HELP! I don't want to put my Rott to sleep!!

[stollett]

Hi all, I'm new to this forum and have found you guys out of desperation. this may be long, but I really need some good advice.

I have an almost 5yr old Rottweiler named Scooby-Doo (and I know I'm probably going to get blasted for this, but we got him when he was 17 days old, bottle-fed him...so sweet and he has always lived in our house.)
He is uncut, NEVER bred, we thought we might want to someday, though.
He's our baby,but he is becoming more and more agressive everyday. Yesterday, he bit my teenage daughter's friend and this is the second time since November he's bit someone other than 2 of my kids...can explain that later if need be.

He has a BAD habit of running to the door when people come over and when they leave. He will jump up hard against the door as they close it and bang it shut on them. This incident, the door was opened as my daughter and 2 friends were leaving for school and he RACED across the room and grabbed her arm while it was still on the screen door, I yelled at him, but when he realized he had her, instead of letting go, he shook her arm a bit, then backed off. It took me a little while to get him on the back porch. She is okay, went to the hospital and I am paying her bills, of course.

Now, the first incident involved one of my son's friends mother. My hubby and I weren't home and the 3 boy's were playing with him...chase in the living room with his rope when the Mom came to the door and the boys opened it and Scooby jumped out and grabbed her upper arm, growling and shaking her. We paid those bills also.

Now, after this round of quarentine, we are not going to let him be around anybody at our home and I hate this because I want him to be a social dog, he really does love people.

My hubby says put him to sleep, but I can't bear it. Is it too late to get behavioral training? Would it help to neuter him?, our vet says no guarantee at his age.

I'm afraid this behavior is our fault as it started as a game when he was a pup. Our very good friend would knock repeatedly on the door and shake the doorknob and it was cute to watch him get excited about his "friend" coming to see him. Too late, we realized it was very bad as he does it to anyone now, but we don't know what to do.

Please help if you can, will answer any other questions anyone may have.

[LavenderRott]

First off, please remember, when reading the responses here, that all the information we have is what you have given us. Also, we are passionate about the breed so don't read anything personnal into the responses that are not there. You may not like all of the answers.

You need to get this boy in an obedience class NOW. And since he can not be trusted around company, then I would make sure that he is locked up when you have company. The kids need to follow the same rules too, so make sure that they know the importance of following any new rules that you lay down.

You need to research NILIF on the forum and put those rules into place. This dog needs to realize that you are the boss, pronto.

Neutering may not be a guarentee for better behavior, but at this point, a little less testorone may be a very good thing for you and for him. Since his temperment is not the best, and I assume you have not had his hips and heart certified, then you should not breed this boy.

[jakesfostermom]

Stollett, I'm so sorry you are facing this....the more experienced will offer you sound advice here, but it sounds like you have an adult dog that has now bitten twice, unprovoked, in normal day to day happenings in your home, causing serious enough injuries to warrant trips to the hospital. And in your situation, I believe I would be accompanying my beloved Scooby Doo to the vet. I may be flamed for this, but unless there is something you haven't told us, like a medical reason (which still might warrant this), I would have to put Scooby Doo down. I would be worried about a more serious bite/attack....a lawsuit...it is very hard to know all the facts from an internet post....

Again, I'm so sorry that you are facing this....regardless of your decision....either road will be a difficult one....your family and SD will be my thoughts....

[pbach]

First of all let me say you will receive some very honest (sometimes harsh) opinions from people on this forum. However, we all have a common goal and that is the betterment of the breed.

Is this dog in any obedience training? If not you need to get him in training now and stop this unacceptable behavior. What type of laws does your city/county have with reagards to dog bites? If this is his second offense you may not have any rights where your animal is concerned and the decision to PTS will be out of your hands.

I would not allow this animal any interaction with non family members until you can trust him not to bite. Next time and there will be a next time if you don't do something about this now - you may be paying for alot more than just medical expenses.

Keep us posted.

[samanthac]

Originally Posted by jakesfostermom

Stollett, you have an adult dog that has now bitten twice, unprovoked, in normal day to day happenings in your home, causing serious enough injuries to warrant trips to the hospital. I so hate to say that in your situation, I would be accompanying my beloved Scooby Doo to the vet, where he could be humanely euthanized. I may be flamed for this, but unless there is something you haven't told us, like a medical reason (which still might warrant this), I would have to put Scooby Doo down. I would be worried about a lawsuit....a more serious attack...

I am sorry, but I agree here. If this were my dog and I had two bites like this, he would be done. This dog is on the fast track to being another sad statistic and the next time might just be the time he does not let go.

And, before you even consider getting this breed ever again, or any dog, you need to do some serious reading on properly raising a dog, any dog, and the breed you choose.

I wish you peace with whatever decicion you make.

[tatanka rott]

dont put him down ,its never to late.try training.dont lose hope.giving up is to easy.putting a dog down is a quick answer to a problem or possible solution.i have a rescue that has some issues.ok so maybe i just take him back,mind you a perfectly healthy dog and they will put him down.easy fix done deal right.wrong .thats my opinion.

[Brooke&Ryan]

My hubby and I weren't home and the 3 boy's were playing with him...chase in the living room with his rope when the Mom came to the door and the boys opened it and Scooby jumped out and grabbed her upper arm, growling and shaking her.

& please, please, please do not let your children play with this dog unattended. Actually I wouldn't let them play with the dog at all. IMO, a small child should not be playing tug with a Rottweiler. There are other constructive games that they can play, supervised of course if this were a dog of good temperment.

[lblax]

Originally Posted by tatanka rott

dont put him down ,its never to late.try training.dont lose hope.giving up is to easy.putting a dog down is a quick answer to a problem or possible solution.i have a rescue that has some issues.ok so maybe i just take him back,mind you a perfectly healthy dog and they will put him down.easy fix done deal right.wrong .thats my opinion.

oh boy

[sophie's-mom]

Originally Posted by tatanka rott

putting a dog down is a quick answer to a problem or possible solution.

Would your opinion be the same if YOUR daughter went to this person's house and was bitten and shaken by an unruly Rottweiler?

What type of obedience training and socialization has Scooby received? I mean what type of PROFESSIONAL training, not just what you teach at home?

The people he bit, these were people he KNEW and had SEEN BEFORE?????

[Brooke&Ryan]

Originally Posted by stollett

Yesterday, he bit my teenage daughter's friend

Originally Posted by stollett

Now, the first incident involved one of my son's friends mother.

Originally Posted by stollett

and this is the second time since November he's bit someone other than 2 of my kids...can explain that later if need be.

So how many times has this dog bitten total, including your children??

[jakesfostermom]

Originally Posted by tatanka rott

dont put him down ,its never to late.try training.dont lose hope.giving up is to easy.putting a dog down is a quick answer to a problem or possible solution.i have a rescue that has some issues.ok so maybe i just take him back,mind you a perfectly healthy dog and they will put him down.easy fix done deal right.wrong .thats my opinion.

This really doesn't warrant the time I will take to respond, but for the OP, I think it is important....I am part of a rescue group, I foster a rescue, and I have a male rottie that was picked up a stray. Both of my rotties have "issues" as well, but biting is not one of them, and would not be tolerated. We can discuss and re-discuss what constitutes a bite, what is provoked and unprovoked, and how many chances a dog deserves, but a large male Rottweiler, who is bold enough to grab, bite & shake the arms of a grown person, is cause for notice and in my opinion, a responsible owner would recognize that the ultimate decision, however difficult, lies solely in their hands. Doing the right thing isn't always the most popular.....or the easiest (as was stated above)

[spidey]

I'm a firm believer that there are degrees of biting, and that some are more serious than others and not all warrant euthanasia. That said, a dog that not only bites, but latches on and shakes and does enough damage to necessitate medical attention and has done so more than once is a dog with a serious problem, and not one that I feel has a good chance of being solved, especially by an inexperienced owner. A big part of the problem is likely the fact that this dog was taken away FAR too young and never got the proper dog-dog socialization and training that EVERY dog needs in order to develop bite inhibition and other important skills, and the lack of training and proper management since then have likely compounded this problem. I do not think there is any way for the OP to solve this problem, I think the dog is dangerous and will continue to be dangerous, and I think a one-way trip to the vet is the only responsible course of action to take to prevent this dog doing even more harm in future. Sorry.

And what Samantha said about doing research before getting ANY other dog is right on the money. You cannot change what you did wrong with this one, but you can learn from it to avoid making the same mistakes again. Good luck whatever you choose.

[Burnsway]

stollett


YOU ALLOWED this dog to bite numerous times. I am one that believes some dogs even with a bite history can live a full-potential life when managed properly but your whole post was one word after another of a dog YOU knew was a biter and YOU ALLOWED it to happen time and time again so now YOU will have to make the ultimate decision to put this dog down. He is not safe in your home and neither are others while he is there.

This dog is lunging at people, grabbing and shaking flesh at full will and unprovoked on top of that. You say this dog will no longer be allowed to be around people because of this but that thought pattern should have went into affect a long time ago and it didn't so now I'm not sure your family could be trusted to not let this happen again.

I may be sounding harsh but the reality is your family is not equipped to handle this much "DOG"........

[RottyMom]

This is a very sad situation but I have to agree with the others. If the dog were mine I would have him euthanized (and cry a million tears) but know that I made the responsible decision. I know it's not what you want hear.

[Bruce Lanthier]

From what you have written you have neither the skills or the ability to keep humans safe from this dog. I an sure there are more bites that you haven't told us about, maybe because they didn't require a hospital visit you figure they don't count, but they do. The safest and most humane thing you can do is have this dog killed before it severely injures someone. This dog is dangerous and potentially deadly.