Rottweiler as a family pet?

Does anyone have or know anyone who has a rottweiler in a home with children?

DH and I are thinking of getting one when we move and my family is being very judgmental and saying they are dangerous blah blah blah. I disagree but wanted to see what others had to say.

Re: Rottweiler as a family pet?

I don't know anyone who has one, but I just wanted to say that I love them. I think they are gorgeous dogs, and like with any breed, I believe how they are raised is what matter most. I wouldn't buy or adopt one for cheap though. I would get one from a reputable breeder.

Re: Rottweiler as a family pet?

They are a strong breed....

My dh's family has had 2 rottties - they are both AMAZING, GENTLE wonderful dogs but that is because they put the time in to train them correctly

you have to let a rottie know that YOU are the alpha, if not, it can get bad

overall, they are amazing dogs and VERY good with kids

good luck, I love rotties, we are actually considering getting one in the future

Re: Rottweiler as a family pet?

I'm sure the pets board people will flame me and tell me they are the most misunderstood breed BUT:

I would not be comfortable with a rottweiler as a pet. Or a pit bull either. Or any other dog that has a reputation for aggression even if it's inaccurate or baseless or misrepresented in the media.

There are so many other breeds of dogs, I say why take the risk?

Re: Rottweiler as a family pet?

Re: Rottweiler as a family pet?

my niece grew up with a big ol' teddy bear of a Rottie. I think with Rottweilers, pit bull or any other breed you have to train them from the beginning.

I saw on dogs 101 that rotties are great family dogs, but just remember all dogs are different.

Re: Rottweiler as a family pet?

Posted by pinkandblue

Posted by CrankyPants

I'm sure the pets board people will flame me and tell me they are the most misunderstood breed BUT:

I would not be comfortable with a rottweiler as a pet. Or a pit bull either. Or any other dog that has a reputation for aggression even if it's inaccurate or baseless or misrepresented in the media.

There are so many other breeds of dogs, I say why take the risk?

I do not blame you for feeling this way, I feel similar about pit bulls due to the way they were "made" (locking jaws, etc)

If I never met and was around rottweilers, I would feel the same way. I just have some personal experience and I know that they are loyal and loving...(the 2 that I know are total lap dogs, will come over and rest their big heads on your lap for some loving, jump into bed to snuggle, etc)

I have also known golden's and german shephards who have attacked their owners

Re: Rottweiler as a family pet?

they are great family dogs...my inlaws had them all around the grandkids...

a friend has 2 under 2yrs. old + a rottie and it works!

my bf grew up w/one and was the smartest-nicest dog!

my aunt has a pit who is a complete mush

it's all in how u raise them-any dog can be scary

Re: Rottweiler as a family pet?

Rotties are AWESOME dogs. They are quite large and sometimes don't know their own strength as far as walking on a leash and stuff. So i would definitely recommend training but they are big mushes. They are only viscous if you teach them to be viscous.

Re: Rottweiler as a family pet?

I love Rotties. They are a great breed. They are, however, smart and strong and require consistent training from an early age that is reinforced all the time. You have to be willing to put in the time and energy for training AND to give them lots of daily exercise. They require quite a bit of exercise on a daily basis and like all dogs need to be socialized with people and other dogs/animals preferably from an early age. If you can handle that and commit to doing that, they are just awesome dogs.

A few things to keep in mind, though -- Your homeowner's insurance will likely go up. Additionally, it will be more difficult to find homeowner's insurance, as some companies will not write polices for homes with rotties. (I've been through that with GSDs and am looking into this for our next home because we intend to have a doberman - though that will be OOS). You should still be able to find a company to write the policy, though, but there may be a premium charge.

Also, I'm not sure if you've owned a breed with a bad public image or a negative stereotype before, but I'd also be prepared to deal with that. People may be afraid of the dog, much more so than they would be with another breed. For example, I've had people think my happy, tail-wagging GSD who walked up to greet them was a viscious attack dog running up to eat them. Still wouldn't trade that dog for anything, though!

Good luck with your dog search, and I hope you find the perfect friend for your family!

Message edited 8/6/2010 5:55:06 PM.

Re: Rottweiler as a family pet?

Posted by pinkandblue

Posted by CrankyPants

I'm sure the pets board people will flame me and tell me they are the most misunderstood breed BUT:

I would not be comfortable with a rottweiler as a pet. Or a pit bull either. Or any other dog that has a reputation for aggression even if it's inaccurate or baseless or misrepresented in the media.

There are so many other breeds of dogs, I say why take the risk?

I do not blame you for feeling this way, I feel similar about pit bulls due to the way they were "made" (locking jaws, etc)

If I never met and was around rottweilers, I would feel the same way. I just have some personal experience and I know that they are loyal and loving...(the 2 that I know are total lap dogs, will come over and rest their big heads on your lap for some loving, jump into bed to snuggle, etc)

I have also known golden's and german shephards who have attacked their owners

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Message edited 8/7/2010 9:28:30 AM.

Re: Rottweiler as a family pet?

Posted by MrsColleenM

Posted by pinkandblue

Posted by CrankyPants

I'm sure the pets board people will flame me and tell me they are the most misunderstood breed BUT:

I would not be comfortable with a rottweiler as a pet. Or a pit bull either. Or any other dog that has a reputation for aggression even if it's inaccurate or baseless or misrepresented in the media.

There are so many other breeds of dogs, I say why take the risk?

I do not blame you for feeling this way, I feel similar about pit bulls due to the way they were "made" (locking jaws, etc)

If I never met and was around rottweilers, I would feel the same way. I just have some personal experience and I know that they are loyal and loving...(the 2 that I know are total lap dogs, will come over and rest their big heads on your lap for some loving, jump into bed to snuggle, etc)

I have also known golden's and german shephards who have attacked their owners

First off, I am not trying to start any sort of controversy. I'm just a huge advocate for dogs of ALL breeds hoping to share some info...

Just as an aside, t's 100% a myth that Pit Bulls or any Bully breeds have locking jaws. They are not structurally different than any other breed.

Here's the thing with dogs: Just like people, they're all different. Breed is not the end all be all. Each dog is an individual with a unique temperament.

There have been Golden Retrievers and Labs and Beagles that have attacked people and been fighting dogs. There have also been Pits and Boxers that have done the same. To say that a certain breed is a fighting dog or a bad dog just based on their breed is unfair.

With dogs, it's all about the individual dog, it's temperament, it's behavior, it's energy level and....MOST IMPORTANTLY, it's owner! Dogs are loyal creatures. They aim to please and will do almost anything to make sure their "pack leader" is happy. Training is key.

As you might guess, I have a dog that most of you would be afraid of. He's an English Bulldog (bully breed, labeled aggressive and dangerous) - Boxer (again, bully breed, labeled aggressive and dangerous) and Pit Bull (not even worth saying....). My husband and I adopted him as a puppy and have worked to train him on our own, with professional help, etc. He's the sweetest, most gentle dog I've ever met. He's playful and he's usually the one to get beat up at the dog park. He's deathly afraid of outside, sleeps all day and knows to lay down, relax and be gentle with smaller dogs and children. Along with all of this, I have had vets, boarders, doggy day cares and groomers refuse to treat him/care for him based solely on breed.

Breed generalizations happen and so do stereotypes. I get that. Please, please, please don't fear certain types of dogs. Be cautious of all dogs and all breeds. Choose a pet based on temperament not genetic makeup.

Now, here's my Pit Bull-Bulldog-Boxer Mix as a puppy....

Re: Rottweiler as a family pet?

Message edited 8/7/2010 12:17:37 PM.

Re: Rottweiler as a family pet?

We have a rottie mix. We got her as a puppy for NSAL. They dont know what else she is mixed with, but she is the most sweetest dog in the world. I cant describe enough just how sweetmy girl is. She is on the smaller side, since is mixed with a smaller breed, but she definitely has some major characteristics of a rottie. I have NEVER had a problem with her around my children, or anyone else for that matter.

Re: Rottweiler as a family pet?

I grew up with a rottie. I was about 10 when we got him. He was the biggest mush with me, my mom, and brother. He was extremely protective and smart. When my parents would go out for the night when I was a teen and I stayed home alone, he'd go to every window in the house and jump up and look out. We also had him trained to bring the laundry to the hamper and help bring in groceries. They're a working breed and love to have jobs--Cesar Milan is right when he tells people to do this with these type of breeds.
When my brother and I would have our teenage fights, the dog would wedge himself in-between us so we couldn't. Or sometimes wrap his whole body around my neck to protect me from my brother. We'd always end the fight cracking up at the dog. We adored him. He passed away 6 years ago and my mom still gets teary eyed when she talks about him.
However, i will say, while he loved my (step) dad, he challenged him the most (mostly when the dog was younger). Never bit him, but you could definitely see a little bit of a power struggle. He would've liked to have been head of the house. They're a strong breed. My dad had 2 before he met my mom and knew how to train him and the dog learned his place. I hate to sound like a Cesar Milan disciple, but the whole "be the pack leader" thing is true with ANY breed.

When it came time for DH and I to get a dog, I thought about a rottie just because I have such fond memories of mine, but I ultimately decided that neither DH nor I would be strong enough leaders (DH never had a dog at all).

They can be such amazing dogs and great with kids, so I wouldn't tell you not to get one. But I would say, do your research beforehand, consider a good trainer, and make sure the dog will be able to get plenty of exercise.

Message edited 8/9/2010 1:36:25 PM.

Re: Rottweiler as a family pet?

I personally would not be comfortable with a dog of that STRENGTH in a house with children.

The whole thing about them and PitBulls being overly agressive, IMO is total BS - but the POTENTIAL is there in the breed simply b/c of their size and muscle mass and strength to do more damage than other breeds -

I LOVE them - I think they are absolutely gorgeous, and I have never personally encountered an agresseive Rottie, or had a bad experience.

I am of the opinion that ANY dog, regardless of how sweet, of gentle, or well trained - is still an animal and can still snap at any time -
A Rottie can do a hell of a lot more damage to a child than a Yorkie can - KWIM?

Bottom line is it's your home your kids and your family - you do what you are comfortable with.

Re: Rottweiler as a family pet?

My husband and I had a Rottie as a family pet - and she was a GREAT dog. I find that the females are easier to train and have a better temperment. At the time we had the Rottie my daughter was a new born and my son was four years old. She was great with both children as they grew up and she was very protective of them. She would sit and watch tv with the kids and played with them all of the time. But my husband and I put in a lot of time training and working with the dog - but I think ALL dog owners should do that. I have seen ALOT of small unruly dogs but people write it off because of their size.

I would say go for it. They are a great breed - loyal, loving and playful.

Re: Rottweiler as a family pet?

Hi Kelly - Annie "introduced" me to you

DH and I had a rottweiler, and sadly lost him to cancer in 2006 before we had kids. TO be totally honest I was looking forward to having him grow up with our kids, and I hate that they didn't get to meet him.

He was the sweetest, most amazing dog. He was active and needed a lot of exercise but we had him well trained and he never showed an ounce of aggression EXCEPT to one of DH's friends who always treated him badly (needless to say this friend was not a regular visitor )

If you are willing to put in the time and effort to train and exercise your rottie, I think they make wonderful family pets

Re: Rottweiler as a family pet?

Re: Rottweiler as a family pet?

I grew up with rottweilers...never had a problem...my rottweiler Buddha was so loving...we never had a problem. She was protective of the family...especially the youngest child...my baby brother...but she never bit anyone ...just barked alot if she thought someone was trespassing. I am also looking into getting an American Staffordshire (another class of Bully breed)

one thing thats important to know is that when it comes to these so called "bully breeds" the aggression mainly comes from how the owner raises them from birth. Many vicious bully breeds seen on TV or in papers are the ones trained to be fight dogs by pardon my french when I say A holez.

"a dog's temperament is the result of its socialization and upbringing"

if you keep a dog away from people and then suddenly have a bunch of people around it...it may get scared and freak out....but ANY dog will do that...I've seen FEROCIOUS CHIHUAHUAS.

if I ever saw a dog who seemed inclined to aggression I would immediately question its owner and their attempts at training. It's all in the "parenting".

Re: Rottweiler as a family pet?