[Velma And Charlie]

Thank you -

I have raised many dogs. This is my first Rottweiler. I understand pack status and all of that. He doesn't listen. We tell him the same thing over and over again. He gets a "time out" when he doesn't listen (which is most of the time). When he is let out again, he just goes back to whatever he was doing previously that got him in trouble. He doesn't care what we do or say. He has decided that he's the boss, and nothing seems to make him understand that's not the way it is. I've never had a dog behave this way, which is why I'm so baffled. I don't back down from him, refuse to show fear even when he bites. The fear I do have is for the safety of my other animals.

I will admit he's from a "backyard breeder." He was living outside in a kennel, so he had no "house manners" or any discipline up until that point. He was already 4 months old when we got him. I don't want to pass the blame, but I have wondered if that plays a part in the problem. Kind of like the formative years of a child, if certain things are lacking, there will be behavioral problems down the line.

What can I look for (if there is anything I can look for) to try to determine if this is just "puppy tantrums" or something more serious? My Boxer was a stubborn little butt at 6 months, and he's the sweetest dog in the world now. But he never had a mean streak, a defiant streak or a vicious streak like Charlie shows.