Question about my 2year old Rottweiler

[Oscar24]

Hello all,

I just registered here and I like this site alot.My name is Jay, I'm sorry if I be making any post with some spelling mistakes becuase my english is not as I would like it to be.

I have a 2 year old Rottweiler named Oscar, he is a good dog.

I only have 2 problems with him and I thought that maybe some one can help me.

My first problem that he is not protective in the house, if some one comes in ,he will welcome everyone and lick them to death, I kind don't wont that so I started to hide him when peole other than family come in my house. It seems like if a robber comes in he will lick him and let him take everything.He is a big Rottie 140lbs and looks mean, so alot of people just affraid of his looks.
But he is not very good with other dogs, everytime I take him to the park and let him off leash, he will find a dog and start a fight.

Some people told me to start feading raw meat one a week

Some people told me to hide him and don't let them pet him

Some people said that he is still young and he will mature by 3 years old

I understand that I don't want to make a mean dog out of him but atleast he should be a little protective.All my dogs in russia were wery protective of their property.

Please let me know if there I should do or don't do

Thank you in advance

Jay

[cpalenchar]

I've never tried this method myself... but it seems to make sense. Maybe it will help you:

http://www.????????.com/bark.htm

Also, the happy attitude may be because you are home and your dog expects you to decide who is a threat-- this is a good thing. :) And it may also just be b/c there really is *no* threat-- again this is a good thing. :) My guess is you've never really gotten the chance to see how the reacts to a real threat (I hope)-- so I wouldn't be too worried.

as for your spelling... you're better than me... and i'm a native speaker. It always seems to work out that way. :)

-chloe

[Storm]

I get people all the time, "I want my dog to protect and attack on command, but he must only bite the ex-wife, not my son in law or the children, any unwelcome gusts, definitely the mother in law etc. etc. Aggression in the form of "protection" is a trait moulded from correct genetics and appropriate training to get to the true end result! All different "requirements" unfortunately don't just arrive. Have the dog assessed if possible and adopt the correct form of training if so desired, ensuring that your dog develops into a social well behaved, fully controllable k9. What is the perfect protection dog is highly debatable, with so many different influences. Nerve, open aggression or general aggression is reliant on various factors/circumstances and not always conducive to happy endings.

[sparklemom]

I'm certainly not an expert but I remember when I was researching Rottweilers before I got Sparkle I read a quote that "Friends are welcomed warmly, strangers won't get past the sidewalk." He is welcoming everyone with happiness because you are welcoming them with happiness, he looks to you to know who is good or bad.

[Mojave's Mom]

Storm,

I was PRAYING one of the experts would respond :D

VERY well put :)

[Beckysmom]

My opinion is that you should consider yourself lucky that he is friendly with people! Keep him that way, don't hide him and make him unused to people.

To keep robbers out, how about a house alarm system? And you could add teaching him to bark if the house alarm or smoke detector goes off. If you want to do actual protection training, if you post your location, maybe someone will know a good trainer in that place. But beware of bad trainers and systems.

I give my dogs raw meat bones because I think it is good for them, but not to make them protective.

You probably need to not let him offleash at park if he is aggressive with other dogs. It will only cause both of you trouble. Is there a safe place where he can get exercise alone or only with carefully selected playmates who he can get along with? (Usually they do best with opposite gender dogs)

[Carina43]

The dogs you said were "protective" of your property - do you mean they barked when someone came to the door? Did they try biting everyone who walked in the door? :) Did they know the difference between friend and foe? Barking doesn't mean they will protect anything at all - many dogs will bark (sometimes because they are afraid, or because they want *you* to do something...) And do you really want a dog who is dumb enough and fearful enough to feel that everyone who merely walks in the door is a threat?

Anyway, what I mean is, you want your dog to be happy and confident when someone is entering the house when you are there, or if he knows the person - he's a smart and confident dog!
As to what a two year old, confident, Rottweiler will do if there is a real threat - well, I don't know, I suspect many will turn tail and run if there is a real threat to their safety. Big and scary-looking is enough of a deterrent for most burglars - any experienced burglar can get past most dogs anyhow, even mean ones, unless perhaps the dog has been protection trained.

I don't know what any of my dogs would do if a stranger entered the house when there was nobody home. One I know would turn tail and run if there was any threat. The "boys" have not been tested, but actually I think they would probably go after most intruders, (I could be way wrong though.) My
old dog actually did scare off a burglar when she was younger, chased him out of the house - I know for a fact she would attack someone unauthorised. All my dogs greet everyone who comes to the door very happily though. You should be glad yours does.

I'm not sure how it works in Russia - most people in the US would face really large vet bills and be liable to get sued if their uncontrolled dog was running about attacking other dogs - not to mention the dog may be taken by authorities and killed. This is generally not regarded as a good thing - you have a young dog who is being a bully, attacking other dogs who are not being a threat to him, and ignoring you....he sounds like a dog who needs some training and manners. He sure doesn't sound like a dog who should be off leash around other dogs. Both of my males have a tendency to be stupid and dog - agressive, I have spent TONS of time and energy training them not to be. If this is a concern, do a search on dog agression on these forums.

Raw meat will NOT make a dog vicious. This is a complete fallacy, and a very common myth. Mine eat raw meat every day; none are "mean."

Isolating your dog will NOT make him protective. It will make him sad and frustrated, that's all.

[rasmy]

Hi Jay, welcome to the Rottweiler lovers world.

I got my dog from Russia, he is 14 months now, he is doing great(except for some issues) he is just as you described your dog, but I learn here a lot of stuff regarding this subject and I realised that I hadn't tested his protective instinct yet and I think that he is still young.

One of the things that you have to look at is fear biting, this will change your prepective regarding this issue, also take a look at the articles on this page Learburg it has a lot of good information.

By the way , your spelling is very good.

Please post some nice pictures:)

[LavenderRott]

My Chase is a very laid back dog who likes most everyone. She loves to give people kisses too.

About a year ago, I locked myself out of my house. My neighbor and I spent almost an hour trying to get in the windows and such. Finally, I called a locksmith. It took me and my 17 year old daughter to keep Chase from biting the locksmith.

You never know how your dog will react to a stranger breaking into your house. The only way to truly test for this is for it to happen. I pray it never does.

[mickeymichellie]

I don't know what your dog would do if someone broke into your house, but why don't you try it? Have a person he has never met go over to the house and act like he is breaking in. Personally, I think rotties are big enough that their presence will deter most people. I have a couple signs about rotties posted around my house, so if anyone comes in they will know that they are dealing with. When people come into your house, do you act scared and run away? I bet if you did, your rottie would react very differently than if you were to welcome the person into the house.

[Storm]

Originally posted by LavenderRott
You never know how your dog will react to a stranger breaking into your house. The only way to truly test for this is for it to happen.

Exactly, so don't put your life on it, there are so many resources to rely on other then poor old fido, "burglars" get very wise and a dog to the determined, "wise" "criminal" is a small obstacle. Not fair to the dog! Nothing wrong with a dog alerting and giving off a warning but when the heat gets turned on more then 90 % of dogs will run! Fact!...............and in a life or death situation when my families lives are at risk, I really will not go by chance, a big chance.

[Burnsway]

Originally posted by mickeymichellie
I don't know what your dog would do if someone broke into your house, but why don't you try it? Have a person he has never met go over to the house and act like he is breaking in. Personally, I think rotties are big enough that their presence will deter most people. I have a couple signs about rotties posted around my house, so if anyone comes in they will know that they are dealing with. When people come into your house, do you act scared and run away? I bet if you did, your rottie would react very differently than if you were to welcome the person into the house.

I think this would be a really stupid thing for a novice to do.......

[Oscar24]

Thanks for your answers,

I never tried to have some one break in the house and see his reaction, but I did asked some people and no one had any willing to do it. They all said (are you crazy??)

I'm not affraid of dogs, I would do it if some one asked me.
I live in Baltimore MD, so if anyone knows a trainer in the area please let me know.

As far as alarm , I have it, and he does bark when I tell him to, on his own?? I havn't seen it yet, but it's kind good becuase I have a 9 month old child and it's good that he doesn't bark every time he hears something outside.

I trained Oscar on my own, he knows everything, he does everything I tell him, I take him to the park for 2 years now, and he was very good with dogs, now he start showing his man hood, and when he plays with dogs he is not carefull with them becuase he is much bigger then them.

It seems like he plays with dogs for 10 15 min and then he finds a dog that he doesn't like and starts a fight, most of them boxers and pitt bulls.

It all started when a pitbull started humping him, and Oscar din't like it, ( I can see it why) since that he is not very nice to some dogs.

Here is the picture of Oscar.

And thanks for all of your help.
http://www.dynamobaltimore.com/images/avatars/oscar.jpg[/IMG]

http://www.geocities.com/ojick/fun_d_mental.html

[Storm]

Originally posted by Oscar24
I trained Oscar on my own, he knows everything, he does everything I tell him................. It seems like he plays with dogs for 10 15 min and then he finds a dog that he doesn't like and starts a fight, most of them boxers and pitt bulls.

Don't present a situation for this to happen, keep your dog on leed when required, participate or develop constructive forms of interaction/relaxation. Participate within a formal "obedience environment" if available and enable the dog to exercise where there is no possible chance of him getting into another dog, the dog aggression issue is to be addressed in general as this is not favourable behavior an issue created and worsened due to letting it happen.

[rottlove]

I agree with Storm. Oscar sounds like a REALLY great dog but the encounters with other dogs are a crisis waiting to happen, very very dangerous. Pain, lawsuits, vet bills, serous injuries, etc. not to mention you want to keep a positive image of the Rottweiler breed to the world. If he is not neutered yet you should do so and this is the best time to start formal obedience training if not sooner, don't wait. His personality is still developing.

It's wonderful that he is good with guests in your home; you should encourage that, in my opinion! I would bet that he would be naturally protective of your house if an evil stranger tried to get in. But that would be something to address with your trainer.