My fiance wants to get a Rottweiler when we are married and have kids.?

Question

I am kind of scared of them. First they are big than I am (I am 110lbs) and second, after some of the things I hear on the news about them...with kids and all. For any of you who have Rotties or experience with them, positive or negative..please share..especially your advice/experience with rotties and kids.

Answer 1

Mean and aggressive dogs are made not born. There are some breeds that have a tendancy to be aggressive but if the dog is raised in kindness, it will return the favor with tail wags and kisses.

Answer 2

First...I want to say that you show intelligence talking about a desision such as this before hand.

I have had experiance with many Rotts. They are without question one of the sweetest of dogs around.

Someone mentioned training. If you don't have experiance with training then you need to get them to training classes, socialization classes and keep it up.

The problem with a Rottie is liability; insurance wise that is.
The way things are going these days there is a premium on you insurance if you have a Rott! Not to mention, if that dog does his job and stops an intruder, you will be sued and the dog will be put down. The whole Rottie thing just isn't really worth it.

My Rottie had to be put down (cancer) and I want to get a new one but the libility is just too big of a chance. That dog would be the very best of guards if you have kids, but you might have to lock up the dog if they have friends over.

Another concern is that the Rottie has a bite of 1600 psi, and that is a lot. One accident, a slip, there can be a lot of damage done.

As far as what you hear on the news, they only tell you the bad stuff, never the good stuff!

A rot is a very familly oriented dog, more than most. The Rott is the hardest (ability to take abuse) of the entire K-9 kingdom and they will fight to the death to peotect their family if they sence you are in danger (real or imagined.)

Max was a small Rott, just 95 pounds and I weigh 230. One time when he wanted to attack a Dobie I could barily hold him...and he wasns't even a year old.

Now depeending upon where you live, fencing sitution and the amount of family interaction you can supply, a Rottiie may be the best choice for you.

My advice is to get them young, about 5 weeks. start potty training immediatly...well if you get one I can tell you a million things that need doing. and help you with any problems.\

You know there is another consideration: Being that you are afraid of the Rottie, sencing that, it may be a little bit over protective of you causing it to be a bit more aggressive wheen you are around - just a thought.

Answer 3

Rotties can be wonderful family pets if raised properly. However keep in mind these are naturally dominate dogs which makes them not the best for first time dog owners. Have you or your finance every had dogs before? If not you may want to consider another breed. Either way however having a dog you are afraid of is not the start of a good relationship especially with a dominate breed that is more likely to take advantage of that fact. Do you know someone with a well trained Rottie? If so ask to spend some time with it. If not contact a reputable breeder or a breed rescue in your area and explain to them your husband is interested in the breed but you are a bit intimidated by them and you would like to spend some time with a well behaved adult to see if your perception of the breed changes. If you are still afraid of them go with another breed, if not then go for it. Just remember that Rotties and any of the other guard/protection breeds especially require training and socialization to to be good K-9 citizens. Any dog can become aggressive (especially toward strangers) if not properly trained and socialized by with the guard/protection tend to do so more easily because of the centurys of breeding behind them.

Also....ignore the posts saying there brain keeps growing after there skull stops growing and it makes them go crazy. That ridiculous myth started years ago with Dobermans and apparently has crossed over to Rotties to and it is simply not true.

Answer 4

Rotties can be great dogs , if properly trained . These dogs make awesome guard dogs as well . But most of the time not reccomended for the inexperienced owner . Meaning people who've never owned one or have never owned a dog . My great grandparents owned one and he was awesome . But they had previous experience , So they pretty much knew alot about them . Today my great grandma owns another one and hes about 6 years old and not very active . Sometimes rescue groups wont adopt out Rotties to people who have children under the age of 10 due to there size .Theres nothing wrong with Rotties there just another breed caught up in the wrong place at the wrong time or a bad reputation .

Answer 5

i have 5 kids aged between 7 and 16, i also have 6 cats and 3 dogs, one of those dogs is a Rotty, she is 4 months old and great,she is brilliant with my kids i always put her on the lead and allow them to walk her round the garden, my other 2 dogs are 6 months old collie mixes, she (Chyna) is brilliant with my collies and my cats.. All because there have been many many newspaper reports about Rottys turning, its not the dog its the owner that makes them aggressive, either through ignorant training or the dog knows there is a weakness as the owner is scared etc.. PUNISH THE DEED, NOT THE BREED

Answer 6

I don't have a problem with Rottweilers, but if YOU are afraid of the dog that is not the basis for a good relationship with it. Dogs know if you are afraid, and will take advantage of the situation.

If you want to try to get over your fear of Rotties, I suggest you start attending dog shows (especially Rottie specialties, Google "Rottweiler Club" for a breed club near you), Rottie rescue events (Google "Rottweiler rescue" for a group in your area), and visiting GOOD breeders (check out the American Rottweiler Club website for a directory) to meet lots of Rotts from different backgrounds in person and see what they are REALLY like.

If you've done your best to get to know the breed and you still don't like them, then either your fiance will have to settle for a breed that you BOTH like, or if he wishes to disregard your feelings in this matter then I would consider this to be a red flag for your relationship (better to find this out now than after you are married with kids, though).

Answer 7

I wouldn't get one if you are scared of them, spend some more time with them (if you can) before you decided on buying one, so you feel better about getting one. I personally think they are the sweetest dogs, My parents brought one when I was four and she was great, they also had a doberman before I was born who was great also. Never leave any dog alone with kids it doesn't matter whether there big or little dogs and also I would get a girl rottie if you do decide to because they are generally slightly smaller then the males. Remember that you are raising the pup so you will bond with it when it is small and fluffy so you won't be intimidated bye it and you will be able to raise it how you wont.

Answer 8

I have only known Rottweilers who are well bred and well trained and can only say, they are one of the sweetest natured and most gentle breeds I've ever come across. The horror stories you hear are because of inadequate idiots who want a macho breed. I have a friend who is about 4 ft 11" and keeps Rotts. and also has sheep, geese and cats. The Rotts wouldn't dream of hurting any of them.
Rotts are no better and no worse than any other large breed. There are examples with bad temperament just as there are in any breed. Go to a reputable breeder and take your dog to training classes to learn the correct way to train and you won't have a problem. It doesn't matter how big or small you are, you don't train a dog by physical strength, you train it by teaching it to do as you say.

Answer 9

My bf family have just got a rottie, he's 2 years old and used to be a guard dog in a yard. He was abused as a pup too. I was terrified of him to start with but after just two weeks we have started to get along fine as long as I dont push the boundaries. They dont respond to the "usual" way you'd train a dog, like a slap or treats, they think much more like wolves than your usual pet dog.This doesnt mean they are savage, but it does mean they base their understanding of the world on the pack system so you have to be the "dominant animal" in the house and totally consistent with them. I know they are near the top of the list for FATAL dog attacks on humans because of their size. If you happen to be the more "dominant animal" your rottie will be ok with you but your kids will be little and you just never know. Its not worth the risk, people have DIED. Tell your boyfriend how you feel and if he just wont budge he may not be the man for you!

Answer 10

Rotts can be great dogs. There are some poorly bred examples of the breed tho who have unstable temperments.

Come to some agreement.. no rotts until the kids are older. A large dog can injure a child just by playing rough. Children need to be taught how to respect a dog's space.. toddlers are bad about pulling on ears and hair.

Also insist that the dog comes from a reputable breeder who is breeding for temperment.. and not someone who is just putting out puppies.

Answer 11

Dogs aren't born mean!! And just because it is big doesn't mean its aggressive. My sister was attacked by a Pomeranian as a child for getting to close to its master. If you are truly worried about it then you need to get the dog as a puppy that way you can start with training early. Most children are attacked by dogs they know because they are either hurting the dog or to close to its food. Train your dog early that no one is going to steal its food. Some hand feeding and putting your hands near, on, and in its dish while the dog is eating, also move the food bowl while its eating. Pet and praise the dog continuously while doing this. This will get the dog used to having people close and touching its food while it is eating. You will also need to train your children not to hit or otherwise torment the dog.