Advice Please !

[kaSh FloW]

Well im a 17 year old girl and have had my heart set on gettin a rottweiler for almost 2 years (but ive wanted a dog since i was born haha) . I come on this site a lot and its helped me so much on making my decision. Now im not any closer to getting a dog mostly due to money. Anyway i really would like to get one now and i know if someone offered me a rottie for free even a BYB i would have trouble turing the offer down. So please deter me for doing this lol
Another thing is i want to know more about how a dog will affect my family, my mother (not dog trained if you know what i mean) and my two sisters both 10. They both seem to be allergic to long haired cats but not our medium haired cat so im guessing they wouldnt be allergic to a rottweiler? Im also not sure to get a male or female, i wanted a male a first but from reading this site decided a female would be best. However i now feel im confident enough to handle a male... :S
My mom used to hate animals and gettin a dog would be unimaginable but then i pursued her to get a cat, and now she treats her like a member of the family although she dosnt spoil her and can be quiet impaticent -sometime i have to remind her shes not human..and no she didnt crap in your room to get revenge !... Of course getting a dog is ALOT different and i dont know if she even realises. Anyway i cant think of any more questions at the moment really but any comments from you all would be very useful for me :)
The main reason for gettin a rottie is because of the image..not how you might think though, i mean the image as in people see a rottweiler they dont really wanna bother you, where i live that would be a good thing !. Ive thought good and long about this and looked into other breeds. But rotties seem the best. I want my rottie to be well behaved of course the odd people iv seen with rotties are never being dragged by a lead, unlike other dogs.

p.s as i have a feeling some people may try to deter me from gettin one full stop its just not going to happen, i always get something if i have my heart set on it, and this is the one thing ive wanted all my life !

[Daisy Duke]

Please, just save your money for a quality puppy. I to am only 17. I do not know many 17 year olds that could handle a rott. I have trained daisy from a puppy.... Would you be able to pay for professional obedience, or be willing to work for classes if you had too? How much time will you be able to spend with the puppy? Have you considered adopting an adult? I just want to stress, dont get any old dog....It would be a very poor choice...and all the work persuading your mom will be for nothing if you have a dog destroying the house, and barking.....you get the idea!

[LavenderRott]

At this stage, I don't think that anyone would tell you that you shouldn't get a rottweiler, but we will tell you that at 17, you have a lot ahead of you and this probably wouldn't be the best time for you to get one.

Rottweilers are prone to hip dysplasia, Sub Aortic Stenosis and several other genetic issues. Dogs that are bred without being tested for these things and cleared, have a much greater chance of throwing puppies that have them. Hip Dysplasia in it's mildest form will make it painful for a dog to walk and in it's most severe form will cripple a dog. Sub Aortic Stenosis (SAS) is a heart condition that is not always easy to detect (unless you go to a canine cardiologist) and quite often the first sign of it is when your dog drops dead in the yard.

A rottweiler in a home with a couple of young children and an adult that is not dog savvy can (and often times will) test the waters until it is running the household and all household schedules run around what the dog wants.

If you truly have your heart set on owning a rottweiler, one would think that you would want to do this right. Start looking for a GOOD breeder. Do some volunteer work with a local rottweiler rescue group. Finish your schooling.

[bleh60]

wow this must be the 17 thread. I too am 17. I know today, right now, i would love to have a rottie. But in my mind I have ALWAYS seen myself older, living in my own house and fully able to support myself and my rottie as if they were my own human child. My advice normally is what I have heard and that is that rottie's are not a good first time dog. that said if you truely love the breed and do all the research, then this may not apply to you. (im NOT trying to talk you out of it, im just sayin) As for male and female sometimes the males can actually be much easier to handle then females. be careful not associate gender too much with wether or not you can handle them. a rottie is still a rottie- but i know what your getting at. My female was not raised with as from a puppy, but after she was comfortably settled down, she was still a handful at times(and she was very small too). I have had a boxer, a rotty, and now an akita as well as many other pets so I feel ready to get my own rott. But i know i will have to wait. Continue to ask yourself if it is really what you want and make sure you can handle the full respondsibilies of owning any dog, but especially this breed. I would still wait a while if I were you, (as I am def going to wait) but if it is really what you want, then do all the research and get a rott.

[kaSh FloW]

Yes i definately i don't want to just get dog from anyone which is why im saving up-even though i know price dosnt always mean quality.
Apart from money time is also another problem as i go to college and have a part time job. So because it will be my mom at home most of the time she will have alot of the responsblity. This reminds me of a question acutally- i want to be the 'alpha' in this dogs life but i dont want him/her to turn into a menace as soon as i leave the house so would i have to make sure my mom takes as much part in its training as me? Or could i just train him mostly myself.
I have thought about training classes but im my area there isn't much of anything... but i do know 3 rottie owners who seem be a good source for advice on this-their rotties are adorable and friendly-but not too friendly which i think is a good trait. Basically ive been researching alot on training myself and plan to do it on my own.. which may seem a stupid idea but if i really find diffcult then i would have to find a training class somewhere. Theres no way i want a rottweiler in my home thats uncontrolable.
I know im 17 and i have alot of time ahead of me but im just so eager now every other sentense seems to be 'when i get a rottweiler'. I proberbly wont get one until im 18 anyway but i wanna be as much as an expert on this breed as i can without acutally owning one first.

[bleh60]

so you plan on living with you in your mom's house when you go to college? Going to college can be really big time commitment at that time in your life, and what about after college? be sure that if you move into an apptment, that they allow dogs. If your mom doesnt want a dog and dosn't like them i dont see how she will even let you keep it in the house. Make it your dog, not your mom's dog. but if she does she should probably know all the commands you use for the dog so that everyone is on the same page. Do you plan to get the rotty as a puppy? cuz puppies need LOTS of attention, as well as supervision. oh and i cant stress it enough, socialize, socialize, socialize. with everything and everyone. one of the biggest parts of a rotty becoming a good dog is socialization and early on is best. so be sure you can spend enough time getting him or her out of the house and meeting new people and dogs as it is critical to have good experiances for them.

I am not trying to convince you not to get a rott, I am just helping you ask questions, especially ones i have asked, as i am the same age.

[darren-uk]

I'd say it boils down to what your mom thinks as she will be the one spending the most time with it. Think also about your future plans, do you intend to move into your own flat in a couple of years, going to uni....etc

Dont think a 17 year old cant handle a big dog, get it into training and you will be ok. Theres a little old lady in my street who breeds rotts and if she can handle them, anyone can.

[kaSh FloW]

Well ill proberbly be living with my mom for a while but when i do move out finding a place that allows them shouldnt be too much of a problem where i live. Im not even sure of my future education-career at the moment i have a year of college left then i might be going to uni, but ill still be living with my mom. This is why even though the rottie will be mine, my mom and sisters would be a big part of its life. My mom dosnt like dogs but since getting a cat she warmed to the idea of a dog, i have told her all about them and the hard work they need etc so she knows the deal.
Im not really sure if i should get a puppy or an adult for a number of reasons. One is because of my cat - i want to make sure they get along ! So raising a puppy with her would be ideal and minimise any problems between them. However i know puppys need alot of time and work which i am willing to put in as i will get the dog during summer holidays so i can spend as much time as possible getting it settled in. The reasons im not too keen on getting an adult dog is that i wouldnt really know its background, and i want to have establised whos boss with the dog while its still a puppy and easier to handle.
I havnt mentioned that i have NEVER owned a dog and some people say gettin a rottie as a first time dog owner is a bad idea. I was offered a staff last week acutally but i just want to hold out until the time is right to get a rottie. I also dont want to just get any old dog too 'practice' with if you know what i mean , isnt a first time owner for any dog kinda the same?
Thats for the advice so far by the way !

[Daisy Duke]

Your first dog is your practice dog...I have made alot of mistakes training Daisy, and it has held us back Oh-So-Slightly in the trialing department, but I know what to do when I get another. It is not necessarily a bad thing...People comment all the time they cannot believe she is a rott..she is so nice. bla bla bla......That is why alot of people say not to get a rott as your first dog. Because if you are 'practicing' with a dog of this intelligence and strength, alot can go wrong. I was fortunate though, Daisy is a big pansy. LOL.

[Maximus1]

I'm not a expert by no means. I do have a 5 moth old Rotti (Maximus)
I also have a 8 yr old daughter..Let me tell you the puppy has taken
alot more work. But really you have to be able to devote alot of time and attention, and cash not only the upfront money to purchase the dog
but vet visits, food,training more training, new shoes he tore up.lol
You have plenty of time ahead of you, your already ahead of the game by being on here..Lots of good info..

Scott

[AngelBunny]

Originally Posted by kaSh FloW

Yes i definately i don't want to just get dog from anyone which is why im saving up-even though i know price dosnt always mean quality..

I, along with other RDN members, understand your interest in Rotties. Many of us have had the breed for years and will have no other breed of dog for many reasons. I've had Rotties as my exclusive breed of dog since 1984 and think the sun rises and sets on this breed. They are outstanding, truly outstanding.

I do not make this next comment offensively. Rather, I make it as a statement of fact.

It is not likely, given your age and the fact you haven't finished your schooling, that a COE breeder will sell you one of his or her puppies. There is simply too much that's undetermined about you. If you spend time reading thru the postings in Breeding, you'll understand that responsible breeders who care about the breed put their hearts and souls into their dogs and puppies. You'll see they breed infrequently--once a year, many times less often--and are careful where they place their puppies. You are now a gamble and it is likely too much of a gamble for the type of breeder whose puppy you'd want.

You will almost certainly be able to find someone who will gladly sell you one of his or her puppies. But, there's a high probability the "breeder" who is willing to do so isn't the type of breeder whose puppy you'd want.

Originally Posted by kaSh FloW

Or could i just train him mostly myself. I have thought about training classes but im my area there isn't much of anything... ive been researching alot on training myself and plan to do it on my own...

Training your Rottie on your own is not a good idea for a first time Rottie owner. You really need to go to class with your dog.

My suggestion is that you volunteer with Rottie rescue. You'll learn a great deal that will prove invaluable when you do finally get your own dog.

[LolaLaRue]

If you have your heart set on a rottie may I suggest you research training facilities in your area and price out what it would cost you for at least one year of training, training by yourself is not advised, especially for a first time dog owner, I believe all Rotties need some degree of professional training and most breeders require it, as a first time owner you will run into all types of situations that you need to woukd need to address immediatly as a maturing Rottie will likely try to test you at every step. my 1.5 year old has been in training since she was 8 weeks, as she matures situations come up and my trainer is wonderful,we work through things before we have a problem, proper guidance from the beginning is so important. Also everyone in the family needs to be on board when you decide to get a dog everyone needs to take an active role in being a leader to your dog especially if the responsibility will lie with your mother when you go to college, any COE breeder will want to meet all your family members. Besides the price of your puppy you need to think of vetting for the first year, all those puppy shots, spay/neuter, training, food, toys, and any emergency that can come up, it can be very overwhelming especially for someone so young who may want to focus on your schooling and hanging out with friends, you have your whole life ahead of you, maybe now is just not the right time with so much change in your future, dogs are not disposeable, if you dont have the time or money or if your mom lacks the desire to properly care for it. Just think how much your life is going to change in the next 10-12 years.

[Tywaknya'sBABY]

Well everything posted is true. Rotts are the best.

Let me start by saying I understand your pain. Even though I grew up around rotts (my dad took in stray rotts all the time) I never had my own. I am only 20 and I just adopted my Me'Shyla 3 months ago. Let me tell you EVERYONE told me not to because I'm a small young woman. They told me they couldnt wait to see her dragging me around town. But I love Rotts with a passion and when my friend who isn't a breeder told me his rott had 12 puppies it became my mission to find them all homes...and had to take one for myself.

However, I really had to step it up. All my money goes to her. She is my first priority over boys, cell phones bills, and parties. I made the drastic move, for my age, of renting my first house! She takes up all my time and she deserves more. To say they need alot of attention is an understatement. Simply put they COST!

So....I understand your desire for a rott. Thats what brought us all here! But maybe you should volunteer at a shelter for a while and really get aquainted with the breed and their needs. Get your mom more involved because your definately going to need her backing you up on this one.

Good luck! Don't let anyone make you feel irresponsible for wanting a rott so young but don't prove them right by rushing to get one just for they're image.