I've decided to get my kids a rottweiler, now what?

Question

I recentley asked a question on yahoo about wht kind of dog i should get my kids may of them said rotweiler and explained why i have researched on them talked to owners about them, but the question is ow do i prepare fo them? We have an empty room in our housewill it like that or will it want to sleep on my kids bed with them? How long should their leash be? What food Does it like? what kind of treat wold be a good reward? How many times a day will it need to be walked?

Please answer my Q's and tell me everything you know about preparing for a rotweiller!

Answer 1

There are over 3000 Rottweilers in shelters right now. You should get one from a shelter instead of filling a breeder's pocket. You'll be saving a life. :)
Just look through this list for your state to see if any are near you.
http://search.petfinder.com/search/search.cgi?animal=Dog&breed=Rottweiler&preview=1&exact=1
The shelter workers will tell you everything you need to know before you take it home.

Answer 2

Preparing for a rottie, is like preparing for any other dog to enter your home. If you choose to get a puppy, make sure to puppy proof your house. If you get an adult, dog proof, which is the same as puppy proofing just about. Check local animal shelters for a rottie mix. You may be surprised at what you find. Otherwise, find a reputable breeder in your area.

The dog may like to be put in a room by itself, but it may not. You'll have to test the dog on that one.

You want a 6 foot leash. This will be great for walks and training. It allows optimum control over the dog, but is great when beginning to teach distance stays.

Food- go with a premium large breed dog food. Check the dog food labels. I prefer Nutro Natural Choice.

Reward- anything natural. no rawhides. As for treats, go with small training bits. milkbone treats are fatty. But, in general you don't want the amount of treats that you give a dog exceed more than 10% of the dog's diet.

You shold walk a dog minimum of 2 times a day for a half an hour, preferably more.

You may want to get a breed book about rottweilers. It will give you much more incite about the breed than you'd think. Have your kids read the book, if they can't then read it to them. If you choose. But, I think it'd be a good idea to at least get a book.

Answer 3

I never recommend a Rottweiler to anyone with young kids. It's too big and powerful and too much prey drive to do well with kids. If your kids are older and well behaved around dogs, then maybe, but only if you are sure to never leave the dog and kids alone together. I also don't recommend a Rottie to an inexperienced owner. Sounds like you have never owned a dog before. If this is the case, a Rottie is just not a good choice. They are a dominant breed, bred to guard. They can be stubborn and pushy.
If you do get one, just be sure to really do your homework and find a reputable breeder. A backyard bred Rottie is an accident waiting to happen. Also, this is a breed with many serious health problems, so a well bred dog from parents that have had all the genectic testing done is a must.

Answer 4

let your rottie sleep in your room or your kids room, but not on the bed. As with most dogs, when a dog gets to sleep on the bed, there may be dominance issues. I think that the best leash length is 4 ft because it is fairly long, but not so long that if your dog walks next to you it will be dragging on the ground. Ask your vet what food they would recommend, although I would recommend the brand Ultra. It is very nutritious and my dog loves it. A great reward for any dog is pieces of fruit like watermelon or apple because they are healthy and tasty. You should probably walk a rottie puppy twice a day, although it really depends on how far you walk, and at what speed. She might not even need a walk if your kids run around with her enough.

Answer 5

As far as health..Great Danes will be the unhealthiest of the 3.. Due to a lot of issues Giant breeds can have. Im sure giant (the German ones) Rotties can have these too. I have heard Dobermans are wonderful family dogs and tend to be the smaller of the 3. Not small, just smaller..They are also one of the best guard dogs of all the breeds. They need virtually no training to defend their home and family when threatened. I know a Great Dane that is the wimpiest dog I have ever seen..and very umpredictable, I wouldn't trust my daughter with him for a second alone. But not all Danes are like this Im sure. Also make sure the dog, whichever one, is socialized with children now.. Bring him around all the children you know. Puppyhood is the time for socialization, not in a few years when you decide to have a baby.. Good luck in whichever choice you make. Edit: After reading your personality.. I recomend an English Mastiff..They are pretty laid back and are also good watch dogs, while also being great family dogs..They tend to be about as big as a Dane but Thicker.. Look them up.

Answer 6

Rotties are very social and don't like to be left alone. Most likely he will sleep in the hallway between the rooms and occasionally check on each room throughout the night. Mine sleeps in bed with me. This is not a dominance issue but a pack socialization issue. Dogs are comforted by the smell, touch, and heartbeat of their pack members. It has nothing to do with dominance. As far as food make sure the first ingredient listed is a meat product. My top recommendations are Innova Evo, Canidae, and for the thrifty shopper Maxximum Nutrition. Keep in mind that the better quality of food the less food you need to feed. If you have a yard the dog will enjoy moderate exercise. Mine loves water so I take him to the dog beach in Florida a lot. As for walks he will probably need several 15 minute walks per day. You should make sure he gets at least 2 hours worth of walking if you can't provide other forms of exercise. As for rewards try rope toys, balls, frisbee, footballs, kongs, or an occasional rawhide. Make sure you do some obedience training with him and include, sit, down, stay, and come. A 6 ft leash works best and make sure you have a sturdy nylon leash and collar. A choke chain will help for intermediate training but never use one for basic training. Expect a big dog. My male Rottie is 110 lbs and is still growing. Even though they are short haired dogs they still shed a lot. Make sure you socialize him with other dogs as well. For housebreaking you will need a large kennel. A wire one works best. You may also find that Rotties will find random things around the house that smell like you and will snuggle with them or they will find things that resemble toys and bring them to you for play time. They really are big babies who just want to be with their pack members. Enjoy your new baby and please consider rescuing. It truely does change their lives.

Answer 7

ok well with any dog..you need to crate train it..you can keep the crate in your room or one of the kids room, or just in another room in the house so no one gets jealous.. i would get a pinch collar to train it walking with, if its a puppy your getting i would get a harness, so as not to hurt his neck. but once he gets older i would get a pinch collar..rotties are very strong dogs as i hope you know, a pinch collar just keeps them from pulling. i guess i would get a 6 ft leash with a loop at the bottom to hold on to..even at a small age he must learn to walk beside you, without you pulling him back constantly..i feed my dog and other dogs that i used to foster, Natures Variety, check out the website its great food. and i would say at least a couple walks a day..but teach your kids not to run away from him..if they are playing outside never run away, even if they are playing..some breeds don't view it as play but as something they have to take down, just be careful..they are fabulous dogs, but if get it as a puppy you probably won't have a problem with that. they really are great dogs with kids..soo loving and great family dogs..good luck and congrats

Answer 8

Glad you have been researching/talking to owners about the breed. The FIRST thing you need to do is find a reputable Rottie breeder!!

Start here http://www.amrottclub.org/ and they should be able to put you in touch with a good breeder. I would look for a breeder that does 'something' with their dogs (showing/Rally/Obedience)

Good luck in your search

Answer 9

You need a trainer, or at the very least a class to go to. Petsmart and Petco have them, and if those stores aren't near you, then you can find a trainer here:
http://www.ccpdt.org/
Here's a puppy group to join. This is an all-positive group, and there are some very nice trainers on there who will give you advice. Look at the Files and FAQ sections on there:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/spt/

Answer 10

First I would get a book about Rotties. How old are your children because you may end up caring for the dog.