Rottweiler or Pit Bull?

Question

I know I will get alot of bad comments but I would really love to know this. Our friends own a rottweiler and another couple we know own a Pitt Bull. My husband would like to have one of them. So which one of these breeds would be better with children. We have 3 and 8 yr old boy, a 3 year old girl and a 1 year old girl.

Also would a male or a female be better?

another thing, our friends that own the Rotts, they have been around kids so when they do have the pups I know that mom and dad are good with kids so does that will pass down to the litter right? And with the Pit Bull family that have a baby so they have been around kids too.

Answer 1

Either will be fine provided you do your part. A dog, any dog, is only as loving or as aggressive as it is brought up/trained to be. If you give it good loving attention and socialize it properly there will not be any problem Rotty or Pit, male or female. I had a Catahoula Cur/Pit mix and a sweeter more loving dog never walked this earth. However, she did hate cats and I had to be on my toes when there was a chance we would encounter a feline.
You should be aware that both of these breeds are VERY protective instinctively and will fiercely protect it’s family if provoked so keep that in mind when out in other than routine situations. Also if routinely abused, innocently or otherwise, by bratty or just down right rotten kids, aggression could quickly become a problem. But that would not be that dogs fault now would it?

I know this wasn't part of the question but couldn't leave with out saying; I would recommend a Golden or two. I have two and they just love kids of any size. Sweetest breed ever and smart too. They will protect if needed but they won't guard anything. It's just not in their nature.

Answer 2

I am a teen and i grew up with pit bulls abnd rotts both. They are both loving and protective dogs so you sholudn't have any problem with either. Just make sure you gety a puppy so you can raise it the way you want it. Dont buy a grown one because it could have been rasied in a mean way. Dogs are only agressive if the owner raised it that way. Best of luck with either of them. I know i loved mine till the end of the earth when they were still alive. Oh and make sure the puppie is a full blooded. Pits and Rotts only start to get breed mean when people start crossbreeding. Trust me I know. I've had Two pits and Three Rotts. They were the best lovable creatures ever and not one turned on me. I lost my last Rott to the canned food and my last Pitt to heart worms. So right now I have anothe rRott puppie who is 12 weeks old ansd as friendly as can be. I love him!! It doesn't really madder if it is a boy or girl. They are all the same, just if you dont fix the female be prepared for mother nature with the big dog. =) <3

Answer 3

Either would be fine but let me give you some advise about getting a pitbull (This is not a breed but a grouping of breeds), well really it would work for any breed of dog.
First you need to deside if you want a American staffordshire or American pitbull . They are similar breeds and do come from pretty much the same background however they are not the same. They are however grouped together as pitbulls along with several other bully breeds. You should do research on all the breeds this will help you determine which one is more suited to your familys lifestyle. Then you need to find a reputable breeder. Be thorough about your research on the breeder make sure you visit the breeders facility look for it to be orderly,clean, well maintained, ask for reffrences one being their vet the others being at least 3 clients that got pups from diffrent parents at least 6 months prior and ask about their pups health and temperment, call the registries their dogs are registered with and find out if there have ever been any complaints, ask to see their dogs look them over make sure they are alert, eyes are clear, no discharge from the nose,coat is clean and shiny with no hair loss, watch how they respond to you are they wagging their tail, cowering, growling, The temperment of the adults will give you a little insight as to how the pups they bore may be tempered. Ask if you can get the bloodline names on the parents before buying a pup. What you want to do is check the back ground look at the grand parents and great grand parents do some research on the names for example if its jeep,gator,camalot,colby, you want to know what the bloodline was used for in the past. some are fighting lines,some hunting lines and some are show lines. This will also help you to determine what type of temperment the pups may have. For example if 2 fighting lines where breed together then the pups will probably be more prone to aggression, If you have 2 hunting lines then the pups may be more active and need alot of physical and mental stimulation, 2 show lines and the pups will probably be more evenly tempered. I know it sounds like alot but its really not its important that if your going to get a pitbull you know and understand them and that you get a good quality dog since its the lack of breed knowledge and the poor quality of breeding that gives the pitbull such a bad name. We always tell people that ask us why we have our kid around pitbulls and staffies,"There is alot of work that goes into getting a well breed,even tempered, stable minded pitbull and even more work in owning one but they are well worth it all."

Answer 4

Neither. Your family doesn't need a dog right now.

You're too busy with 4 kids under 10 to take care of a dog.

Money is too tight - the cost of a dog is just the beginning - then there's vet care, obedience class, spay/neuter, food, accessories - you have 4 kids under 10 - all of whom need shoes.

Your kids are too young. While both Rotties and Pitties are WONDERFUL family pets, small children can torment even the most mild mannered dog into doing something we don't like (biting). That's just because babies don't know any better - and neither do dogs. Sadly, after a "bad incident" the child gets stitches, the parents get charged with neglect and the dog gets put down.

Wait until your youngest is at least in school before you even consider getting a dog.

When your family is ready and financially able, go to the shelter and adopt an adult dog who needs a good home. That way Dog will be spayed/neutered, have all his shots, Probably potty trained, and be over the chewing stage (think of your expensive Gucci's )

But no. With 4 kids under 10 - your family doesn't need a dog to add to the fracas.

Answer 5

I love my rottie mix-he gets excited with the kids sometimes, but he's only a few months old and is controllable even then (kids just started working with basic commands for him and he's thrilled).

I would look at the parents for one, bring your kids around and make sure all parents respond well. If possible, test all puppies of both breeds for temperment (not fully accurate, but better than nothing).

Either breed should be fine with training, so just try getting a feel for the individual parents and pups.

Someone above recommended a male rather than a female-I fully agree. Every male dog Ive ever owned has taken better to multiple people and has been much more of a family focused dog.

Answer 6

I have had a lot of experience with both dog breeds around children. Although they are both capable of making a great family pet, I would absolutely say rottweiler. I own a male rottie 1 yr old and he is the most amazing dog. To be sure that my pup would be a great family pet I raised him around young children, small dogs, and cats. He knows so many commands that will ensure a child's safety such as "Watch it" and "play nice" so he knows that when young children are around he has to be more of aware of where hes running around and play more gently. Rottweilers are amazingly intelligent and so eager to please and feel like a part of the family. I would say definitely go with the rott!

I have pictures on my 360 if your interested in seeing my rottie.

Answer 7

Rottys are instinctive guard dogs, they are very powerful and need a strong hand to be socialized properly. That being said, they can be a excellent family pet, very intelligent and protective when the situation warrants it.

Pit Bulls are no more aggressive than any other dog, if they are raised properly, some of the nicest dogs I have ever known were pit bulls.
However they have the capacity for great mayhem due to their powerful build and jaws, so check out your breeder carefully.
Also, do NOT buy from a pet store, they often get their dogs from unscrupulous breeders (puppy mills) with no regard to health, inbreeding, temperament, etc.

Answer 8

No dog - not just these two breeds are good in a home with such young children. These two would be the worst though. Wait until your kids are at least 5 and can understand that the dog is not a toy etc. They require a lot of time and energy to be raised properly (when I was growing up my parents got a dog when we were too young and the dog ended up attacking my brothers - over 100 stitched total and the dog was put down - he was a lab mix). Don't mess with it unless you have an extra 2 hours a day for properly training and excercising this dog right now.

Answer 9

Really does depend on the dog itself not the breed. Although some breeds are more pron to have a negative reaction towards kids, I personally wouldnt get either if they havent been exposed to young children before. The stress of a new home, and a new little human tugging at your ears might just be too much. Plus neither of these dog breeds have good rep with kids..

Also it depends on the age of the dogs, if they are young pups, they can be adjusted to your children under intense supervision.

If they arent puppys dont do it, go to a shelter, and find a puppy.

Answer 10

I love both breeds, I grew up around a few Rotties and they are wonderful dogs, so are pittys.. I would reccomend a Rottie just because they tend not to be such hyper- jumpers, pittys are great dogs too but in my experience they are extremely energetic dogs, almost to the point of hyperactivity, this can lead to kids getting scratched and knocked over. Rotties have lots of energy too but they seem to mature and gain dignity with age, whereas pittys seem to stay big puppies their whole lives. I know alot of people are saying all sorts of bad things about the breeds and whatnot but as long as the pups come from good parents, have good breeding, and you take the time to train, socialize and educate your children about how to act with dogs, everything will be fine. I do suggest a male dog, over a femal in the case of Rotties and any dog really I just find males are better overall with kids as they stay more immature than a female.. females tend to grow up to be more aloof than the males. However you must understand that BOTH of these dog breeds are strong, large and very headstrong dogs that need a clear and firm leadership in their lives.. from ALL the people in their pack. From the beginning you must establish that you and your children are the leaders.. start with the food, make sure to handle the pup while it is eating, feed him by hand get the kids to feed him by hand. Teach a release command for toys, AND treats such as rawhide bones and make absolutely sure that your dog has something to do! Toys, walks, play, training... Rotties and Pits are extremely intelligent dogs and its best if you give them an outlet for that by teaching them lots of tricks... Rotties are especially good at learning tricks and commands and it can be a fun thing to do with the whole family... have your kids teach the dog tricks too, make the dog work for everything it wants.. sit before getting the toy, laydown before getting pet, etc etc. Rotties are great dogs, but they are very independant and stubborn at times you have to outwit them you cant force them into doing anything.. Think long and hard before you get such a powerful breed, they both require ALOT of training and socialization and they require alot of time and patience to train.