed does not make a bad dog, the genetic and environmental backeound of the dog does. NEVER LEAVE A DOG AND A CHILD ALONE ANYWHERE, EVER. In 26 years of having had hundreds of dogs come through for training or that I have owned, there was only one that I could trust 1000% to leave alone with my babies, ONE. Do not make the mistake of doing it without knowing every hair on that dog's body first. And as a last piece of advice, and listen to this if you listen to nothing else, if that dog ever even so much as looks at the child the wrong way, get rid of it, before it even has a chance to think about it.

Answer 6

They don't have to be vicious but I will tell you this -- when I see a headline that reads, "Person attacked by dog," an image of a Pit-Bull, or a Rottweiler, comes to mind, not a Golden Retriever or a Bernese Mountain dog. Check with the company that carries you homeowners insurance and ask them about any increase in premiums for personal liability if you have a Rottweiler in the home. Chances are there will be.

Answer 7

You have a couple of things going for you...one, this is a young puppy, two, it is a mix of shephard and rottweiler, and sheperds are not guard dogs. Rottweilers are not viscious by nature, as other have noted. No dog is, actually. it is how they are raised and treated. You will have a protector for your young boy with that dog, and one very loyal. Train your puppy properly, don't abuse and don't let your son abuse through innocence. instill in your son the rules of dealing with an animal - don't pull ears and tails, don't tease when there is food around, teach him the commands for dog "sit, stay, come, gentle" and have him reward the animal when it does what it is supposed to; just like the adults will have to do. make the puppy feel welcomed and loved and you should have a long and wonderful relationship with your animal. Good luck!

Answer 8

Our family Breed Rotts for a long time and finally quit several years ago because you can never tell who is going to rasie them as part of the family and who is going to be a good owner! We have 3 rotts right now Ages 9 (male), 7 Female and 4 female. They are all Akc Reg. They have been rasied as part of out family and we trust them totally.

No dog is just mean from birth! Anyone that says a breed is a bad breed Knows NOTHING!! There are no bad breeds but tons of BAD OWNERS!! Not saying that this is you by any means at all! If you raise your pet to be part of the family and include them in your daily lives, they will be a trusted member of the family. We have friends that bring their little girls over and in the summer the dogs and kids go out to play. My friends say that they think thier kids are safer with the dogs being there then if they where not there.

One of my females accually follows the kids around and keeps them from getting into things that she knows they can get hurt on. I know very hard to believe but it is all true! A dog is what you make of them and yes there are exceptions to every rule. Bad Breeders can also cause behavoir prolems buy breeding father to daughter and mother to son. This is not the breeds fault when you have a irresponsible breeder not following the guide lines for breeding and just trying to make a buck.

Hope this all helps! Remeber there are no bad breeds just bad owners!! The owners that are bad give the breed a bad name. A pit bull can even be a loving family dog!

Answer 9

raise him right and he'll be fine you may want to soften his jaw just becuse both of tthe breds he is mixed with have a hard bite, its often done with hunting dogs so thtthey dont damage the kill when they retrive it

do in order

1. No painful bites. 90% of puppies will stop if you give a high-pitched squeal or yelp. If they stop, praise and reinforce by continuing the game. The other 10% and puppies who are tired or over-stimulated will escalate their behavior instead of stopping. This requires you to confine the puppy or end the game. Remove all attention. It does *not* require any added aversive -- yelling, popping the nose or under the chin, shoving your hand down his throat, or spraying with water. If you end the game, you need to be able to get away from the puppy with as little fuss or attention as possible. Even negative attention is attention. It's often helpful to have the puppy tethered, so you can simply move back out of his reach. Or, have him in a confined area and simply stand up and move past a boundary. Because the getting up and moving is tough to do at the instant the undesired behavior occurs, consider using a hand signal that will always mean "You're a jerk. Fun's over." Use it consistently when poor behavior occurs and you're going to withdraw attention. I am well aware that puppy teeth hurt, and that this step can be overwhelming. Do it when you can, and at other times redirect, redirect, redirect. Puppy mouthing is a 100% natural dog behavior. It's not dominant. It's not meanness. It's a puppy being a puppy. When it's too much either redirect or end the game. Aversives are confusing, unfair, and unnecessary.
2. Eliminate all pressure. You want to gradually shape the dog to "gum you to death." Service dog trainers do this routinely, because service dogs often have to use their mouths to manipulate human limbs. Basically, you do this gradually. Set a limit of how hard the dog can bite. If he bites harder, yelp. Gradually set your limit for softer and softer bites. Remember to do this gradually. A big jump in criteria is confusing and frustrating to the dog.
3. When I say stop, you stop. Teach cues for "Take It," "Leave It," and "Drop It." You need to be able to both start and stop the game on your terms.
4. You may never touch a human with your muzzle unless invited. Basically, this is just taking stage three to complete stimulus control.

Answer 10

Rottweilers, like all breeds of dogs with bad reputations, are not inherently bad. They can, however, be dangerous. They, like pitbulls, are often raise to participate in illegal staged dog fights. These dogs become vicious because they have been abused adn mistreated their whole life. Rottweilers can be very sweet dogs, though, and great family pets!

Answer 11

No dog is instinctively vicious, it's how they are brought up. They can be very sweet but do tend to be protective. If your dog is young like you said then it will be sweet if you raise it that way. The dog will not be a problem with the boy as long as he is introduced to the boy at a young age.