Will my Rottweiler puppy grow up to be mean and aggressive?

[winniecnm]

My parents were terrified of my "killer dogs'

Now they are the first to get mad and yell if someone says something mean about rottweilers.

Concentrate on you pup at least SHE can be trained...prove them wrong! Then continue the training and SHOW HER OFF!

[Ninasmom]

My mother is scared of and hates all dogs... except my rottie and chow. She has, over the years, gotten to know and trust my two. I brought my mom with me to some training classes. She didn't participate, but sat and watched. It gave her some information she wouldn't have had otherwise.

8 years later, and she will stay in my house, alone with my dogs, for extended periods of time (we're talking weeks here) . She has no fear of them, and has actually become a pretty competent handler of them. They respect her and listen to her as well as they listen to dh or myself. (Maybe it's the meatballs she slips them when she thinks we're not looking?)

[SABELLESMOM]

You will never regret one moment of your puppy/dog's life spent in training. You will be rewarded for each minute.

My friend and co-worker, Ginny was terrified of big dogs, any breed. her brother had been bitten as a child which she witnesses. Being my friend, she dutifully (hesitantly) met my dogs. They were very casual about the whole thing, and she started to be curious.

Her son had a bad accident and one of his friends got him a Rottie pup believing this would be incentive to work hard and improve his walking. (not the best idea ever, but...) Ginny was a bit uneasy, initially, given her experience. But she asked questions on what do I do if...? Should I...? Is it a concern for me when...? Most questions were training issues.

They raised an well behaved, wonderful girl whom anyone loves to be around. All of Ginny's fears and misgivings were dispelled. Now you'll be hard pressed to find a more devoted advocate for the breed.

Additionally, somewhere in this story her husband had a stroke, and is disabled. They were worried, but Nikki proved she was brilliant, and understood the situation. Instead of knocking him over, as they thought, she was handing him back dropped remotes, and bringing him the phone!

Your family will believe what they like, until you prove them wrong. If you are out on your own and doing your classes, you can raise a good citizen. Have faith in your own ability. Your well behaved dog will be the best testament for the breed. They will see that, in time.

[Lady Dakota]

Thanks for all the advice. I wasnt worried about her, I was upset that my family is being so close minded about the situation. I am going to enroll her in classes that start on August 18th, this is the soonest we can since she is not eating just yet, and still needs shots, and then we are working with her everyday. She actualy knows now that she needs to go to the bathroom outside, which is wonderful!! But she is doing good everyday. I am still just trying to get her to eat, we found out she had intestinal parasites after we got her and she is on medicine, and slowly starting to eat, but she is dry heaving a lot now, but drinking a lot of water. Not sure what that could be from. But like I said, we are working with her, and she is starting to do better each day..I just wish she liked treats..which i think will come when she starts feeling better. She is so adorable though and I have no regrets what-so-ever about getting her. I know that she will be a good girl and I have no doubts. I am looking for clubs in the area that we can join and other activities that we can go to.

Thanks for the help...

[rottnkidd]

LD- Here's a site to help you get started....make a call, and I'm sure someone at Southern Michigan Training Club will be happy to assist you. They're an AKC-member club, so they hold trials, too!
There's puppy classes at the Edsel Ford High School location on Thursday's, and classes start up again in September, so don't delay!
http://www.smotc.org/locations.html#DEARBORNPUP
Best wishes!
kathy

[denapoli]

When my wife and I got our two Rotties, we heard the same "stuff" from our friends and family (ironically these are the same people that had a German Shepard...which are not exactly weak dogs). They came to love both the "boys" as they saw that we trained, socialized, and love them.

Then a few years later, my wife gave birth to our daughter....then the real ignoramances came out of the wood work. People asked me at work if we were going to keep the dogs, because "Don't Rottweilers eat children." My responce was yes, they do...if you beat them, don't socialize, and treat them as a wild animal.

Long and short...do the training/socialization...not just through the puppy years, but each and everyday. It keeps the dog knowing where it's place is and who the boss is (thats you), and it will want to please you. If you do these things, then your family will come around. If they don't....it is there loss.

Good luck...I am sure you will do fine!

p.s. if you really want to shock them...get a Pit Bull too! :o) Just kidding.

[sunflower58]

When we got our first rottie, that has since passed on, we took him to a training class, we were told that it wasn't a good choice for us to get a rottie. My husband is disabled and in a wheelchair. They told him he wouldn't be able to handle the dog. Man were they wrong, he listened to everything my husband said, he was the best dog we ever had. Guess they really didn't know what they were talking about. We now are training our new addition and I am sure he will also be a great dog. We also get reactions from people that just don't like the breed of dog, oh well guess you will always have that as long as anyone can own a dog....

[andrewsdad]

My wife was the samw way. I got my, now 2 year old Rotti, when we were dating. When we were married and she was pregnant, her mother began with all the horror stories about kids being mauled and every news story about a dog attack she saw it was immediately reported to my wife. I kept the argument that first, none of those attacks were by Rotties, second, it's the way the dog has been raised and third, it's wrong for her to judge Baron or any other dog over what an untrained, unstable, irresponsibly raised dog does. Now things are different, as I predicted, Baron gets along great with my son and my son loves Baron. Recently my wife told me to get another Rotti pup, and so we kept one of Baron's pups, and she is great. So don't worry about what people think, do what you need to to raise that pup to be the best companion, family member and friend she can be.

[RottiMomCT]

I was bitten by a rottweiler when I was 5 years old - my fault completely and that I know, but my mom was STILL afraid of them - she knew the dog that bit me and thought he suddenly 'attacked' for no reason. She did not see me standing in front of him blowing in his face...our beagle liked it so I thought all dogs did. All mom saw was me walking over near the dog and the next thing she saw was me getting bitten.

Now, that dog lived to a ripe old age of 10 - we were the same age - he was a very well behaved rottie...but my mom never allowed me to play in their yard again. I'll admit it, I was a little freaked about rotties myself.

Obviously I've recovered. We adopted Ben in February of 2000 when he was 10 months old and 80 pounds of untrained puppy energy. My mom thought I was crazy.

Every year my sister has a birthday party for her dog, which is actually a big block party and family, neighbors and friends bring their dogs. At the 2001 party, we decided to bring Ben. We stopped over several times before the party to introduce their dog to Ben, and allow my mom and sister to meet him as well. Everyone got along really well. Mom was, understandably a little apprehensive, but she realized that we were not going to allow a vicious dog into the house, and she also saw how well behaved he was, so she relaxed.

Mom asked alot of questions - where he came from (rescue organization), lots of questions about the rescue group, etc...really wanted to know.

Well, NOW, she tells EVERYONE she can how rotties are NOT bad dogs, and she has two rottie grand-dogs and they are very well behaved, and she is very proud of her daughter for the work she has done with her dogs and for the rescue groups to change the public perception of the breed.

Take it slow - you can't force an opinion on someone, but you CAN prove with your actions how well behaved and well trained your dog is. Instead of getting angry, let your dogs good behavior speak for itself. They'll come around...to the rott side.

[Lady Dakota]

Yes, I know that you can not change peoples opinions. I was just curious as to if it were just me or if a lot of other people got grief when they got their rottie and from this thread I can see that, that answer is yes. I know that she will turn out fine..(m saying this as I watch her chew on a rope) Im waiting for an ok from the vet to start her in the puppy classes that start on August 18, and as of right now we try and do a little each day. She is not feeling well and I think that is from the place that I got her, so I am waiting for her to start feeling all better...and I am not looking too forward to that cuz thats when all the energy comes...YAY!! But no I am very anxious for her to get out and be able to play and be around others. I know that the family and others will come around...she actually played with my friend yesterday...for some reason she likes mens feet (gross if you ask me) but ok...we are going to get involved in as much as possible and Im excited...

rottnkidd-thanks for the advice on the Edsel Ford class..unfortunatly they have failed to get back with me and I left them a message on Monday and then emailed them. But i did find others in the area.

[denapoli]

Just one question...when you say that she is not feeling well because of the place she came from, what does that exactly mean? Is she eating and drinking OK? Is she vomiting at all? Or is she just kinda bla?

Not to be an alarmest, so take this with the grain of salt...one of my Rotties a week after we got him (at 7 weeks old) got the Parvo virus. It takes about a week for the virus to show signs, so he had received from the breaders place.

Long and short, Rottie's immune systems are slow to develop, and Parvo is easier for them to get than other dogs. Signs of parvo is that the dog will not eat, drink, play nothing. Just have really bad diarea and is very larthargic.

If your puppy has none of these signs you are OK. If it has these signs, then my suggestion is to take them to the vet ASAP. My guy had a window of 6 hours from the onset of the viruses signs to get onto an IV. The vet runs a quick test for it, and can tell pretty easily.

Again...I want to emphasize that I am not a Dr and have not idea if your dog has this or not....just want to be safe and make sure is all.

[LavenderRott]

If your pup is feeling better you might want to check this out...

http://www.rottweiler.net/forums/michigan-ohio/

[HerculesMomma]

You can also contact the Great Lakes Rottweiler Club that can also refer you to a trainer in your area. The link is: http://www.geocities.com/glrottweiler/

Contact Suzanne Hall or Gail Berggren on the website and they might have a training referral for you out in the Dearborn area. I'm about an hour away from you, so I doubt the two places I could recommend would be close enough for you to attend.

[Platzz]

One of the most enjoyable things in life is PROVING to negative people you were right. Happy friendly dogs grow-up in happy friendly homes. Not only is socialization important....HOW you do it critical......take you puppy to dog friendly places.....go to places that love dogs.....were dog people are. Expose you puppy to SUPERVISED children that have dog manners. Get the pup in the car daily for short rides. Keep the pups life happy & positive. NO ROUGH GAMES!!! educate your self about growth stages. When you do have your put atround these Anti-Rotty freinds & family keep the visits short & sweet......don't let the pup get5 overtired & cranky around those folks as it will re-enforce thier beliefs. Don't visit them while puppy is teething hard.....the sweetest dog inthe world can be pissy when cutting teeth.

We own a breed that gets bad press...a lot of it. It's up to us to show people differantly.

That "those dogs eat children" stuff does get old. Wouldn't you just like to say. " they only eat the bratty ones"....He,he,he....

[Lady Dakota]

ya...i just took her into the vet and found out she has kennel cough, possibly a roundworm, and is gassy....they gave me medicine for the kennel cough and gave her some meds for ringworm when we were there...and then told me to get some pepcid ac for her gassyness....so i am doing that...she is eating some and drinking and the vet didnt say it was parvo because she is playing and does eat and drink....so yay...

and the vet said we are not to start her in any classes and around a lot of people until she is starting to feel better...but she should be good in a week and we have our next visit then. Then we can get moving...she did good today, we had a repairman here and she was fine because she saw us greet him and everything. im not worried...i know that i will be good to her and that she will grow up fine.

thanks for the links. I am going to look into them.