House Rotti Vs Working Rotti

[05EVOMR]

is there a difference in temperament, or just the way they act?
what is the real difference?

Thanks

[Sharon Marples]

Originally Posted by 05EVOMR

is there a difference in temperament, or just the way they act?
what is the real difference?

Thanks

Not quite sure what you mean. Are you asking if there is any difference between a rottie that lives in the house with its humans vs. one that lives its life out in a kennel?

All "working" rotties do NOT live in kennels all their lives!

[mel07]

as far as i know, ALL rotties are working rotties ...

[Mick Trainer]

In general terms when most people speak of a working Rottweiler they speak of a dog bred for working in protection orientated execises and whilst it is nice to think all rottweilers are capable of this in reality very few are. The differences that makes a dog capable of doing protection type execises is they are stronger in temperament including their drive strengths, they have better nerve development (can handle higher levels of stress), they are more defensive in temperament (when truly threatened are more likely to be aggressive than to show avoidance), they can be more handler hard (a side effect of breeding for strength) to highlight a few differences. As said above a working rott does not have to live outside in a run etc. All my rotts spend the vast majority of their lives inside my house. Not sure if that was your point.

Mick.

[BostonRott]

I completely agree with all that Mick said. When I was actively training SchH, my girl slept on my bed (o horrors! ) and my 3 younger dogs who dabble in the sport when I have time are also house dogs.

I personally don't believe in dogs living out in a kennel.

[flyballmom]

I've just started training in ScH in the last few weeks with a 2.5 year old bitch. My girlie has lived as a "housedog" since she came to live with me as a 10 week old pup. She now has earned the privilege of sleeping out of her crate wherever she chooses, and at some times, that's on my bed. Our trainer is fairly well known, and assessed her as being "a really nice bitch with nice drive. She will do well in this sport." Our main passion at this point is agility, and let me tell you, in that sport she's one driven girl. (I have to say I really wouldn't WANT "more.") All that said....my dogs are my friends and companions first, and working partners second. If "blackboxing" Blitz would give me a second a run faster in agility, I still wouldn't do it. Still not sure if this is what the OP is asking for tho.......

[flyballmom]

I've just started training in ScH in the last few weeks with a 2.5 year old bitch. My girlie has lived as a "housedog" since she came to live with me as a 10 week old pup. She now has earned the privilege of sleeping out of her crate wherever she chooses, and at some times, that's on my bed. Our trainer is fairly well known, and assessed her as being "a really nice bitch with nice drive. She will do well in this sport." Our main passion at this point is agility, and let me tell you, in that sport she's one driven girl. (I have to say I really wouldn't WANT "more.") All that said....my dogs are my friends and companions first, and working partners second. If "blackboxing" Blitz would give me a second a run faster in agility, I still wouldn't do it. Still not sure if this is what the OP is asking for tho.......

[Obelix]

As Mick trainer said there's no big difference in the dog,only in the working drives and the stimulation of these drives.When you keep a dog ,trained for protection as a pet just be aware that in some situations the dog can be litlle more protective.A working dog can also be doing other kinds off work than protection.Obedience,agility,herding...These kinds off work can make your dog,and you,as happy as if doing protection or Sch.

[SABELLESMOM]

They are a breed designed for work. As mentioned, a Schutzhund dog requires greater drive. In fact they are tested prior to training to determine suitability. I'm not certain whether the test has to do with drive or nerve specifically. I'm simply aware it exists.

Obedience, Agility, Herding, Flyball, Rally do not require suitability testing, but that does not necessarily mean the dogs that do it lack drive. They may well indeed have what it takes. Some may not. But it's a lot of fun, anyway.

I like the intensity of a drivey dog. They eyes lock on. The ears forward and eager to learn/perform. The body perhaps a bit tense in anticipation. It's wonderful to train a dog like that!

Perhaps someone with the knowlege would care to contribute the specifics of the suitability tests. I'm out of my element there, but I believe it's a BH?

[jackdee]

yea, I ask the same question.. if you bought a rotty from someone who just shows dogs , and then one from one whose ma and pa were shutz , is there a difference in the two dogs? meaning the pups?

[BostonRott]

SchH titles do not guarantee drive in the puppy. There are many cases of false titles or dubious trials. If you really want to look for a puppy for serious work (no matter which sport you choose), you need to look for a pedigree whose dogs are known to work well and to reproduce those drives. Don't just look for titles. Genes pass on, titles do not.

[rottcrazed]

And just to toss my 2 cents worth in;

A super way of bonding with your puppy and dog is to live with them underfoot. In between big play sessions, eating and sleeping in her crate, Seeker spends her time tethered to me in the house chewing on a bone or playing with one of my kids or just resting.

I want her to feel she is part of our 'pack', and that means in the house. BUT, that said, she is my new working hopeful and I do want to develop her prey and play drives. I can do a lot of that in the house when are tethered or when we play outside with her tug.

I don't know what it would be like to have a 'kennel' dog as I have never had one, but for me, my house dogs ARE my working dogs and that is the way it will always be!

Kristi

[Diane Heller-Vaccaro]

When I bought Asa I was told by the breeder and a few others that he would never be a dog that put up high numbers if he lived in side like a pet. His breeder only takes her dogs out to work they are kenneled all the time. They are not socialized and her male bit the vet take at 10 months leaving punctures wounds so bad, the vet refused to do the ACL surgery. She can't walk her dogs down the street and she won't even handle her own male in a Sieger show. This to me is what you get when you believe you must lock away your dog in order to create a true schutzhund dog. A Rottweiler is one of the worse breeds of dogs to be kenneled and seperated from the people they love.

If I have to play mind games with a dog in order for him to work I'm not interested. Either the drives are there and that dog can lay by my side while I type this and load into the truck and go to the field and work or he can't. Isolation does not create working dogs.

It's good to see someone as serious about schutzhund as Mick also believes a dog can and will work and live inside.

[Hannibal]

If you start out with a working quality rottweiler (which is different genetically than a pet quality rottweiler) and never actually work him in protection (not sch) whether it be in training only or actual daily duty, he will ultimately be different in the house than if you were to work him.

[SABELLESMOM]

Originally Posted by Hannibal

If you start out with a working quality rottweiler (which is different genetically than a pet quality rottweiler) ...

They often come from the same litter. How would the be "genetically different?" (same parents)