Hi, Are Rotweillers a good breed for our daughter?

Question

She is a little over 4 yrs. old. I saw a 4 month old female at a Pet store but we have been doing some researcha and they are great dogs but maybe not what we are looking for.

Answer 1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rottweiler

In the hands of a responsible owner, a well-trained and socialized Rottweiler can be a reliable, alert dog and a loving companion. An untrained or poorly trained Rottweiler, however, can be destructive and, if allowed to run at large, may pose a significant physical threat due to its size and strength. In general, Rottweilers are fond of children, very devoted, quick to learn, and eager to please. They thrive on mental stimulation. They can be strong-willed, however, and should thus be trained in a firm, fair, and consistent manner. Rottweilers respond readily to a clear and benevolent leader. Rottweilers are playful animals who may frequently demand attention from their owners if they are not receiving the mental stimulation they desire and will find creative and often destructive ways to elicit it if they are excessively neglected.

The Rottweiler is not usually a barker: Male dogs are silent watchers who notice everything and are often quite stoic. Females may become problem barkers in order to protect their den. An attentive owner is usually able to recognize when a Rottweiler perceives a threat. Barking is usually a sign of annoyance with external factors (car alarms or other disturbances) rather than a response to actual threats.

The Rottweiler is notably a steady dog with a self-assured nature. The Rottweiler's large size and incredible strength make this an important point to consider. Rottweilers were originally bred to help butchers herd sheep and carry money. Early socialization and exposure to as many new people, animals, and situations as possible are crucial to producing a dog that is tolerant of new environments.

Aggression in Rottweilers is associated with poor breeding, poor handling, lack of socialization, natural guarding tendencies, and abuse.

The Rottweiler Welfare Association offers the following advice for would-be Rottweiler owners:[3]

Like all dogs, the Rottweiler needs to be trained properly and controlled at all times
No one should own a Rottweiler unless they are absolutely sure they can control it, and are willing and able to devote time and effort to teaching the dog basic good manners
The Rottweiler has a natural guarding instinct. Do not do anything (for instance, rough play) to enhance this guarding instinct
No Rottweiler should be left in the sole charge of a person, such as a child, who is not capable of controlling it
Any person who owns a dog should be aware that he will be devoted to and feel protective towards his household. This should be borne in mind when children are playing, people are arguing, or visitors are calling
Third party insurance should be taken out on any Rottweiler that you own


Good luck-hope this helps-and dont let poeples opinions stop you!Go with the facts and the dog may even save your childs life someday!

Answer 2

Rottweilers are NOT vicious by nature, contrary to the person who answered you first. Only bad owners do that. My friend has a Rottie who is 5 years old, and is gentle and loving to his kids. However, this dog also went though obediance training (which was a couple hundred dollars) and has a dominant owner.

If you cannot afford obediance training and be dominant enough to control a Rottie, then don't get the puppy. They require vigilance to keep from overrunning the family, just as any other large and powerful breed also requires upkeep like this to keep anything bad from happening.

By the way, I've worked with a lot of dogs, and the only times I ever got bit were by Chihuahuas. THOSE I would not recommend for kids. It's more difficult to control a tiny dog for fear of harming them emotionally because they tend to pout and whine after a stern "NO" (or simply because people think it's "cute" when they bark and snap at others, and it's not cute)

Answer 3

I think if you have doubts about it being a good dog for your family, you should not get the dog. I have never seen a vicious Rotweiler, but they are very protective of their family and yard. They are usually very loving to their family, but they are one of the only dogs that think independantly. That means they dont just act from instinct and training, they actually think for themselves.

If it was my daughter, and I wanted a family pet, I would first check out the local shelter. Get a dog that is calm and friendly. Don't buy a puppy store puppy. Yes they are cute but you are buying from a puppy mill, and the animals are bred to death and mistreated and over priced. If you want a pure bred, look at the shelters or a respectable breeder. Some breeders inbreed there dogs too many times and it can cause problems.

Answer 4

Rots are a great breed; loyal, protective, etc., but stay away from a pet store animal. If you are going to get an animal like that you should find a reputable breeder to guarantee overall health, especailly hips (dysplasia). not to mention disposition. A breeder will most likely have the parents on the premises and you'll get a good idea of your puppy's size and temperament.

you can ckeck out AKC's website for a list of breeders and there could be a "breed selection" tool for you since a lot of factors could determine whether or not family and puppy will be happy together.

Answer 5

as the owner of 2 rottweilers, i can confidently say that they are wonderful family dogs. it's all in how you raise them. if you raise your rotties with children, then they don't have the fear of the small, and sometimes rough kids. i have an 8 and 9 year old rott, and a 4 year old daughter. i would never own any other dog, but a rott. they've been known for their temper, but people don't take into consideration that the bigger the dog, the harder they bite. poodle bites don't put people in the hospital. people say that rottweilers turn on their owners...which could be true. but weenie dogs are capable of doing the same thing. you don't hear the stories about that though. rottweilers are very protective, and i think that's a wonderful thing. they aren't for everyone...they require alot of attention and alot of exercise. they need to be shown who the boss is, as with any dog. people just have a horrible prejudice against rottweilers, and if you just listen to the negative, then i'm sure you will too.

Answer 6

I don't have anything against rotweillers, but be careful, and get one as a puppy. Many that are at shelters were used for fights, and some can be vicious. Also, some insurance companies raise their rates if you have a rotweiller or pitbull. Honestly though, they're really just a misunderstood breed. If that's what you'd like to get, then get it, as long as you know what you're getting.

Answer 7

I would be careful about getting a dog with a vicious reputation. I have heard so many horror stories about dogs being sweet and cuddly and then turning on the owners. It is especially true with children, because they may just be giving affection, but may squeeze a little too tight or pull fur by accident and then the dog goes crazy and malls the child. Check around on some of the websites about dogs and really do your homework about different breeds before making a choice.

Answer 8

Theres no good or bad family dog. Dogs are only vicious because crappy owners cant manage to train them properly. If you get a rotti pup then you can train it up to be a great family companion. Remember to train your daughter as well so she doesnt aggrevate the pup! The normal reason dogs attack is through fear.. if you daughter upsets the dog hes more likely to attack. Same as any human would!

Answer 9

first of all how active is your family? if its a pretty active family then i would suggest rotts are good choice. also you need to consider that it will be a big dog and that as a puppy it is going to be very hyper and will love to jump its up to you to train it not to do this so as not to knock over your daughter. to the guy that said nope their vicouis dont listen to him they are not bad dogs just bad owners. we had rotties growing up and never had a problem with them but that is due to us properly training the dog. if you are looking for a dog that will be good with your daughter and will not be very hyper or jumpy but will be tough enough to handle your daughters rough play i would suggest an english bulldog they are very good with children and other animals as long as like with all dogs they are properly socilaized. but again do your reserach on this breed as they tend to have a lot of medical problems not all of them do but there is a chance. also go out and get a couple of books on several differnt breeds of dogs and read up on them. another great choice would be a great pyrnesse or a swiss mountian dog either are a great choice for small children. well i hope this helps and good luck:)

Answer 10

go to www.akc.org and check out the breed list and it tells you about the type of dog you are looking at. You might want to contact your insurance company as well and see if they will cancell you home owners insurance for certain types of dogs. most do