Smaller Rotty lines?

[NextKaiser]

Hi.

After many years of not being able to have a dog, my situation is such that I have the time and resources to have one. The only concern is space. I will be moving into a big apartment, but an apartment none the less. There is no fenced yard there, so all my dog's exercie will be on-lead or at other's homes with other dogs.

I have looked at several breeds of dogs and wold love to get another Rotty but I feel that they are too big to do the best in this situation. Are there and sound lines of smaller dogs out there? I am thinking that 60 pounds (ish) should be the maximum size. I am going to post another question about he sex of the dog, but I think that I'll be wanting a female, so 60# isn't really all that small.

Preferably, I will be adopting or purchasing an older dog, 2 years +. I live in Mass.

Advice sought.

[SABELLESMOM]

Rottweilers do quite well in apartments, even those without fenced yards. And there is nothing wrong with on lead exercising, or being invited to play in someone else's yard. All, of course, thrive on active training.

That said, females tend to be a bit smaller than males. You mentioned adopting an older dog? Well, you'd know the size for sure.

As to "sound breeding of smaller lines?" Breeding to the standard with the appropriate health clearances and lineage checks would produce the "soundest" dogs. Breeding for either too small or too large is often where problems sneak in unrepentently. However, a 22-23" female would meet the standard AND could still be around 60 lbs or so. I would worry more about health than actual pounds.

Aren't you the one asking this dog to be playmates with other dogs? Primarily famales? In your situation, you may wish to look for a small male, since you're talking about adopting an adult in the first place. Male/female combinations seem to get along better. AND... you could call him Kaiser?

[Patty1231]

First let me commend you for considering adoption as your first choice. I'm sure if you do a search on PetFinder you will find many dogs that meet your criteria. There is no such thing as "sound" breeding of anything beneath standard. Good luck in your search - I have had two rescues, myself, and love them both deerly, although one now is only in my heart.

[NextKaiser]

Originally Posted by SABELLESMOM

Rottweilers do quite well in apartments, even those without fenced yards. And there is nothing wrong with on lead exercising, or being invited to play in someone else's yard. All, of course, thrive on active training.

That said, females tend to be a bit smaller than males. You mentioned adopting an older dog? Well, you'd know the size for sure.

As to "sound breeding of smaller lines?" Breeding to the standard with the appropriate health clearances and lineage checks would produce the "soundest" dogs. Breeding for either too small or too large is often where problems sneak in unrepentently. However, a 22-23" female would meet the standard AND could still be around 60 lbs or so. I would worry more about health than actual pounds.

Aren't you the one asking this dog to be playmates with other dogs? Primarily famales? In your situation, you may wish to look for a small male, since you're talking about adopting an adult in the first place. Male/female combinations seem to get along better. AND... you could call him Kaiser?

Yes, that is me as well.
Although the New Dog will spend far more time anongst the two females I am most oworried about the little guy getting eaten.

In the past I was forced to loose a dog because he was "too Big" to take with me and I never want to have that happen again. While I can not envision any situation in which I would be "downsizeing" my living situation in any thing like th near future (10+ ears) or ever have to get permission to have a pet again I am still wary and have to have the current Land Lord comfortabe with her dicision to allow New Dog well after the move-in and big dogs are, well, big!

I looked at several breeds and am also concidering Boxers, Amstaffs and mongrles, among others. The FIRST, middle and LAST concideration is that the dog be rock-stable with my 5 year old daughter! Then the other dogs, then all the other dogs in the world.

The on-line Dog Compatabillity test that I took told me I needed an Irish Wolfhound! Can you believe that?

[myzeus]

how about a doberman? in the past i had a doberman that was about 75 - 80 lbs. he was wonderful, lovable, intelligent and very devoted.

[NextKaiser]

Originally Posted by myzeus

how about a doberman? in the past i had a doberman that was about 75 - 80 lbs. he was wonderful, lovable, intelligent and very devoted.

No thank you. They are NOT the dog for me.

[MontanaRott]

Originally Posted by NextKaiser

No thank you. They are NOT the dog for me.

Just curious, why? The look? I have had Dobermans in the past and they are fantastic dogs, but like our Rottweilers, they MUST come from a good breeder.

[SABELLESMOM]

Well, as long as you're considering other breeds as well, what about a German Shorthair Pointer? Or Visla? Both are a bit smaller than the Rottweiler and have excellent reputations...and have short easily groomable hair.

[JeanT]

The Visla breed is suffering from popularity. And needs a lot of exercise.

[NextKaiser]

Originally Posted by MontanaRott

Just curious, why? The look? I have had Dobermans in the past and they are fantastic dogs, but like our Rottweilers, they MUST come from a good breeder.

It has nothing to do with the looks! I am old enough to remember when they were a "sketchy" breed and even recently people who know a lot more about dogs than I ever will have recomended against them in general. I understand that many people would concider a Rotty a "sketchy" breed as well. Just as you have owned a Doberman in the past and would again, I have the same experience witha Rotty, and am therefore more comfortable witha Rotty "sketchyness" as opposed to Doberman "Sketchyness", if you take my meening. Also, They aren't all that much smaller than a Rotty any ways, at least not the ones running around up here.

Originally Posted by SABELLESMOM

Well, as long as you're considering other breeds as well, what about a German Shorthair Pointer? Or Visla? Both are a bit smaller than the Rottweiler and have excellent reputations...and have short easily groomable hair.

There are HUNDREDS of breeds of dogs and I am sure that many, many of them would suit my "needs" some even better that the ones that I am interested in! However, I don't have the time or inclination to research all of them. I ruled out all of the "real" hunting breeds as agroup because I feel that they requier too much vigorous exercise, might not be good with children and are not great watch dogs from what I have heard anicdotally and in genneral.

I would actually LOVE to have a Siberian Husky (or two: they get really lonely) but I am in no way shape or form prepared right now to deal with all of that breeds issues.

What I really wish thay made is a 60 pound version of the Bullmastif. That would be something. I am also looking at Boxers. I am leary of such morphalogically altered dogs though because of health issues. Now, I know that a Boxer isn't as "changed" as a Bulldog or something but it is a consideration to me.

I had a Rot that was supposedly a "time bomb" and was a great dog and would love another one. Just my own past expereinces I guess.....

[targonrotts]

i suggest you check out different rescue groups of the breeds you are considering to check out what they have, info they can provide on what they have and the breed,and maybe even try out the local humane society or shelter.

[scooterjohansen]

In my opinion rotties love grass and while some do well in apartments it is not really fair to have one in an apartment. Just my opinon. At least your considering options before you go out and get one. I simply can't imagine having a large dog in an apartment for a long period. While others say its ok, I do think its a little unfair. Again just my opinion.

[NextKaiser]

Originally Posted by scooterjohansen

In my opinion rotties love grass and while some do well in apartments it is not really fair to have one in an apartment. Just my opinon. At least your considering options before you go out and get one. I simply can't imagine having a large dog in an apartment for a long period. While others say its ok, I do think its a little unfair. Again just my opinion.

I totally agree with you. THere are two conciderations here though: It's a three bedroom, seven room apartment. Real rooms, not New York City rooms.It's bigger than a lot of peoples houses. Also, I AM hoping that I can find a smaller dog. There is a HUGE diference between the space that a 60 pound dog takes up and the space that a 120 pound dog takes up. I kow that those weights represent the extreems otuside the breed standard but the one is what I am looking fo r and the other is what people are breeding for.....

[Skip]

Originally Posted by NextKaiser

I totally agree with you. THere are two conciderations here though: It's a three bedroom, seven room apartment. Real rooms, not New York City rooms.It's bigger than a lot of peoples houses. Also, I AM hoping that I can find a smaller dog. There is a HUGE diference between the space that a 60 pound dog takes up and the space that a 120 pound dog takes up. I kow that those weights represent the extreems otuside the breed standard but the one is what I am looking fo r and the other is what people are breeding for.....

While there might be exceptions, I feel that a first time large dog owner should have an environment similar to those that most rescue groups insist on....like a yard with a containment fence. ..and note to TrishB...I know you were a great exception to this....but this is just my 2 cents.

[NextKaiser]

Originally Posted by Skip

While there might be exceptions, I feel that a first time large dog owner should have an environment similar to those that most rescue groups insist on....like a yard with a containment fence. ..and note to TrishB...I know you were a great exception to this....but this is just my 2 cents.

Gosh, I just LOVE it when people read my posts before they criticise me. It's just so thoughtfull like...

Kaiser was a 120#+ Rotty. I think that's a "large Dog".


The two other dogs he lived with were a Roty mix, and a Shepherd mix. Before that I had an Airdale. A whole pack of smart, stron willed, stuborn and "large" dogs. Thanks for being such a helper bee!