How did you first become a fan of Rotties?

[Roxy's mommy]

I've always had small dogs. The last dog we had was a shih tzu. He passed away 2 years ago and my husband and I weren't even sure we wanted another dog. But since we missed having a dog in our family we started the search. My husband and son wanted a larger dog, so we were thinking a yellow lab. Well, we saw a litter of 10 rottweiler/boxer puppies and fell in love. We did check with the SPCA and our vet about that particular breed of dog. They both asked the ages of our children (13 & 15) and felt we would be fine as long as we socialized her. Roxy has been in our family since July and she only wreaked a little havoc. But has calmed down tremendously. We are attending obedience class and she loves it! She is a joy! She is a big lap dog. I wouldn't hesitate getting another Rottweiler.

[Hadoken]

As someone else mentioned in the thread, I too saw my first Rot in the movie The Omen. I was impressed with the look of the rot but at the same time the movie portraid them as being mean so I figured I would never own a dog that was mean. This is back when I used to buy in to "This breed is mean! Stay away" type statements.

My friend had a full grown male rot. Very impressive dog. He would go everywhere with us. I got a real chance to see how a well raised rot behaved. He was pretty goofy and always in to having fun with us. He slobbered a lot but other than that, its the only trait I didn't much care for.

Alas, I got my first rot and he too had the same type of personality as my friends rot. Ares was a great joy and further proved to me that not only did this breed have a fun loving personality that they were not "mean dogs."

We are now on our second rot and I have zero regrets about loving rots. Oh.. I got over the drooling thing too.

[SASSY'S DAD]

Dresden


Actually I took the dog first then a few weeks later I took in the kid and raised him too.Unfortunately dogs seem to appreciate it more the kid ended up stealing from me but I still have the dog.

[Gatsby]

Like many here, I fell in love with Rottweilers by seeing one at a shelter. I took her home with me, named her Bonnie, and within days I was totally sold on the breed.

Soon after I got Bonnie, I left the computer industry and started a business working with dogs and you know, the more dogs I work with, the more I love Rottweilers! I love the dogs I take to the park every day, but there are very few of them I'd want to own. To me, Rotties are everything a dog companion should be.

Just to prove it, I got another Rottie, Ronan, a few months ago and he's just as terrific as Bonnie.

[DixieGrl113]

I met my first Rottie while I was in mom's tummy:D She said Dixie just walked over one day while mom was on the couch and stuck her nose on mom's big belly and sniffed, poked and licked..that was it. When I was born there were always rotts around. I grew up with them.

[rottlove]

I had the good fortune of working at a company that allowed people to bring their dogs. So one day I walked down to the mail room and stood at the counter and felt this heavy pressure against my leg. It was Caesar, leaning against me for a booty scratch. I had never really met a rottie before (he is a dobie/rott mix, absolutely huge and very tall) but was only startled for a second. It was love. One day I was lacing up to go rollerblading behind the warehouse and a delivery truck roared up to park right in front of me, and Caesar in the blink of an eye placed his body between me and the truck. There was no danger but I was so touched by his instinct! That was 4 years ago. Now I am taking care of Caesar full-time as he ages (Caesar's owner has a new rescue and a problem boy) and am on my second rottie-girl.

[JoJo]

I was one of those who had that "misunderstanding" of what a rottweiler was! My daughter had her first baby and of coarse I had to go to her! But..........there was going to be this "baby killer" in the house with her! Oh no! What do I do now? So I made sure that I had plenty of dog treats stuck in my purse to great "that dog" when I arrived at her home. Just maybe if I befriend this animal it will leave me and my first grandchild alone! (I wanted to murder my daughter)! When I arrived, low and behold this beautiful, loving, warm 8 month old pup greated me with kisses. That night "we both" slept together and that's all she wrote. I'm on my second rescue and will always have a rottweiler in the house. Like someone has already said, a great companion dog. And oh yes, the most misunderstood breed on earth! Amazing what training and love will do!

JoJo

[Maddiesgirl]

;) The first Rott I saw was owned by a 16 year old girl with a two minute attention span. The dog had apparently been very cute for the first week and then given free run of the house to do ...whatever. He ate the living room, ate the walls, and was very sway backed and fat (furniture is high calorie?). He was not house broken and of course never walked on a leash becuase, suprisingly, he pulled HARD! The owner was a disaster, and her dog suffered. I thought the breed were potential wrecking machines.

This summer, having been without a dog for two years, I considerd getting another german shepherd (have always had GSDs) when a friend told me about a Dobie needing a home b/c owner was moving to Europe for 2 years. He backed out, found a way to keep his dog, but I had done the research and was thinking hhhmmmm, Dobie? A friend called an said her neighbor had a rott he had to find a home for but that he had turned several potential homes away b/c he didn't like their attitude. I read up ALOT after I set up a date to see the dog. The breed seemed right, but watching my girl play gently with a 3 year old and an elderly neighbor during the visit sold me forever on the breed:D :D .