[jaden]

As I have said before, I joined this forum because I believe firsthand experience trumps anything that you can read in books or learn from vets that treat all sorts of breeds and lump all dogs together in their behavior. My last vet belongs in this group and muzzled my dogs (even the 8 month old puppy) before even treating them. It was not done exclusively to just Rottweiler’s, but every large breed she came in contact with.
I don’t claim to understand everything about dogs. Being a pet owner my whole life does not qualify me to understand everything about animals. However, I perceive it as my job and AS A RESPONSIBLE PET OWNER AND PARENT, to learn everything I can about my particular dog. Books will only get you so far. Personal experience from others will only get you so far. But what I have learned is the pack mentality of animals and having two dogs has made me become even more aware of this. I make sure my dogs understand their place in our household. My whole family is their Alpha leader’s right down to my youngest. We have earned this respect with them with constant training and discipline. I say earned because with a pack of dogs this must be earned and not taken as a given because we are the humans. My 3 yr old can walk my 105 lb dog with no problems. Do I let him do it by himself? No. But she does respect him as a leader where if he tells her to sit, she does. If he tells her to go lay down, she does. So if you do not want someone to get defensive, please do not attack them before gathering facts.
I have had my dog for 5 years. Do I know everything about her? No. She cannot talk so it has been my job to understand her through whatever verbal and non verbal communication she can offer me. I know her body language better than most people because with her actions comes honesty. Unlike humans, with dogs, there is no hiding their emotions. She has a different “talk” when she is hungry, when she wants to go outside, when she wants to play and I have also see her stance in her protective state, body stiff, head down and a relentless stare at whatever she sees outside that may be a danger to her family.
And yes jojo, when we got our dog at 8 months old, she was scared stiff of men. And I do understand if a fear is not addressed it turns into an aggression. That is why for five years I have worked with her fear and she will accept anyone I introduce her to (including men) without a question. Unfortunately it is in most men’s nature to come across as dominant when meeting her and will reach out to her first without being properly introduced. I would advise anyone going into someone’s house that has a dog to let the dog check you out first. This is common sense with any dog and not exclusive to just a Rottweiler.
And to address the on- going subject of my dog with my kids, I WOULD NOT HAVE a dog that I could not leave my kids alone with for 5 minutes. She is protective over them, not dominant. She leans into us for affection. If I push her away she rolls onto her back and whines to be petted. If I were to push her away and she leaned into me further without moving, we would have an issue that needed addressed. She does the same thing with my 7 year old and my 3 year old. When the kids have had enough they push her away and she goes across the room and lies down.
Does she herd them? That’s what I call it. Does she herd them from another part of the house into one room? No. If she sees my son go near the basement steps, which he is not allowed to go down by himself, she will put her body between the steps and him and bump him back and continue to do this until he is away from the area. Then she will lie in front of the steps. Is this herding? Maybe not, but that is what I describe what she does. When they are playing she will continually bump them around until they are together. Then she will assume her position sitting. Is she on top of them? No. She lies in front of them normally across their legs and rolls onto her back to be pet. When I say my kids are yelling across the room I do not mean screaming for their lives. It’s normally yelling followed by, “Jaden get off” and by the time I get back into the room she is already up and walking away. Am I there with them? 99% of the time. I work from home which gives me the luxury of spending a lot of time with my kids as well as my dogs. If for the 1% of the time I am not with them I could not trust her, then she would not be in our house, bottom line. My children’s safety is my top priority.

Originally Posted by dipper

Every Rottie I ever had did this----dominance issue?? I don't think so.

Originally Posted by dipper

Rotties are herders, hence the leaning--I had a male that loved to (gently) herd the kids together.

My dogs would often sit on the feet of my wife when a stranger approached.
They would sit there and stare at the person---kinda like checking them out.
I kind of like my dogs close to me and they make excellent feet warmers.

Rich

So please do not preach to me about what a bad parent I am and how “ill-mannered” my dogs are. Training and obedience are very important to me because of the bad rap Rottweilers and large dogs in general have been perceived. I have discouraged more people over the years from getting large dogs (not just Rottweiler’s) because of the time and attention they require. Most people want more out of a dog than they are willing to put in.
So if anyone still considers me a bad parent and pet owner. So be it. I know that I do the best possible for both my dogs as well as my family and would never put either of them in danger.