Hot Weather

[turbodx]

I'm thinking of getting a Rottweiler for my mom but she lives in the Caribbean . Will the constant hot weather too much ? Should I consider another breed ?

[Shelby427]

There's much more to finding the right breed for your mother than just climate. There are some members here that are in hotter climate zones that have rotties and they have acclimated just fine.

Do some research on the breed before deciding on getting one for your mother - she should also be active in researching this breed before bringing one into her home. There's a TON of information here, stick around and read through all the stickies. There's a thread that's called "why the rottweiler is not for everyone" please read that.

Also do reading in the breeding forum so you will know what to ask a REAL COE breeder when you get to that point. Or you can go the rescue route too -just be careful when talking to breeders, you'll find that many are only in it for the money and don't care about the puppies they produce.

[turbodx]

cool thanks for your reply

[Sheenagirl]

I agree, if you haven't researched for information on the Rottweiler breed, that would be a good starting place.
As far as hot weather; here in Florida, during the hottest summer months, the feel like temp can get over 100+ degrees.
Our Buddy loved being outside. So the times he was outside I had a kiddy pool for him and there was plenty of shade. I kept a close watch also to make sure he didn't overheat. Our Rotties have such a thick coat (and being black doesn't help) that with a little exertion they could overheat quickly.
Our Sheena and Cheyenne loved to be inside in the air conditioner.
So if I lived in the Carribean and owned Rotties I would keep them inside and let them out for short potty breaks during the day, before sunrise and after sunset.

[turbodx]

hmmm that's basically what i wanted to hear because this pup would be going to the country ( Rural Jamaica) and there is no AC down ther , plenty of shade trees but no AC .

[AngelBunny]

Does your mother want a Rottweiler? Why does she want a Rottie? What does she know about the breed? Getting something for another person can work out very well, but the person has to want the item he or she is being given.

And, when the item is a powerful living, feeling, thinking being you need to be extra careful.

[Dieselpup]

Hi Turdox.

I own a Rottie and live in Jamaica. Yes, the dogs can thrive here in the weather with some extra care. I currently obedience train and trial my dog here under the tropical sun.

HOWEVER: Your mom MUST be prepared to ensure that the dog has adequate shade and water AND that it's actually drinking the water. I know most J'cans don't let their dogs in the house, my mine live in my house (they are all housebroken), and that helps. My Rottie is reluctant to drink water when we're out training and trialling, so he needs coaxing.

ALSO! Rotties are powerful dogs and have a bad reputation here. Will your Mom be able to control the dog? Will she be able to train it. Training a Rottie is not an option, it's MANDATORY--or she could be faced with a lawsuit or a poisoned dog (not pretty).

NEXT: These dogs are very expensive to maintain. As you know the cost of living in Jamaica is extremely high and inflation is so high it's no longer visible. Eg. in 2 months I spend $21,000 JA on my old Rottie that I ended up putting to sleep two weeks ago. For my young dogs, however, I have to fork out $$$ each month for flea protection and Heartgard (again, MANDATORY--if you don't want this dog to succumb to a horrible death due to heartworm caused by mosquitos, which are prevalent in JA).

LASTLY: Bear in mind that dogs from the US cannot be imported into Jamaica. You can only ship dogs in from the UK and I understand it's frightfully expensive--upwards of $600,000.

These are just some things you should think about--from someone living in Jamaica who has the experience of a Rott here.

Let us know what you ultimately decide.

[TrinaJ]

I would like to hear answers to Angel Bunny's questions...

Has your mum expressed a desire to own a dog? Is it a gift? Why do you want to buy her a dog? Gifted pets often end up on the street and then in a shelter because they are either unwanted, too much trouble, too big, not the right fit, too aggressive. Your mum should be the one to select the dog and its breed after all she is the one who will have to live with it and take care of it 27/7.

Also questions to ask yourself....Is she fit enough to exercise and train this dog adequately, they are strong both in body and mind. They take a lot of time and dedication and training is a MUST with this breed.

People often think an animal is a lovely gift to buy for a person, however that person has to WANT the animal.

[turbodx]

Originally Posted by Dieselpup

Hi Turdox.

I own a Rottie and live in Jamaica. Yes, the dogs can thrive here in the weather with some extra care. I currently obedience train and trial my dog here under the tropical sun.

HOWEVER: Your mom MUST be prepared to ensure that the dog has adequate shade and water AND that it's actually drinking the water. I know most J'cans don't let their dogs in the house, my mine live in my house (they are all housebroken), and that helps. My Rottie is reluctant to drink water when we're out training and trialling, so he needs coaxing.

ALSO! Rotties are powerful dogs and have a bad reputation here. Will your Mom be able to control the dog? Will she be able to train it. Training a Rottie is not an option, it's MANDATORY--or she could be faced with a lawsuit or a poisoned dog (not pretty).

NEXT: These dogs are very expensive to maintain. As you know the cost of living in Jamaica is extremely high and inflation is so high it's no longer visible. Eg. in 2 months I spend $21,000 JA on my old Rottie that I ended up putting to sleep two weeks ago. For my young dogs, however, I have to fork out $$$ each month for flea protection and Heartgard (again, MANDATORY--if you don't want this dog to succumb to a horrible death due to heartworm caused by mosquitos, which are prevalent in JA).

LASTLY: Bear in mind that dogs from the US cannot be imported into Jamaica. You can only ship dogs in from the UK and I understand it's frightfully expensive--upwards of $600,000.

These are just some things you should think about--from someone living in Jamaica who has the experience of a Rott here.

Let us know what you ultimately decide.

With that said , guess there's no need for any other replies , cause I am in the US and can't import the pup. $4-5 Grand us to import a pup is out of the question .

[turbodx]

Originally Posted by TrinaJ

I would like to hear answers to Angel Bunny's questions...

Has your mum expressed a desire to own a dog? Is it a gift? Why do you want to buy her a dog? Gifted pets often end up on the street and then in a shelter because they are either unwanted, too much trouble, too big, not the right fit, too aggressive. Your mum should be the one to select the dog and its breed after all she is the one who will have to live with it and take care of it 27/7.

Also questions to ask yourself....Is she fit enough to exercise and train this dog adequately, they are strong both in body and mind. They take a lot of time and dedication and training is a MUST with this breed.

People often think an animal is a lovely gift to buy for a person, however that person has to WANT the animal.

well if i didn't just change my mind based on the figures above , my answer to your questions would be that she is more than physically able and financially able to address all the issues you mentioned, also she is a retiree so she has all the time & patience in the world to spend with the pup . Also based on my experience , training a dog is the same as training a human , if the proper training is done in the younger years there won't be an issue when they get older. As for the whole shelter/neglected animal issue , that would never happen & yes the pup would be a gift and trust me it will be a well receiver one .

[Shelby427]

Originally Posted by turbodx

well if i didn't just change my mind based on the figures above , my answer to your questions would be that she is more than physically able and financially able to address all the issues you mentioned, also she is a retiree so she has all the time & patience in the world to spend with the pup . Also based on my experience , training a dog is the same as training a human , if the proper training is done in the younger years there won't be an issue when they get older. As for the whole shelter/neglected animal issue , that would never happen & yes the pup would be a gift and trust me it will be a well receiver one .

Although I agree with this somewhat, you cannot get lax when owning a breed like the rottie. If you get lax and get lazy, guess who will take over position as leader? If there is no structure or rules, a rottie can very easily take over. They are happiest when they know their place in the "pack" so yes, training is a MUST, but don't get lazy when things seems to calm down and the dog seems trained.

Many, many members here have said "well I took him to OB training for the first 6 months and now it's like he's never had any training!" it's because puppy is acting wonderful so the owners think they are "trained" and get lazy with training. It's a life long process so please don't think early training will be enough.

[AlphaLeader]

If you want to get her a rotty... and know that she would welcome it with open arms and has time to train... etc... why not send her the money for one and have her contact a good breeder there, if there is one. I am sadly unknowledgable as to the size of Jamaica or if there is a good breeder there. But if there is, the breeder would be able to assist her with how to go about training and the medications and vaccs the dog will need as well as talking to her about the specifics of the breed.

Just a thought.

Some of the members here live there... perhaps if you asked, they might be able to put you in touch with others that have rotts there and that work them... there is a wealth of knowledge in that.

[TrinaJ]

Originally Posted by turbodx

well if i didn't just change my mind based on the figures above , my answer to your questions would be that she is more than physically able and financially able to address all the issues you mentioned, also she is a retiree so she has all the time & patience in the world to spend with the pup . Also based on my experience , training a dog is the same as training a human , if the proper training is done in the younger years there won't be an issue when they get older. As for the whole shelter/neglected animal issue , that would never happen & yes the pup would be a gift and trust me it will be a well receiver one .

I am pleased to hear that the gift would have been a well received one, I wasn't judging you about giving an animal as a gift, i was just asking if it would be one that was wanted (ie, asked for). So many people have received dogs as a gift and these ones in particular are a life altering, they are stong in mind and body. Yes, I agree, when proper training is undertaken at a young age there shouldn't be issues when the get older IF you continue with the training. These dogs need constant training.

I was very surprised to hear that you cant import a pup from the US (I assume due to rabies???) and then at how much it cost to import the pup to Jamaica from the UK, sorry you wont be able to go through with it. I am sure by your comments that it would have been a very loved dog.

Are there Rotty rescues in Jamaica or dog shelters? You would also be helping to save the life of a dog if you got one from a shelter.

[turbodx]

I don't think there is any rescue programs in Jamaica . But i'll do some research and find out what's available there.