Do you think it is risky to adopt a rotweiller when I have children?

Question

I mean are they really mean dogs, or is that just hype?

Answer 1

I have a Rottweiler and she is wonderful with my toddler. She is protective but very well behaved. I believe it is all in how you treat and train them. I think the dogs that turn on people were either mistreated and/ or neglected. As long as you know what you are doing and you love and treat the dog well you shouldn't have any problems

Answer 2

My belief and from personal experience is that any dog....i mean any dog can be agressive if treated badly. I would be careful adopting pets from the animal shelter only because alot of those animals have been dropped off or captured and often there is no history on the dog to let you know how they are with children. They run tests on the dogs to make sure that they are able to be adopted and most will pass. Obviously they cant give away a dog that is agressive becasue that is a liability but still be careful. Adopting is also great though because you are helping to control the population of homeless and neglected. Just make sure you know what you are doing. everyone i have met that has had a rotweiller who took great care of them had great pets in return.....as far as around children....any dog can be a good dog if you treat them with respect and love. Some of my best family dogs have been pit bulls and I wouldnt have it any other way. i have a boxer mastiff cross and she is a joy and she is great with my kids and my cat. In my experiences with dogs.....my daughter has been bitten by two small lap dogs and she is only 7. One being a mini collie....and the other being a schnauzer or something. She has a scar on her lip. So it just goes to show that any dog can be agressive. Good luck and I hope you find yourself a great new addition to your family.

Answer 3

As far as I know Rotweillers can be really sweet dogs as long as they were raised right. I had a cousin with two rotweillers and two children and never had a problem. However, if you are adopting an older dog (even over one year) you can't be sure that the dog has been properly handled. In either case if you decided to adopt this type of dog I would recommend getting training and professional advice on how to avoid having your pet becoming aggressive.

Answer 4

Let me tell you a TRUE story....

One day, I get a call from a friend of my father, asking me if I was interested in rescuing a rottie. Being I have the word "SUCKER" tattooed across my forehead when it comes to dogs, I agreed.

Well, Azra, was a 2 year old that had never been house broken. She had been tied to a dog house for her entire live and had 3 litters of pups!!! (She got pregnant at every heat!)

When I got her, I had one child and was pregnant with twins! Well, I tell you what, she was probably the best dog I ever had! She was like a second mother to my kids! (I think she thought they were her puppies too!) Because of her, I joined Rottie Rescue and helped place other Rotties with good families. I worked with many different rotties in the years I did that, and I never came across any that I would term dangerous. There were a few that were timid around children, and I would make sure they never went to a home with children.

If you are rescuing this dog, ask if it has been temperament tested and how it did. Most shelters and rescues temperament test to see if a dog is good with other dogs and children! Good luck to you! I am sure you will love the dog!

Answer 5

It depends.

If the dog is still very young, you are really the one most responsible for his eventual temperament. Dogs don't bite people for no reason. If you treat and train him well, there is no reason that he should be dangerous. If the dog is introduced to the children at a young age, he could very well become protective of them.

That being said, young children should not be left alone with dog that is not known to be gentle and patient. Young children often don't know better than to irritate the dog, which many dogs do not tolerate well. Never leave babies alone with a large dog.

Remember that rottweilers are not a "beginner's" dog. They require an educated, patient handler and consistent training. Like German shepards, they can be destructive when bored and need activity and stimulation.

Answer 6

Rottweilers are big, heavily built dogs with a massive head and jaws. They tend to have a strong guardian instinct (this instinct is not true of every rottweiler, but you should expect it when getting a puppy). It's really your risk if you want to get a dog with such an extremely powerful body when you have kids.

It sounds like you're probably not an experienced dog owner. If you haven't trained at least a few dogs to be well-behaved in the past, I really don't recommend a rottweiler. These dogs have a tendency to be dominant and very strong-minded, and they need a firm owner who knows what they're doing. Otherwise you could wind up with an aggressive dog.

There are plenty of nice rottweilers out there that are great with kids, but for a first-time owner, I wouldn't recommend the breed. The power of the dog and the potential guardian instinct can really easily turn into aggressiveness unless you know how to raise them to be controllable.

Instead, I'd recommend a medium-sized dog with a more natural build instead of the heavy, powerful build of the rottweiler. There are lots of other dogs out there with the sweetness of a nice rottweiler but that are more suitable as a first-time family dog. Check out your local animal shelter for adult dogs, and make sure you ask the staff to point out dogs that are good with kids. Some of these dogs may have come from family homes, and sometimes they're already housetrained.

Answer 7

It is just hype. But they are big powerful dogs and may not be a good match for small children especially if you have never had a dog before. Is this a puppy or an adult dog? If it is an adult why is it up for adoption? You may not be prepared to take on an adult dog that is untrained or has behavior issues.

Answer 8

dogs are only as mean as their owners. if they are trained to attack, then they will. on the other hand, my mother had a friend with a rott, and she was as sweet as can be. it's how they've been raised.
if you are considering it, find out how the dog was treated. where are you adopting it from? how old is it? how is it's temper?

these are all questions you need to ask. if the dog is skittish, jumpy, or growls, then the best answer might be no.

only you know what the dog is like. unfortunately, Rotts have a bad reputation, but so do dalmations (biters), and they look sweet and innocent.

go with your gut feeling. i know you wouldn't want your children harmed.

Answer 9

I just got a Rottweiler puppy and he is the sweetest dog. He is 3 months now and we got him right from it's mother. I also have 3 children. You really should know the background of the dog especially with a rescued Rott. You don't know how the parents were or if it was poorly bred. I personally would never get a rescued Rott with young kids in the house simply because you don't know anything about the dog.

Answer 10

they are tagged as aggressive dogs. but l do not know the history on the dog and can't say if it was abused. but l would try to get another breed of dog if you have children. but there are so many good Rottweiler that one or two bad one can get that breed as aggressive. so l ,,myself, if having children would not adopt a Rottweiler. it all depends on where the adoption comes from. usually they are screen before any dog is adopted out. but l still would not take that chance. there could be just one little thing that the people might not have came across they would or could set it off. try raising a puppy Rottweiler.