[fostermom]

I adopted my first rotti from a shelter...he was VERY afraid and overwhelmed at the shelter...I had to keep everything "low key" with Reno for months...even a happy voice "good boy" was too much for him. But he gradually gained in confidence...I couldn't ask for a greater dog now. There are a lot of books on how to work with timid dogs too....as long as he isn't fear aggressive but just timid, I would certainly give this dog a chance. Sometimes with shelter dogs, it's more their lack of socialization/exposure rather than actually a poor temperment. Reno had never been in a car, wasn't housetrained...I suspect someone had thrown him in a back yard and left him there until he "escaped" (as he was found stray). The one thing that was obvious with Reno was he WANTED to be petted or be near someone but it looked like he was expecting to be hit so he was nervous about it. If the dog didn't want any interactions though, I would probably look for a different dog. I would think a lab/rotti would be a great combination. Let us know what you decide.