NationStates Jolt Archive

My brother and his wife adopted a puppy yesterday, and they didn't know it when they got it, but they now know that it's a Rottwilder puppy. It also got some other breed in him, but it's pretty much 95% Rottwilder. This pretty much got me worried because while I love big dogs like Golden Retrievers (I have one myself), I hate big aggressive dogs like Rottwilders, and dobermens etc. This is mainly because we used to have a pitbull/boxer mix that was just a mean and very aggressive dog that I did not like. So, I'm kind of afraid that this dog will be the same way.

1. Are Rottwilders naturally aggressive?

2. How well do they adjust to new family members? My brother and his wife do plan on having children.

3. My brother and his wife are loving people, and they helped raised our Golden Retriever, who is a loving and caring dog that wouldn't hurt a fly, if they raise the Rottwilder in the same way, will it have the same effect?

4. Is my fear of Rottwilders, Dobermens, etc. unfounded?

1. The jury's still out on that,

2. Rotweilers have a reputation for not adjusting to changes in their environment. I don't know if that's true

3. Good Question. But remember, Retrievers are gentle by nature. It may or may not work.

4. I don't like them, but that's just me.

I don't know ... the only dogs I seem end up with are little Chiwahuas crossed with fox terriers.
I suggest you talk to a dog breeder of these dogs.

First up, it's called "Rottweiler", and pronounced Rottwhiler, not Rottwheeler.
The dog was first bred by a butcher in the town of Rottweil to protect his produce against thieves.

1. Are Rottwilders naturally aggressive?
Now to the meat of it:
No, no dog is really naturally aggressive (except maybe Brazilian Slavecatchers - but if you own one of those you don't deserve any better).
Rottweilers can be very protective, that's just their character. The trick is to socialise them early and make sure that they don't get any bad ideas. They need to get along well with other dogs, so puppy school would be a good idea.
As with any big dog, it's stronger than you, so they need to be absolutely obedient.

2. How well do they adjust to new family members? My brother and his wife do plan on having children.
Generally all dogs will love their families, and if a baby is introduced to the dog properly, it shouldn't be a problem. And many dogs can tell that it's a puppy of sorts and be nice to it accordingly.

3. My brother and his wife are loving people, and they helped raised our Golden Retriever, who is a loving and caring dog that wouldn't hurt a fly, if they raise the Rottwilder in the same way, will it have the same effect?
Probably. As long as the dog is socialised, it's fine.
They are quite common in Germany, and you don't get nearly as much trouble as you do with Alsatians and especially Bull Terriers.

4. Is my fear of Rottwilders, Dobermens, etc. unfounded?
Yes.
The dogs aren't automatically mean, it's a matter of the people who own them. If people don't train their dogs properly, they can get aggressive or fearful, but that can happen to all dogs.

http://www.canismajor.com/dog/rottweil.html

From my knowledge, Rotwielers are NOT naturally aggressive, nor are ANY breeds of dog. It depends entirly on how they are raised, or whether or not the dog has some sort of metal disease/defect. I have known VERY friendly Pitbulls, Dobbermans etc. etc.
The only time I have ever been attacked by a dog was when I was about four and got too close to a Beagles face.
Dogs are sort of like people in that respect, a Rotwieler is no more naturally aggressive than, say, a random black person.
I beleive they will adjust to new family, Rotwielers are 'pack' dogs, they dont have a single 'owner' to the exclusion of all others.

Basically, the only REAL problems with Rotwielers that I know of are hip troubles and flatulence, both of which can be avoided by careful selection of the dog.

Again about those Brazilian dogs...read this (http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/filabrasileiro.htm).

Usually I wouldn't say that outlawing a breed is a good idea, but those things are ridiculous.

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/rottweiler.htm

My uncle had a Rottweiler. It was faily old, but I never saw it be aggressive or anything, and I was a young kid.

I used to have a Rott, he was pretty gentle other than being protective. Socialize him early, pull on his ears, get him used to being handled and he should be fine. Don't yell at him or hit him, treat him like you would a child. Everything should be fine.

My dog now is part red wolf and he is fine, he lets my kids climb all over him and other than being protective of us, he is just like a big baby.

I've encountered several rottweilers, all raised by kind and caring owners, and the most "aggressive" behavior I've seen was one that liked to play a lot and was apparently unaware of his own size. The owner smiled and said "You've just got to show him who's boss, but don't get too rough," and proceeded to tackle the dog and roll around with it on the floor for a few minutes; at the end of this he was scratching its ears and it was happily licking his face. Other rotts that I've encountered came up and sniffed at me, like I'd expect any dog to do, and I calmly let it smell my hand then scratched its head and it was friendly from there on.

Any dog can be mean. I've been bitten by chihuahas more than once but never by a large dog, except playfully and lightly when I was pushing it around in a similar fashion. Bigger dogs can play a little rough, but as long as they're kindly raised then they will not attempt to harm any person, unless that person is attempting to harm them or a person to whom the dog feels loyal. When I was younger we had a miniature poodle that loved me and my sisters, and if he was near when my friends and I would have a friendly wrestling match he'd usually run up and bite them because he thought that they were trying to hurt me. Loving and loyal, but not all that bright, at least by human standards.

Basically, as long as the dog is raised and treated well, it will not hurt anybody unless it thinks that it has to protect someone it cares for (which means anyone that it is well aware has cared for it; if one of my sisters and I would get in a fight our poodle would just run around us and bark a lot since he didn't know who to help).

All I know is that Rottwilders can get up to 120 pounds, and I'm 5'5 130 pounds (I'm a small adult), so I better be nice because I don't stand much of a chance if I piss off this dog lol.

The one thing I have been told is NOT to look a Rottie in the face -- it's seen as a challenge and may provoke the dog. This may or may not be true -- or may be true in badly socialized dogs.

Well right now it's being loved on and played with by my brother, his wife, me, my mom, and dad. It was also introduced to the neighbors dog which it was scared of. We don't hit him, but when he does something we don't like (right now he's being house broken and being taught not to chew on anything but the chew torys), my brother does give him a light tap on the head, stop the behavior, tell him no, and show him the right behavior. It really is a cute puppy, I mean it would play and be active for 30 minutes, then sleep for 1 1/2 hours. It is just so cute the way it likes to exploer it's new house and it's new toy.

well i dont know about rottweilers but i have two jack russells both from the same litter, one is gentle, one has biten people, both had same upbringing with kind caring home, so hey i just think dogs are nuts plain and simple!!

My neighbours had a rottweiller, it seemed pretty nice, even after I ran it's foot over with a sled. :(

Rottweilers, like any dog are as well behaved as their owner's ability to train them properly.

Now if you consider the average dog owner, you can see why they shouldn't have rottweilers. Hehehe.

However, for the truly dedicated, knowledgeable and committed dog owner, there is nothing wrong with any dog.

If you still aren't sure, just remember that no neighborhood child has ever been torn apart by a crazed chihuahua. :p

my parents had a rottweiller when i was born, it used to attack anyone that came near me (except my mummy and daddy obviously)

We used to have a Fox Terrier X witha Lab Kahu was the greatest.
Ebony-A Lab is pretty neat too.

As for Rotts kill them all.

And by the way, we own a Rhodesian Ridgeback. Apparently they have a bit of a bad reputation as well, but she hasn't done anything bad in her life (much less so than our Labrador...what an evil beast sometimes...).

And by the way, we own a Rhodesian Ridgeback. Apparently they have a bit of a bad reputation as well, but she hasn't done anything bad in her life (much less so than our Labrador...what an evil beast sometimes...).
I don't believe it.
Labradors are perfect.

I don't believe it.
Labradors are perfect.
This one ain't. Which is not good, considering that she's being trained to be a guide dog...

http://img391.imageshack.us/img391/9775/dogs5nw.jpg

Like Neu Leonstein said, Rottweilers are pretty common here, and as far as I'm aware they're actually presumed to be very docile and family (i.e. children) friendly dogs. As has been pointed above, with any dog this size good training is essential. Also, while many dogs (regardless what breed) don't deal so well with really small kids running around and pulling their tails, ears etc., I think it really is different with a baby being born when the dog is already there. Probably gets out their protective instincts.

When I was born, my parents had a bull terrier (not a staffordshire or a pit bull, a "real" one, like this one (http://www.thebullterrier.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=random&cat=5&pos=-57)), which most people today see as one of those vicious fighter dogs. He didn't much like other animals, but there were no problems towards people. I used to clamber into his crate and take a nap. When I was a toddler, I accidentally stepped on his ear while he was lying on a steel grate :( - must have hurt really bad (after that his ear was permanently cocked) but he didn't do anything to me.

Rottweilers, like any dog are as well behaved as their owner's ability to train them properly.

Now if you consider the average dog owner, you can see why they shouldn't have rottweilers. Hehehe.

However, for the truly dedicated, knowledgeable and committed dog owner, there is nothing wrong with any dog.

If you still aren't sure, just remember that no neighborhood child has ever been torn apart by a crazed chihuahua. :p

No, but one policeman was routed by five crazed Chihuahuas. Rotties are dork dogs. If you have them spayed or neutered, take them through obedience training (absolutely necessary, I think) and treat them kindly, they're lovely dogs

No, but one policeman was routed by five crazed Chihuahuas. Rotties are dork dogs. If you have them spayed or neutered, take them through obedience training (absolutely necessary, I think) and treat them kindly, they're lovely dogs
Chihuahuas are just insane. Territorial little bastards won't let anyone near anything if the people arn't regularly around.

Like any dog, rotweilers can be faithful friends, staunch defenders, dangerous scavengers, or big softies; it all depends upon its personality and (mostly) upbringing.

As to the warning about looking them in the eyes, this is just a genetic feature of all canines. It is seesn as a challenge on the most primitive level, but really only matters if the dog thinks he needs to defend something; which isn't likely of a puppy. Think about how you would feel if some animal thats twice your size was staring down at you, all wide eyed and imposing.