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The doghouse

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Original poster

Anyone got a rottweiler?

26 replies

EmbarrassingBaddie · 18/01/2017 21:54

If so, please tell me about them!

Dp and I have some dog experience but are by no means experts & have no rottweiler experience at all. We're considering taking on a 4 year old female rottweiler from a rescue charity. She lived in a home before and I'm not aware of any mistreatment etc. Obviously we'd meet her and try to understand more about her as an individual before taking on the commitment but I'd love to hear from rottie owners to get a bit of background.

Thanks!

OP posts:
tabulahrasa · 18/01/2017 22:46

I have...

Fantastic breed if you want a fairly high energy dog who's going to follow you from room to room and join in pretty much everything you do Smile

Easy to train given the right motivation (usually food), affectionate, playful...pretty sure it is in fact lap dog sized...

They're very enthusiastic though, with everything they do, good or bad, lol.

And not really a breed for someone who wants to just do a couple of half hour walks and then have a couch potato in the house.

They tend to either be a bit aloof with other dogs and people they don't know, or complete over friendly licky numpties...there's no real in between, lol.

But that's all subject to individuality as well, as she's a 4 year old dog, the rescue will be able to tell you which bits apply and which don't.

Fireinthegrate · 19/01/2017 10:59

Used to have one. He was the softest friendliest thing ever. He would have loved to be a lap dog I am sure!
We got him from a puppy though so different to getting a 4 year old.
Make sure you take your time getting to know her at the rescue place, and ask loads of questions about her history.
Enjoy!

Original poster
EmbarrassingBaddie · 20/01/2017 06:29

Thanks both.

A couple of further questions: in your experience (and with the caveat that every dog is an individual and we'd let her settle and get to know her first, etc etc) if they are ok with strangers do you find them to be good "pub dogs" (i.e. ok with busy areas with lots of people and potentially other dogs around)?

Most important question: is rottweiler pronounced with a V or a W? I say it with a V but dp thinks is sounds a little pretentious that way Hmm

Thanks!

OP posts:
picklemepopcorn · 20/01/2017 06:33

Tends to be pronounced 'rottie' round here!

Fireinthegrate · 20/01/2017 07:34

I pronounce it with a w, although I suppose v is correct as it is a German word.

My boy was fine with lots of people. We never took him to a pub, but had young children at the time and often had a houseful of children and adults and he was never bothered.

Have to say though that he did not like other dogs when we met them out on a walk. If he was off the lead, I would get him back and put his lead on while we passed. He was an un-neutered male though so maybe some primal instinct cut in!

Other than that he was as soft as butter.

tabulahrasa · 20/01/2017 10:48

V is right...but I say w as well, it sounds cringey with a v, lol.

How she'd be in a busy situation is very much an individual dog thing, that's just going to be down to previous experiences, socialisation and training.

Original poster
EmbarrassingBaddie · 20/01/2017 11:17

Ok thanks. And I will try to rein in my pretentious German accent Grin

OP posts:
WaitrosePigeon · 20/01/2017 19:26

The only thing that worries me is that if she decides to attack there will be nothing you can do to stop her.

It was something we took into serious consideration whilst choosing our dog. I wouldn't choose a dog I couldn't overpower.

user1481271611 · 20/01/2017 19:35

We have had 2. (one sadly passed away last year)Sad. We had such a bad experience with a rescue German Shepherd dog, that we have always gotten ours from breeders sorry can't be of more help xx

tabulahrasa · 20/01/2017 19:35

Most people couldn't overpower an attacking cocker spaniel and will fail to stop a terrier sized dog because of the speed they'd attack at...

So if you're going to pick breeds based on whether you could stop them attacking, you're pretty much limited to, chihuahuas, pugs...maybe a Pekingese and, that's about it.

Songbirdthatsings · 20/01/2017 23:23

I've got two :) a 10 year old rescue girl and an 8 month old boy from a breeder (although he's already bigger than our old girl). Absolutely brilliant breed for the right committed owners.
Like any dog it's all about training and previous experience as someone else posted. Our rescue was two when I got her and luckily had been very well socialised. We've been on doggy holidays in the UK and out and about various places. I have horses and they often accompany us to shows so lots of ponies and people to say hi to, they love it. If she fits in with your individual situation there is no reason not to proceed. Like any dog, large or small, it's all about being in control and setting boundaries.

Oh and as for overpowering... made me lol. My dad had one of his Bedlington terriers weighing in at 10kg have a set to and he couldn't stop him. Probably best off getting a cat if you think like that hehe.

WaitrosePigeon · 21/01/2017 00:07

I'm not sure what's funny Confused

If a Rottweiler wants to go it will go with catastrophic results.

tabulahrasa · 21/01/2017 00:18

"If a Rottweiler wants to go it will go with catastrophic results."

Because the same is true of any dog too heavy to lift one handed and/or too fast to stop...which is most breeds.

I can and do physically manage my Rottweiller, including when a fight has broken out with another dog, so he isn't capable of overpowering me under normal circumstances.

But I know absolutely I could not stop a much smaller dog intent on biting me, I don't have super strength or superpowers.

So unless you have a cat sized dog, or one bred to such extremes that it's actually not really capable of using its body at the same speed and agility as other dogs...your dog could attack you if it wanted to and there'd be nothing useful you could do to stop it.

WaitrosePigeon · 21/01/2017 00:21

I'm not going to argue the ins and outs, that's just my personal opinion regarding large dogs that cannot be overpowered.

tabulahrasa · 21/01/2017 00:25

It's not arguing the ins and outs of it, you think only large dogs can't be overpowered - you're wrong.

It's not really a matter of opinion, it's just factually wrong that most people would be capable of overpowering a dog trying to attack them.

WaitrosePigeon · 21/01/2017 00:30

That's fine Smile

UnbornMortificado · 21/01/2017 00:30

Tabulah can bigger dogs not cause more damage if they do go for you?

Nothing against big dogs I have a staffy myself, I've just always presumed the bigger the dog the worse the damage.

Happy to be corrected on that.

UnbornMortificado · 21/01/2017 00:32

I know that's technically not whether you could overpower them but what they could do if you couldn't iyswim.

tabulahrasa · 21/01/2017 01:06

Depends, terriers tend to go for throats, it doesn't take much to do serious damage there for instance. and terriers are pretty tenacious. Other dogs it's usually just what's near them.

Size does make a difference to some things, Great Danes leave holes an inch wide from a not very severe bite, that's not exactly a fun scenario.

If they were going to attack me with equal ferocity in the same place, then yeah I'd rather it was a small dog than a large one, but Rottweilers are the same sort of size as labs, golden retrievers and smaller than some greyhounds...

Realistically if you're ruling out any breed that could seriously hurt you if it wanted to, it doesn't leave a lot.

CatchingBabies · 21/01/2017 01:26

I've got one, we used to have 2 but our old girl passed away. I honestly wouldn't have any other breed!

They are loyal and devoted companions, eager to please and love to be around you. They are fairly high energy and need a decent amount of exercise and they need mental stimulation so training is an ongoing thing just for fun. Even at the grand old age of 8 my dog loves to show off his tricks.

Ignore the silly comments about attacking, a quick look at the bite statistics will show you that you are FAR more likely to be bitten by a Labrador and no one says to avoid those! As a rescue dog she will have been fully assessed and temprement tested.

Hope all goes well and can't wait to see pictures of her. In the meantime here is my Zeus cuddling up with his mini me teddy bear.

AGBforever · 21/01/2017 02:33

Have never had one myself (tho I would and looked seriously at one in rescue although he was adopted before I was in a position to take him home). However my good friend had one and as she owned a pub she was the perfect 'pub dog'. Snoozed on our feet, didn't bat an eyelid at randoms coming and going..generally pretty lazy and chilled out.

With reference to the whole could I stop him going for someone situation, the rescue dg I did take home was a Belgian Shepherd cross, bigger than an Alsatian and very strong. We had to have a special halter lead for him as he would respond to fear aggression in smaller dogs, usually jack mussels or similar. He would never start it but given the disparity in size it was always a worry - tbd he never did more than bark back but I learned from Adam in Countryfile that you could take him out of '4 wheel drive' by lifting the halter so his front paws were off the ground, just long enough for the grouchy little pup to pass by. Holding him back with all four paws on the ground was tough tho as he was so strong. So with those caveats I would say go for it cos they're lovely dogs.

Also would pronounce it with the 'w'

Original poster
EmbarrassingBaddie · 21/01/2017 16:06

Thanks all. Really helpful and interesting. We're not going to go for it, unfortunately. Not due to the breed but other reasons to do with our current situation.

If anyone else is looking for a new rottie in their lives this is her, doesn't she look gorgeous?

OP posts:
Original poster
EmbarrassingBaddie · 21/01/2017 16:07

alldogsmatter.co.uk/dogs/aisha/

OP posts:
WaitrosePigeon · 21/01/2017 20:20

She looks very happy Smile

tabulahrasa · 21/01/2017 22:09

She looks lovely...I'm not after a second dog, also I'm in Scotland, lol

But she does look sweet

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