Pet companion? Or, a security companion dog?

[German Vanegas]

The Rottweiler is a very attractive dog. People get them for all kinds of reasons. Some people have the right intentions and do it right, while other people do it wrong for a variety of reasons, ranging from irresponsability to blatant negligence.

Anyway, many people get dogs for plain companionship. All they want is a "buddy". A pet. A lovable "teddy bear". Nothing else. Other people want a dog that fullfills more intense personal desires, such as a working dog. One that can perform a specific task. The Rottweiler fits that bill, because this breed is multi-talented in several fields, like advance obedience trials, agility, therapy, tracking, scent discrimination, personal & home guarding, police patrol, military service, etc.

Interestingly enough, one of the main reasons the average person gets a large dog is for personal security. I, for one, strongly believe in the proven effectiveness of a good watchdog (an alarm dog), or a good guard dog (a protective-defensive dog), for personal and/or home security purposes.

A survey conducted on prison inmates, convicted for burglary and breaking & entry, revealed that most criminals avoid a house that has a barking dog, where the size and looks of the dog heavily influence the decision for the criminal to ignore that one house ;) You know, Rottweiler On Patrol :)

While I agree that you should not rely only on a dog for protection, and thus you should have in place a combination of security measures, still you cannot disregard the value of a guarding dog, as one of the ways to provide personal security.

It is a fact that the right dog can do an excellent job at deterring criminal intent. Every day, all over the world, people, homes, estates, businesses, factories, prisons, streets, and so forth, are effectively protected and guarded by good guard dogs!

Fortunately for us, there are some breeds with a strong desire to protect their pack and territories, and do so with serious intensity. How many houses have been spared from being burglarized because of a security dog?... How many women have been saved from a rapist because of a loyal protective dog?... How many of us have been protected when walking our dogs from a gang of hoodlums, or the opportunistic mugger?... How many of us have had ours dogs in our vehicles warning others not to mess with us?... The list goes on and on. The point is: dogs can excel as personal and home guardians. We are blessed having all those outstanding breeds traditionally bred to protect and guard lives and estates. And there is nothing wrong with that all! The truth is, a protective dog can be a lifesaver!

Now, the problem is, many people wrongly assume that a dog, from a specific breed, is just a "natural" at protecting and guarding... Like the people that get a German Police Dog, or a Doberman, or a Rottweiler, etc., just because they heard that those breeds are supposed to be guard dogs.

Be aware though: not all Rottweilers are bred with the desire temperament, drives, and nerves to protect and guard. It takes a well-bred Rottweiler to posses that desired trait to guard and protect. It comes in the genes. A dog's protection abilities are bred in the dog. That is why is so important to get a dog bred with the essence of the given breed; hence, from a line of ancestors known for their work ability. In other words: it takes a dog with the correct genetic make-up to be able to guard.

Therefore, bear in mind that just picking a dog from a given breed won't guarantee that such dog will be protection capable. It takes proper selection and positive rearing to produce a reliable guard dog. However, many people get a Rottweiler and expect them to protect naturally?... Most people. Again, it is not that simple. In order to have a trustworthy protection dog, one has to follow certain steps to achieve that goal. Knowing how to do it right is the whole key to it... and so here we are, sharing our experience with all of you... Just ask. We will be glad to help ;) :)

Last but not least: A well-bred Rottweiler should excel as a superb personal and home guardian

So, do you have a pet companion? Or, a security companion dog?...

[Jamie & Odin]

Great post, German,

I definately have a pet companion. Odin is a rescue, and in no way is capable of defending. He does alert us when someone is on the property, or comes to the door, but that is as far as I want to take it.

However, he does have other "jobs", granted they are just for fun now, but excercise both the mind and body. Once we are through with obedience classes, I will train him for carting, and look into therapy work as well. So, he may eventually be more than a pet companion, depending on his abilities.

I am always surprised when people want their rescue dogs to guard. I am sure some are capable, but my feeling is that the likelyhood of obtaining a well-bred dog of any breed is not spectacularly high in the rescue world, as ethical breeders take back dogs who are no longer wanted, and people who have done their homework in finding an ethical breeder are generally not the same people who wantonly give their dogs up. That certainly does not imply that rescue dogs don't make good pets, I know they do:D.

[German Vanegas]

Originally posted by Jamie & Odin
Great post, German,

I definately have a pet companion. Odin is a rescue, and in no way is capable of defending. He does alert us when someone is on the property, or comes to the door, but that is as far as I want to take it.

Well, right there you are describing a good alarm-watchdog, which is one of the jobs a Rottweiler can perform ;) :)

Originally posted by Jamie & Odin
However, he does have other "jobs", granted they are just for fun now, but excercise both the mind and body. Once we are through with obedience classes, I will train him for carting, and look into therapy work as well.

Well done my dear

[niche]

Great post! How do you know if you have a well-bred Rottweiler if you rescued it from a shelter? Mine is under a year, female and great temperament -in my opinion anyway. How can you tell if its well-bred without any papers or pedigree? Are there tests?

[kekaufman]

Thanks for the thread, I see mine as both. I am single and a loner by temperment. I hike and run and she is both my companion and a warning to neferous strangers.

One time we were running and a group of drunken kids (at 5:00 AM) started verbally with me in a deserted parking lot; that lasted until they saw I had a Rottweiler and as one of the fellows said, "Hey, that's a rottweiler, you don't want to mess with that."

She barks with her 'Barry White' bark when needed. I feel safe with her. When I first adopted her I did'nt think she was a good guard, just looked the part, now I know better.

[German Vanegas]

Originally posted by niche
Great post! How do you know if you have a well-bred Rottweiler if you rescued it from a shelter? Mine is under a year, female and great temperament -in my opinion anyway. How can you tell if its well-bred without any papers or pedigree? Are there tests?

Strongly bonding with your dog will do wonders. Have your dog fully obedience trained, and let him grow. He is still young. Rotties mature slowly, so it takes about two years to see the desire to protect their pack and territory. Remember though: not all Rottweilers are bred to guard and protect.

In regards to the testing, it can be done as long as is conducted by a true reputable dog trainer with proven knowledge in the subject of protection and guarding. Be aware that if it is done improperly, it can easily ruin your dog.

[German Vanegas]

Originally posted by kekaufman
Thanks for the thread, I see mine as both. I am single and a loner by temperment. I hike and run and she is both my companion and a warning to neferous strangers.

One time we were running and a group of drunken kids (at 5:00 AM) started verbally with me in a deserted parking lot; that lasted until they saw I had a Rottweiler and as one of the fellows said, "Hey, that's a rottweiler, you don't want to mess with that."

She barks with her 'Barry White' bark when needed. I feel safe with her. When I first adopted her I did'nt think she was a good guard, just looked the part, now I know better.

An impossing looking Rottweiler, with the right size and substance, has an effective crime deterrance effect. It seems like you have a faithful companion watchful dog ;) :)

[Homerhomer]

mine is a companion only and that's why he is a rescue. There will be a time in the future when I will have more time and knowledge to have a properly trained protection dog (rottweiler or not) and that dog will be purchased from a reputable breeder, until then rescue and companion dog is the way for me. I don't rely on my dog for protection or home security (he isn't even a good watch dog - doesn't bark much), but his look, occasional low growl and the folks in the neighbourhood knowing that we have a rottweiler does make a difference ( gee my place have never been broken into while our neighbours experienced it, coincidence or not - it makes me feel a bit safer).

[Troy]

Great thread German.

Kamen is my friend first. He will warn us of people at the door...and noises outside. He watches me like a hawk. He's a great watchdog and lets me know who's around day or night.

I might be wrong...but if someone ever tried to really get at me I think he might do a lot more than bark. But again...he has no protection training...hopefully my family will never have to find out.

[gparcels]

Good post German, My male Bear at 6 yrs old is very territorial and protective without ever having any formal gaurd or protection traing. He has been trained by myself in general obediance he knows English as well as German commands and hand signs. He does very well with all the neighbors, children, friends, etc. he's just likes to lay on his back and get pet. Now when meeting new people he likes to dominate, he'll come up to you with his chest out sniffing and basically trying to push the person he is meeting, this is when I tell him Nein and Platz and he listens very well but sometimes for whatever reason their are some people that he will just not take to. He will tolerate at this point with me there but thats as far as it goes. He stared to acquire this behavior at around 20 months. My new female is only 7 months so I don't expect anything in the way of guarding, but I can tell she is going to be good because she is displaying a very confident personallity.

[German Vanegas]

Originally posted by Homerhomer
There will be a time in the future when I will have more time and knowledge to have a properly trained protection dog (rottweiler or not) and that dog will be purchased from a reputable breeder, until then rescue and companion dog is the way for me.

I can see you are becoming more knowledgeable about dogs in general. You have also demonstrated, all along, to be a responsible dog owner and a passionate dog lover :)

Originally posted by Homerhomer
I don't rely on my dog for protection or home security (he isn't even a good watch dog - doesn't bark much), but his look, occasional low growl and the folks in the neighbourhood knowing that we have a rottweiler does make a difference ( gee my place have never been broken into while our neighbours experienced it, coincidence or not - it makes me feel a bit safer).

Like I said in my posting, and I quote myself: "While I agree that you should not rely only on a dog for protection, and thus you should have in place a combination of security measures, still you cannot disregard the value of a guarding dog, as one of the ways to provide personal security."

[German Vanegas]

Originally posted by Troy
Kamen is my friend first. He will warn us of people at the door...and noises outside. He watches me like a hawk. He's a great watchdog and lets me know who's around day or night.

It sounds like you have an alert Rottweiler for companionship and security too ;)

[German Vanegas]

Originally posted by gparcels
Good post German, My male Bear at 6 yrs old is very territorial and protective without ever having any formal gaurd or protection traing. .

That is what a good Rottweiler usually do, honoring its traditional breeding history: to protect and guard lives and estates, thus excelling in modern times as a personal and home guardian... Of course, that is only one of the other awesome jobs a good Rottweiler can do :)

[Storm]

Originally posted by German Vanegas
................ or a good guard dog (a protective-defensive dog), for personal and/or home security purposes.

It takes a well-bred Rottweiler to posses that desired trait to guard and protect. It comes in the genes.

In order to have a trustworthy protection dog, one has to follow certain steps to achieve that goal. Knowing how to do it right is the whole key to it... Last but not least: A well-bred Rottweiler should excel as a superb personal and home guardian

GV, what is your interpretation of a "protective-defensive dog"? I am very "pro" genetics and have always believed that there are limitations governed by genetics.

For me a dog's behavior or disposition should be appropriate to the environment and its requirements. What is a guardian? What is the behavior, reaction or disposition of a dog that is classified as a "guard" or "protector"? What training or level of control forms a connotation to the term guard/protect? Aggression manifests itself in many forms, then there is just plain open aggression or bad manners, where is the line? What sets the standard? What is the appropriate definition describing a dog's response in various situations where there is a form of reactive aggression, whether this be escalated fear aggression etc. Also due to various factors there are various attributes from alerting to full blown "combat" which may all be attributes of the "ultimate" dog. How do we know unless tested and proven?

[cucciolone]

German,

Thanks for another great mini-thesis!

My Diesel seems to have it in the genes. He began guarding me at the tender age of 4 months (I already told my little puppy bodyguard anecdote in the thread called 'A normal part of obedience training?', if anyone's interested :) ).

I've recently had the fabulous luck of finding an excellent trainer with 20 years' experience with Rotties and Dobermans. I abandoned my first, laissez-faire ('put a muzzle on him') trainer, when it became clear to me that real bitework with an expert is an absolute necessity with my Diesel. We have begun training, and Diesel is handing out stellar performances. He is just a very confident and courageous dog. I've seen him charge and stick his face into burning embers (no actual contact, no singed whiskers- phew!), remain triumphantly undaunted by their heat and glow- and want to go back for more! I never imagined I would own a dog who would want to engage fire in battle!

I have not a single doubt that Diesel would guard and save me from any person who might menace me in any way; I feel a safety in walking the streets in the middle of the night that I would never have know before.

It is, however, an enormous responsibility in owning a dog like my boy. It is up to me to make sure that all of his courage and guarding instincts become and remain controllable, and that is a real challenge. But it's a challenge that I'm determined to rise to (with a lot of work, and the help and expertise of my trainer, of course!).

Michela