training and behavior of my 2 y/o adopted rottie cleo

[mike1]

Hi ive recently adopted a 2 year old rottie from a friends relative and she is great with me with my 10 year old son and other people she has been around and understand it has only been a few days since she has been with us but want to know from experianced owners what there oppinions and views are on my situation and what i can or should be doing to accomplish an obediant dog

Cleo is pretty much obediant with myself when asked to give a paw or sit most of the time when i first brought her home she growled a little when cuddled this made me a little cautious of her but this passed the more she got to know me and vice versa she still growls with others when she jumps up and is being petted and it makes me think this is possibly because she likes the affection and that she's enjoying this but also makes me a bit paranoid that maybe she is'nt enjoying this when she growled with me afterwards she did lick my face but i still was'nt sure.

when i take cleo out for a walk she wants to walk infront but does'nt pull to the extent where she is pulling me off my feet and because her leash is short she does'nt have much choice but to walk more or less at my side but sometimes i do have to give a small tug to slow her down and bring her back to my side when walking she also sometimes likes to cross my path but not constantly.

i was afraid to let her off her leash because her owners told me she would run away but i wanted to see if she would be fine when walking her in a large area where she could run around and play i done this and she never took off but did refuse to listen to me when i asked her to come back looking at me then carrying on with what she was doing i also understand that my commands are not what she might be used to so may not understand

at night cleo wants to jump up beside me when i go to bed i dont have a great problem with this assuch but when i ask her to get down or tell her no off she try's to push me as if she is testing me but then eventually does what i ask

over the past few days she has been doing things a bit more for me instead of pushing past me to get through the door she waits behind me or when i tell her no i get a look from her as if to say should i or should i not and in a way it makes me laugh because i know she is testing me and that she probably doesnt see me as her true owner i also understand that these things come with paitiance and a lot of training but another thing that sometimes makes me wary of her is when i raise my voice to a level she can tell im not playing she gives me this look where she almost looks a little mischevious and tilts her head down and looks at me as if she is just staring me out a little.

wherever i go cleo go's as if she is attached to my hip 24/7 if i go upstairs she follows me if i go to the kitchen she follows me when she's eating i have to stand there or she stops eating and follows me for the first two days she jumped up on me constantly and would'nt get down just wanting to hang over me all the time in a way it makes me think she just does'nt want to be alone and loves the attention but have also been reading the forum posts from others on obediance and domination in this breed of dog and basicly im wondering what others have to say about cleo's behaviour and what could i do to have her obey me more if she is looking for attention is this normal what she's doing and is it possible she's just getting used to me sussing me out before she commits herself to me as her new owner


im a little confused also this is the first rottweiler i have had so dont have as much knowlage on what they are like and or there behavioural patterns and would prefer to ask people on the forum who are more clued up and know what they are talking about

sorry about the long post and thanks in advance for any reponses to my thread

mike1

[AngelBunny]

Your best bet would be to spend time reading thru the postings here in Training. You'll also learn alot by reading thru discussions in Rescue. I post often in Rescue--we're active in Rottie rescue and I have almost a decade's worth of experience in fostering (mainly mature males). I've posted tips and suggestions applicable to people who bring a new dog into their home.

You need to sign yourself up and your new dog for obed classes. In Training you'll find info on how to find a trainer and what to look for in a good trainer.

Get a crate and start crate training her. She doesn't belong sleeping in your bed or up on the furniture.

Do not let her off leash unless you're in a completely enclosed area with a fence high enough she can't jump.

Stop hugging your dog or otherwise putting your face anywhere near hers.

All the reasons for doing these things are discussed in Training (and Rescue).

[mike1]

thanks for the reply angelbunny i will take a look at the posts you mentioned in the training and rescue section

i took her for a walk with my girlfriend tonight she has a dog also but cleo ran away only for me to find her at my parents house waiting when she saw me approach she started behaving as if she knew she was in the wrong but also as if i was going to beat her this sort of made me feel bad as i know she is an obediant dog unfortunately just not with me but have took tonights incident as a lesson and wont allow her off her lead unless she is in an enclosed area
with the hugging thing its more the dog who wants to put her head there as if she is asking for a hugg but will also try stop her from doing this by not allowing her to do so what bothers me more is the fact that she sometimes does'nt want to listen even when i know she hears me but i will read up more on those posts and thank you for your time :)

mike1

[RottsNScotts]

It sounds to me more like Cleo really, really likes you and her new home and is desperately offering every behavior she can think of to "get in" with you but doesn't yet know the right behaviors. But please recognize that she is trying really hard!

I have found that my female - my first female - is a bit more, I guess manipulative would be the correct word but that is a bit harsh to describe how she tries to get her way by being sweet, wiggly and pushy! Not that it works, of course, but she can't help trying!

Use of the leash and consistent, fair rules will help her learn more quickly what correct behavior is to please you most. You will want to have rules that are a bit stricter than you might eventually end up with, giving her the opportunity to "earn" the priviledges you want to give her.

[hokisteph5]

Some rotties do what is called a "rottie purr" when they get affection they like. I've heard Samson do it sometimes, but it's usually when he visits with my mom, after she's invited him to "get loving" from her. It's scary at first to hear because it does sound like growling, but we've come to realize it's more a vocalization he's doing.

[mike1]

Originally Posted by RottsNScotts

It sounds to me more like Cleo really, really likes you and her new home and is desperately offering every behavior she can think of to "get in" with you but doesn't yet know the right behaviors. But please recognize that she is trying really hard!

Hi RottsNScotts i believe what you are saying is most probably correct as she does seem like she is just trying to please me all the time although she does still jump up on my settee and my bed she rarely does this as much now although when she does i do have to tell her 2 or 3 times and she gets down and think this is just somthing she has been allowed to do with her previous owners

the growling does'nt happen a lot now if she wants petted or even cuddled i try not to let her put her head next to mines but sometimes this is hard to avoid given the sheer size and power she posseses but i think slowly she is realising that in my house follows my rules but have also considered obediance classes for her not that she is entirely dissobediant but just to try speed up the process

heres a few pics of cleo :)

[Shelby427]

You need to stop letting her off leash. The two of you are trying to get to know each other so you need to show her you are the leader. When she jumps on your bed, you should give the command ONE time, the more you repeat it and she doesn't comply, you're teaching her that the command you're giving is a suggestion, not a command. Give the command, if she doesn't listen, give a quick leash/collar pop and guide her down to the floor.

[RottsNScotts]

I was just getting ready to write what Shelby wrote! She gets told once and, if she does not comply promptly, she gets a pop and guidance by leash down to the floor. Remember to remain unemotional during the correction and, when she is on the floor, be sure to praise her (people always forget that part!)! Doesn't have to be a huge party for correcting a disobedience but could be something like a pleased voice saying, "There! That is MUCH better!" You want to make things clearly black and white for her!

Be sure that your "down" and "off" commands are different, no matter what word you decide to apply to which action!

[mike1]

Thanks for the replies she is gradually but slowly picking up that my bed and my settee is not for jumping up on she go's up the the bed or couch and looks at me as if to say its ok i tell her no and she turns away and lays down on the floor or sometimes i dont even have to tell her when it comes to my bed or couch as she wants to jump up and then hesitates and walks away so i do think she understands what i want from her and will eventually stop this

i do not let her off her leash at all now because she did run off and only after searching for over 1 hour i found her patiantly sitting outside my parents house as thats nearby she also wants to go to any house she has been before thinking that when we walk past those houses we are going there to visit

she has also started to sleep downstairs more often at night or when im on my computer in another room she comes with me then gets bored and go's back to her bed and if she does'nt go downstairs to sleep she go's to the side of my bed and lays there on the floor but have been told by her previous owner that if i put an old garment of clothing such as a t shirt or jumper she will eventually sleep sound at night as she just wants my scent

thanks for the replies

mike1