MIL's Rottweilers

[FurryScoob]

MIL has 2 uncontrolable Rottweilers, they hardly ever get taken for a walk & distroy the house on a regular basis. As soon as you walk into the house they jump up or knock you over or shove their noses up your bum for a good sniff. I'm crap with dogs & being pinned to the wall by a big dog that's 'just pleased to see me' scares the shit out of me. DP's family don't see anything wrong with the way the dogs behave but I'm fed up of leaving every visit covered in scratches & bruises. AIBU to stop visiting or is there anything I can do to make these dogs behave?

[YouStayClassySanDiego]

Just stop visiting and stand your ground.

Two uncontrollable Rottweilers? I wouldn't be within spitting distance of them.

[pizzachickenhotforyou]

Scratches and bruises? You don't take children round there do you? I wouldn't go.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

She needs reporting to somebody?

She's failed to train or take them for a walk that's neglecting their basic needs. You cannot have a huge strong dog like a rottie and not bother she's putting herself and those dogs in danger. They may well go crazy one day and that will be it. They will be taken and PTS. Not their fault. :(

[Islandangel]

sorry i read the title as MN Rottweilers and thought you meant me!

[OOAOML]

I'd stop going. It will cause a big fuss but you need to decide where your line is and stick to it.

[knickernicker]

I couldn't stand that. If your MIL is the type that likes giant fighting dogs she won't have a concept of what it's like not to want to live line that. So if you start saying you're not going round she'll call you a spotty cow. If you can live with that fine, otherwise you'll need to keep making excuses not to go.

[knickernicker]

Or a snotty cow

[daphnehoneybutt]

I wouldn't go.

How many stories do you see on the news of poor people, mainly little children killed by dogs like this (out of control, not looked after properly). It's rare but the outcome is potentially having your throat ripped out / being maimed and scarred. Do you have DC?

I'd offer to invite them to mine sans dogs or meet on neutral ground.

They are crap and lazy dog owners - no excuse.

[FoxesRevenge]

I'm not surprised they are destroying the house, the poor things sound like they are frustrated. Why are they not taken for walks regularly?

People shouldn't keep pets unless they can look after them properly. There's a chance those dogs could go on to hurt someone if they're not exercised properly. Poor things.

[NinjaBunny]

Just don't go round.

A friend's Labrador would jump up, tear my clothes, scratch and bruise me and bite my fingers/clothes.

I stopped going round after he bit a two-week old surgery scar on my hand and it was agony.

:(

Friend suggests 'he's only playing'.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

I expect they're not walked because they are impossible to control :( a middle aged/or elderly woman vs a pulling 13 stone Rottweiler....

Bloody stupid woman. Some puppy classes and some actual effort in training them and they would have been able to be taken for walks :(

Poor babies :(

[tabulahrasa]

Rotties tend to be a bit rude and overfriendly and no you wouldn't be unreasonable to say, look I know they're only saying hello, but it hurts and you don't stop them hurting me so I'm not coming in anymore.

If you think working on it yourself will be easier all round - put a couple of chews in your pocket, completely ignore them when they rush to jump all over you, no talking, no eye contact, literally fold your arms and look away...when they give up trying to get your attention, then you can say hello and get them to sit and give them a chew.

Fairly quickly they'll know this is what you're doing and they'll sit automatically for their chew and the chew keeps them busy until the initial excitement of you coming in has passed.

[phantomnamechanger]

i just would not visit and I would say why. the dogs are badly behaved and not under her control, there is no expectation of them to behave. it is a dangerous situation, an incident waiting to happen. she is in denial and arrogant....the "my dogs wouldn't hurt a fly" type of irresponsible owner who get all narked if anyone dares to suggest anything against her big strong jaws full of teeth babies.

[FurryScoob]

We don't have kids yet but DP has already said when we do they will not be going round.
Mil isn't strong enough to take them for a walk, first sight of another dog & they'd be off
They don't seem nasty dogs just very intelligent & bored but I know this breed can turn with no notice.
I think I'm gonna have to be a snotty cow & refuse to go round.

[expatinscotland]

Stop going ther and say why!

[GlaikitFizzog]

I was about to come on here and defend the dogs, but the poor things don't stand a chance with that sort f upbringing.

What I was going to say that my aunt and uncle had Rottweilers while I was growing up and they were brilliant dogs. Well trained and lovely. But that's why, they were well trained. They did as they were told. If they even looked at someone the wrong way they were out to their run in the garden.

Yanbu to not visit.

[songlark]

DON'T BUY A ROTTWEILER IF YOU DISLIKE DAILY PHYSICAL EXERCISE. Rottweilers need exercise to maintain the health of heart and lungs, and to maintain muscle tone. Because of his mellow, laid-back, often lazy, disposition, your Rottweiler will not give himself enough exercise unless you accompany him or play with him. An adult Rottweiler should have a morning outing of a mile or more, as you walk briskly, jog, or bicycle beside him, and a similar evening outing. For puppies, shorter and slower walks, several times a day are preferred for exercise and housebreaking.

All dogs need daily exercise of greater or lesser length and vigor. If providing this exercise is beyond you, physically or temperamentally, then choose one of the many small and energetic breeds that can exercise itself within your fenced yard. ..................That just about says it all, it should really have mentioned that dogs, especially large breeds like the Rottweiler can turn aggressive if not exercised. There's no way I'd go to any house that has 2 large unexercised Rottweilers....it's owners like her that give other Rottweilers a bad name.

[tabulahrasa]

Ah they don't turn with no notice any more than any other breed of dog, it's just that their cues are a bit subtle compared to some other breeds - they're not as obviously nervous or annoyed, mostly because of their face shape and colour and of course a small bite is a blooming big bite compared to other dogs...but, you don't want children getting squashed by them saying hello anyway, 40 odd kilo of dog on you hurts even if you're a fairly big adult.

They will be bored, they're clever dogs and fairly high energy, so should really be getting a couple of hours of walks and ongoing training on top of that - they're not really couch potato dogs.

They're not really ideal with young children, but not because of temperament, just because they're big, enthusiastic and clumsy.

They are pretty easy to train though (clever and greedy, lol) so if you want to try and get them to greet you by sitting you should be able to pretty quickly...but, like I said, I don't think it's unreasonable to say stop your dogs hurting me or I'm not coming in.

[Carter1]

Look, sorry if this sounds snooty-well, hell no, it's not snooty or snobby to say someone/something is being stupid - but your mil needs a (metaphorical) shaking.

Seriously, those dogs are dangerous, they needed training. It's a matter of time before they attack somebody OR somebody gets so freaked out by their boisterous behaviour that they get so wound up they are round the police station demanding they are put down.

Because I would. Alternatively they could be rehomed with somebody other than your mil who isn't such an irresponsible idiot

Why don't people like your mil who are fundamentally irresponsible because she doesn't care about those dogs; because- if she did, she'd have trained them to be subordinate to ALL humans, as one day the dogs' boisterous behaviour will get them put down- stick to Yorkshire terriers; worse thing a yorkshire terrier could do is nip somebody.

Do NOT NOT NOT take any children round there.

Your mil sounds like a moron, sorry.

To have a rottweiller, you have to be an extremely responsible person.

[sadbodyblue]

oh my good God that would actually petrify me and I physically couldn't go.

I would also be tempted to phone the RSPCA as surely it's cruel and an accident waiting to happen.

[Carter1]

I would ring the RSPCA, too. I hate to 'grass' anybody up, but, sorry, safety (to others, because those dogs will 'lose it' one day) and the dogs' wellbeing is more important.

Don't feel guilty; seriously, irresponsible people like your mil shouldn't have any dogs let alone large dogs-although if they must it is better to get a small 'toy' dog like a Yorkshire terrier who is happy with a walk around the block and unlikely to rip anybody's throat out. What kind of a person never walks their dog ?!

[Joules68]

The RSPCA have told me previously that not walking a dog is not neglect.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

really? It's like one of the most basic thgs ever. Like breathing. Even my dds know you walk dogs.

[AngelaDaviesHair]

I wouldn't go within 2 miles of an untrained Rottweiller.

[Cravey]

Dogs need exercise. I wouldn't be going there anymore. Yes she can do what she likes in her home etc. but that doesn't mean you have to go there and put up with it. Poor animals. No training, no exercise. Yet when they bite someone it will all be cos they are a rottie. Not because your mum in law is a lazy cow.