please tell me about your Rottweilers

[FlowFle]

(but don't talk to me like I'm stupid)

my young adult daughter wants a rottweiler. she has always liked them/big dogs. we have always had middle sized dogs as a family, my choice because it's easier/safer etc. she plans on moving out in a year or so and wants it at this time so that she will feel safer.

I worked with dogs for 20 odd years, so we aren't coming at this blind. I know they need a couple of hours walk a day, need good training and socialising. I trust that she will do this. I'm happy to do it too whilst they live here

I still feel apprehensive and I'm not sure why. I think I am worried that they are going to get alot of negative attention again when xl bullies are banned, like they did in the 80s. also, always had short haired dogs...does the double coat make a horrendous mess?? 🤣

tell me, the good, the bad and the ugly please

I know a few and we’ve had them through our dog training club. All have been fabulous dogs. They have all come from very good breeders though bred for health and temperament and been with experienced owners. They do need kind, calm and consistent training throughout their lives.

I’ve always liked them. They’re far more stable and predictable than the dobermans I meet.

is it YOUR dog training club, as in are you a dog trainer, or one that you attend?

I am a trainer at the club (specialising in competition agility) 🙂

I have had 3 Rottweilers in my time and they were all fabulous dogs, friendly and in the main very trainable. They do need socialisation and a lot of exercise to keep them happy & they shed like mad but they are great dogs, would have one again in a heartbeat.

amazing! can I pick your brain a bit...beyond puppy classes, what would be good for a Rottie in terms of training classes? what is available these days? my daughter isn't keen on agility ATM (because she doesn't want to run around I think! 🤣)

ah nice, thank you 😊

I’ve had 4 Rottweilers over the years, all were rescue or rehomes. All fabulous dogs.
A few of them weren’t great with strange dogs but I’m fairly sure if I’d had them from pups that they would have been fine. So I would say socialisation with other dogs is very important.
They do shed quite a bit but I find black hair is much less noticeable on clothes etc!
We’ve gone for a cane corso this time over the rotties purely because a friend of mine had a well bred litter of them. I do worry about the impact the bully ban is going to have in future for the larger guard breeds.

Socialisation is the key. We lived in a new town and when ddog grew people started keeping their distance. She def should have had more training but temperament around family, dc and other pets and family ddogs was fab. She survived cancer but was beaten by a brain tumour a year later. Had her 11 fantastic years...

I used to have a Rottweiler and he was hands down, the absolute best dog ever!

However, until he was five, if he saw it he chewed it. We lost phones, remotes, shoes, doors, sofas and then he just moved on to actual money he saw! At this time I was a student and home a lot with him (once he was lying at my feet and I heard a crunch which was my bfs brand new mobile) so it wasn't loneliness and boredom.

They are a strong breed and not for the weak or first time dog owner. Get a professional in to train you!

He died 9 and a half years old of osteosarcoma. One day he just had a massive lump, 3 weeks later he was gone. We have another dog now but couldn't get a rottie as the shoes were just too big to fill. It's really common unfortunately.

Also, get a well bred one. There are many backyard breeders out there ruining the breed.

They give the best cuddles. I used to lie on the sofa and he would lie behind me, head on my shoulder and paw around my waist. Sometimes he'd also be the little spoon. God I miss him.

OOOooo Cane Corso, I think that's my daughter's ultimate dog but I said no, I don't know enough about them and they are definitely going to be in the spot light, huh? tremendous looking dogs though. we live in town too and there are way too many dogs here. she is moving more rural, so she will be able to get one then I think, if she wants too

sorry for your loss 💐

❤️❤️❤️

this is exactly the kind of cuddle dog my daughter is after

our family (my) whippet is just a bit too aloof, laid back and unenthusiastic, for her 🤣

I've had 3 rescue Rotties over the years and they're wonderful dogs but they are incredibly stubborn and need really good training from the start.

They purr. Seriously. To someone who has never heard it, it can sound like a growl but it comes from a different place in the body. Understanding that, and when your dog is doing it, will be crucial to be able to read your dogs body language.

I haven't noticed any real issues with shedding, and they certainly don't shed anywhere near the amount of long haired dogs. I'd seriously consider buying a Henry Hoover at the same time though 😀

We do get some bad reactions from people and this can be odd, especially when people physically move to the other side of the road. For this reason, we do only go off lead in secure environments as if something were to happen, the Rottie would be blamed regardless of the circumstances.

Activity wise, all our boys have loved swimming and agility (seeing a Rottie scale the A Frame is very funny) but less inclined to do things like chase or flyball. Our current boy is also a big fan of man trailing and scent work and this tires him out more than anything else.

Don't be fooled by toys that claim to be indestructible as indestructible does not equal Rottie proof 🤣. Our best toys have been children's teddies picked up from charity shops - they seem to last forever.

They're super clever (when they choose to be) so stand by for them to do things you never expected. Closed doors pose no problems for them so invest in baby gates if there are areas you want to keep them out of. Hard to open bins are also a must!

There are really bad Rotties, as there are really bad dogs in all breeds, but most of the ones I have encountered have just been big cuddle bugs. They love their creature comforts and will happily take over beds and sofas.

My first dog was a rescue Rottie. He was 8 when I got him and 13 when I lost him. He was fabulous. Not a hint of aggression, and the only person he would ever fetch anything for was my god son who was 3. People used to cross the road to avoid him which always amazed me as he was as soft as butter.

Per the above, he was talkative which people can think is growling. He didn't shed as much as my current Lab, that's for sure.

To begin with definitely a puppy class/life skills or the KCGC scheme and keep going! My pup is one (working terrier) and she still goes and will continue. She may jump over to Rally Obedience when the KC stuff gets boring or by some miracle or act of god she passes the one minute stay 😂

A good agility trainer will teach you how to handle your dog so they do the running 😉 That said, unless you want to compete I’d not even think about it with a large breed until 18 months. Mine started at 8 months but with an experienced trainer who tailored it to her age and maturity! She’s only just started to jump and twist.

Aside from that it’s scent work, hoopers, parkour - loads of stuff now. But personally I’d find a good, modern reward based training class and go from there. Really pups just need good basic skills and focus before they start anything else.

@ThreeB they don't shed but there is a constant stream of hair that falls from them. Used to drive me mad!

@FlowFle you have to wait for the cuddles tho! I think it took around 3 years to be that over the top affectionate. Would a rescue be considered? Rottweiler puppies have the devil in them. I understand her feelings, if you look in a dictionary there is a picture of our new dog, an Akita next to the word aloof.

Especially when you rub the tan on their tummy 😂

Im glad I'm not the only person who has ever played little spoon to a Rottie. Did yours to the four pawed stretches to push you out of bed too?

Rotties do not need a few hours exercise a day, I don't know where you got that from. They are a mastiff breed and bred to be guard dogs. They aren't shepherds or hounds although they can pull a small cart . 20-60 minutes exercise spread throughout the day is plenty with maybe 1-2 longer walks or swims a week ( for an adult). For a puppy it's 2-3 x 10 minutes a day max, working up to 15 . You need to be very wary of over exercising a young rotty as you will cause life long damage in the growth plates and end up with an arthritic doggo.

I totally and utterly agree that socialisation is key, not just for puppies for but all throughout their lives. They can very very easily become TOO serious and set in their ways. For example our current bitch was raised with a 6 month old baby for 6 months from us bringing her home. She loved the kid. Then the family member moved away and we had no reason to mix with toddlers. She is now very wary of them and actively avoids buggy's and prams and I would certainly never trust her near a play park off the lead etc as to her, they are an unknown quantity ( but the rotties we raised around our own kids a decade or two ago where Bomb proof around kids as they were exposed to them every single day. ). Our girls can be stubborn, you need to really keep firm in boundaries. It can take a lot to stand firm to a rumbling rotty that's got it into its head that it's the boss and you are it's slave 😂.

I find they do much better on a totally raw food diet of roughly 75% meat/fish/eggs, 10% bones and a mix of offal , grains and veg. They really do need high protein diets to prevent constant sloppy poos.

A good, proven pedigree line is always worth the investment. We have had several dogs from Coltrana kennels lines and I can't recommend them enough. My current bitch is the g g g great grand niece of my previous bitch that I got from them and the standard is brilliant. They also offer life time after care advice, holiday care etc as well. They have a fb group.

@LookingForPurpose could you link to Coltrana kennels FB page if you wouldn't make Nd. I can't find them. thanks for the recommendation

It's pat karen Lucas ( coltrana). And if you message them they will add you to the group. They also breed the biggest fluffiest newfoundlands I've ever seen

forgot to ask....anyone have horses/know if they are generally good around horses. with the caveat that I know it depends on socialization to a large extent

@ThreeB Aaw, no i was never pushed out of bed. Pushed off the smaller sofa many a time!

I don't know about horses but he was not very happy when he saw a deer one time. I think if they grow up together then it's fine.

They were bred to protect livestock, I've never had a rotty react to horses , sheep, cows, etc where they were in a field or police horses or animals we have encountered on our walks etc. in my experience they don't have much of a prey drive unless it's a dog that really wants a ball.... and out of our 5 that we've had only one has been ball crazy. The rest prefer tug toys and marrowbones .

I’ve got 3 rotties, one male and two female. Also had 2 ponies with the older dogs, and they were always fine with them. They had been carefully introduced as pups though.

My male (4years old) missed out on a big chunk of socialising at the teenage stage, due to lockdowns. I also believe we got a few things wrong when he was a pup, and he can get a bit anxious about things.
I used to show him before covid, but once we started back up again he didn’t like it. He will growl at people if he doesn’t want to be touched or bothered, but has never snapped at anyone.
We are very careful to manage any interactions, and not put him in a situation where he feels uncomfortable. He still comes to ringcraft classes sometimes, and will give the odd growl, but everyone knows him there so he doesn’t get pushed out of his comfort zone.
I have learnt a lot from owning him, and it’s clear to see how his behaviour could become out of hand with the wrong owners. He is a big powerful dog, and you have to be committed to training/socialising a dog like that.
Rotties need clear boundaries and leadership from day one. They are extremely clever, but can also be seen as stubborn if they are not given sufficient guidance.
My girls on the other hand love absolutely everyone they meet, and just want to be made a fuss of!
Fantastic dogs, but definitely not for the faint hearted!