A Rott-friendly yard.

[Cerberian]

I wrote this with the suburban Rott owner in mind, hoping that I might contribute something from my experience. New owners can also maybe see from this what it takes to keep a Rottweiler. Any comments or advice is welcome; I hope to learn much more about our dogs in my life still.

When we moved into our newly built suburban home10 years ago, our yard was raw and bare, with a rickety chain link fence. Soon after moving in, we got a female Rottweiler pup. Lucrezia lived for 3 years before succumbing to a rare disease. She was succeeded by my present Rotti, Cerberus. We already had Trixi, our little Maltese spayed female, who is still with us; going strong at 13 yrs. 2 Years ago we got a little foxterrier, female, spayed.

Looking back now, I realize that our yard, fencing and garden were developed around raising and keeping a Rottweiler. One could say that the dogs, especially the Rotti, helped in the design of the place by teaching me, through experience, what works best.

Our property is not big, about 20 yards along the street by 35 yards to the back fence. There is a compact 3-bedroom house on it with a double garage up front, close to the entrance gate.

Some of the dog-directed features are:

A 6ft. steel palisade fence facing the street, 4.5” gaps between bars, interspersed with 18” high doggie bars at ground level. I later added light steel wire mesh to the bottom 3ft to safeguard against hand-poking kids and head-poking stray dogs. There is a sliding gate in the same style as the fence. Always locked.

I believe that my dogs should be able to see outside to the street.

The other 3 sides are fenced with solid prefab concrete panels, 6ft high.

There is a pathway of half-brick paving especially for the dogs, so they can run parallel to the front fence. No lawn will ever grow there in any case, might as well keep it neat.

A light 4ft fence of ¼” round steel bar splits the yard into front and back portions with the house itself intervening. Entrance to the backyard is through small gates, and/or through the garage via a garage back door.

At night, the Rotti sleeps in a doghouse inside the garage; this keeps him away from the front fence then. This is for his protection in case of criminals trespassing. The primary protection is by a good alarm system, triggered by any yard perimeter breach. A house perimeter breach will initiate armed response by a security company.

In the protection role, the Rotti serves as a visual and audible deterrent only. There are "Trespassers Will Be Prosecuted" and "Beware of the Dog" signs posted, in the unlikely case of legal action, in the event of an intruder being attacked. Nothing of the sort ever happened inside our property, and Cerberus is not an aggressive dog nor had he any attack training. I believe he enjoys playing the guardian, so I let him, but I do not encourage any violence, and I rely on other security systems for real protection.

He even sleeps in our bedroom, in a dog bed on the floor when its very cold, and often visits indoors, where he is well-mannered. Very trainable breed this.

The garage doors are closed at night, and also the dividing fence gates, the Rotti can only reach the backyard through the open garage back door then. While we have visitors, he can also be kept away from little children or frail people by closing the inner gates and garage back door. While he is not aggressive, he could accidentily hurt these people, because he is heavy and strong. There is also a small fenced vegetable garden that can serve as another handy enclosure.

Gardening: I allow the Rotti a small sandy area near my "office" window where he loves lying near me, outside the window. I don't mind him digging his shallow nests there, easy enough to sweep a bit there, fill up and keep reasonably neat. He seems to accept this place as his digging zone and usually buries his stuff there, as dogs do. This way the rest of the garden escapes most of his digging urges.

I have built up a stock of protective railings and temporary barriers to use when planting new stuff in the garden. I feel that one can not expect a dog to leave such plantings alone, and we should also trouble ourselves to take precautions. Dogs often imitate our actions, especially digging. Nagging and shouting at a dog that has dug at some unknown time only sours the relationship. I found that the problem actually diminishes if ignored and if the dog is allowed a digging zone.

Lucrezia amazed me, at 18 months she demolished an expensive new palm tree, 5-inch trunk. Railings must get!

Poop scooping can be cultivated into an almost pleasurable habit. I've taken an interest in these things, got a nice one now that works like a grab crane, fun to use. It's very important to keep things hygienic, might as well make a hobby of it. Every 2 -3 months, I hose the whole yard with Jey’s Fluid carbolic disinfectant through a mixer nozzle on the garden hose. The place smells a bit like a well kept-dairy farm afterwards, for a day or two.

One must always be on the lookout for things that might be a danger to an excited, dog rushing around like they sometimes do. Sharp objects, loose stones, holes etc. Any dog can get hurt in excited running about. Stuff like power cords and dangerous chemicals should be used and stored with dogs in mind. Check on plants before buying, they could be poisonous to dogs. I would never plant Lupus plants. (Wolfbane).

So, after years of hard work, expense, calluses, skinned knuckles, arc eyes from welding, I think I have a reasonably Rotti-friendly yard, the garden is in in keeping with all the Joneses, and I have happy, well-behaved dogs, living their gentle, peaceful lives with us.

Those with Google Earth can get an idea of our kind of suburb. Position about: 25°54’30S; 28°08’40E is within a mile or so. If you see a guy with a poop scoop, that’s me.

[Bucky's Mom]

Originally Posted by Cerberian

There are "Trespassers Will Be Prosecuted" and "Beware of the Dog" signs posted, in the unlikely case of legal action, in the event of an intruder being attacked. Nothing of the sort ever happened inside our property, and Cerberus is not an aggressive dog nor had he any attack training. I believe he enjoys playing the guardian, so I let him, but I do not encourage any violence, and I rely on other security systems for real protection.

Sounds like you have seriously and thoughtfully planned a safe yard with your responsibilities firmly in place.

I notice you are in South Africa so I am unfamiliar with your laws and legal system.

We have had MANY discussions here about the posting of "Beware of Dog" signs. Some of us have expressed the concern that the word "Beware" implies that you may believe your dog to be dangerous and therefore the very placement of the sign increases your liability should a meter person or (gawd forbid) a child find their way into your yard and be injured.

Just wondering if you would consider changing "Beware" to "Be AWARE"

[Cerberian]

Thank you for some good advice on a fine point. I had a look at threads here on the subject of dog warning signs, and yes, in the unhappy event of legal actions a good lawyer could argue that a dangerous animal was knowingly kept.

There were some very good alternatives in the threads, but I think I will go with "Be aware."

Thanks. Any suggestions on how I could do things better is appreciated.

[Bucky's Mom]

Originally Posted by Cerberian

There were some very good alternatives in the threads, but I think I will go with "Be aware."

There is also - "ROTTWEILER AT PLAY"

[Jantea]

Originally Posted by Bucky's Mom

There is also - "ROTTWEILER AT PLAY"

I'd like a tshirt with that

[lovemypuppies]

As I often fantasize about how to build the perfect doggy paradise, I enjoyed reading your well thought out system. I am fascinated with a house designed by Rocio Romero. (I don't know how to post links) It is what you might call "high style prefab" now all she has to do is modify it for dogs and I will be "sold!" I am also interested in planting for sound control so that the noise/music of barking is buffered.

[StephanieandToby]

Ahhhhh...yes....The fenced vegetable garden.....I had one as well....thought I was very clever until the day I stood at my kitchen window...doing dishes...and saw Toby walk by with a cucumber in his mouth!

The nicest part of your post was reading that you actually have an alarm system...rather than placing your dog at risk. Well done!

[Bucky's Mom]

Originally Posted by lovemypuppies

I am fascinated with a house designed by Rocio Romero. .

Rocio Romero, modern design and prefab architecture

[peladac]

Hi,

I'm looking at all avenues before I buy a rottweiler. I've been doing search after search and keep coming back to this dog. We live on a hill on over an acre of land. Our house is far back from the road and we do have neighbors. Now, our neighbors have some kind of fence and most complain that they don't like their fences. We occasionally have deer and other natural wildlife come up from the back yard (woods behind us). So, with all this yard and proper training, also not leaving him out alone, how good would it be without a fence? I hope this doesn't sound like a stupid question, I'm looking at everything before I get a rottweiler.

[Cerberian]

It sounds like you are a thorough person. I am still a newbie, but I call this the best Rottie board in the world, you'll get good advice here, but best wait for more than mine.

First advice: Get the best pup you can afford. From a reputable breeder. Don't rush.

My own thought on the back fence is that you should have one, under the conditions you mention it does not have to be very high maybe 4ft, a well behaved, trained Rottie usually respects barriers even if he can jump them. Chasing something, or overexcited, they jump surprisingly high obstacles. Beatiful to see, but not always welcome.

You want to see through that fence towards the woods, chainlink can be very unnoticable if you could paint it a dull colour. (Even dangerously unnoticable.) It would be nice to have a gate there, for walks.

Any dog sets up a territory, though, and with no artificial boundary, that territory will become too big for the dogs safety, as well as wildlife, possibly kids. S/he should never get into a habit of chasing wildlife, this could become uncontrollable and dangerous.

Now all this comes from a suburban chap, however even on our farms, (the proper ones), the dogs have yards around the homestead. I have no idea about Oklahoma, but it sure would be nice for the Rottie to have yard while you have all that room.

I'm a bit jealous, actually.

[peladac]

Yes, we used to live in the suburbs and I love this here. No matter what type of dog I get my husband will not want a fence. He would rather have an underground electric fence, but I fear that might make a rottweiler mean. Not sure on that. I have been looking now for a couple of months, but I'm weighing all my options and not only making sure s/he is what I want, I want to make sure that I raise an well behaved home pet. Ha, I actually bought some new sneakers to take it for walks. I'm preparing!

[jazzharper]

we have a six ft brick frence. Dog can't see out and we know if somebody is lookin in. There are two gates that have padlocks on them. We mostly just leave our back french doors wide open as it's AZ and there are few bugs. The back yard is a potential death trap for anyone who decides to hop the fence and walk in the house.

[SABELLESMOM]

Wow, Cerberian. That's an impressive example in good planning and owner responsibility. This must have taken some time.

I do agree with the "Be Aware" instead of "Beware", or "Rottweiler at Play" signs. I also like the non-specific "Large Dogs at Play"... a friends idea. She lives where Rottie's are not appreciated and didn't want to attract mischief.

[Bucky's Mom]

Originally Posted by peladac

No matter what type of dog I get my husband will not want a fence. He would rather have an underground electric fence,:

Invisible fences may or may not keep YOUR dog in - but they surely won't keep others OUT.

Here is a link to posts on Invisible fences and why they are not a good idea

http://www.rottweiler.net/forums/sea...earchid=890730

[jazzharper]

Originally Posted by Bucky's Mom

Invisible fences may or may not keep YOUR dog in - but they surely won't keep others OUT.

Here is a link to posts on Invisible fences and why they are not a good idea

http://www.rottweiler.net/forums/sea...earchid=890730

Yeah that's for sure. When I lived in another state my neighbor had two akitas "contained" with a electric fence. One day the other neighbor's lab/shep mix went into the Akita's yards and got himself killed. About a month after the killing the two Akita's got poisoned from a sponge soaked in something that also contained poison, one of them died and the other got very very sick. We all know who did it.

I like that few people know I have dogs, they can see into my yard and my dogs can't see out.

Also, make sure you have your dogs trained to NOT eat anything unless you approve it. I dogs are pretty good. I test them on occasion by having a neighbor toss a steak or two in my yards. The ladies will guard it but not eat it. The pugs are a different story, they will eat it but if the Rotts get to it first they will keep the pugs away.

There are lot's of crazy people in the world and you may find you dog dead simply because it's Rott and somebody else thinks you shouldn't have a dogs like that.