Could you handle it....should some even try?

[luvarott]

To expand the discussion a bit....for competitive obedience a confident male is usually the best choice for a novice handler, for all the reasons Judi cited. They bounce back from errors in timing, they are more forgiving of mistakes. Obedience training is based on mental/not physical control so size of handler has nothing to do with it.....size of brain of handler does though
I've seen a LOT of female Rotts ruined thru heavy handed training techniques....attitude and spirit broken.....males are more inclined to survive with spirit intact. And there are still a majority of trainers out there using these archaic techniques......

[WorkinDogz]

Dana,

You get into the drivers seat through fair and consistant imprinting, conditioning and training.

That crosses gender lines for the dog as well as the handler. That's good TRAINING.

Depending on the dog and his/her temperament (and please don't fool yourself into thinking that there aren't some bitches out there that are JUST as hard as any male you'll find....) you have to be able to gauge if the dog can have a little latitude. Some you can't give an inch to. Others; don't require micromanagement, just friendly reminders.

*Size doesn't matter* unless....your dog is 10 times the dog that you are a trainer...then all things matter.

I still feel that one's first dog is their "screw up" dog. Your learning dog. The dog that (hopefully) you'll learn from your mistakes so subsequent dogs will benefit.

I agree that males are more forgiving. I would probably only suggest a male to a novice who already has some training experience or has hooked up with a club/trainer.

[German Vanegas]

I have been reading...

[WorkinDogz]

Aw come on German We women put our boots on and jump into threads DRIPPING with testosterone...step lightly into one that has a touch of perfume and lace!

We are talking about working dogs...not cookie baking ::giggle::

[German Vanegas]

Thanks bud (Can I call you bud?!), but I rather get a bite in my arm without a protection sleeve...

[Mick Trainer]

I'll jump in then.

I think it so much depends on the handler in question and theiir knowledge on how to handle a dog, the time they have to put in etc. Certainly physical strength comes into the equation and there have been some male Rotts that I do not believe any female could hold (there was a dog called Siegertal Hero that in his peak used to stress his male handler to hold. The handler won the Victorian Power lifting title 7 years ago. He is no small fella), but I think more important is knowledge, from the phsycology of the dog to simply how to hold it.

I do recommend most female handlers to get a bitch due to all things mentioned above but if the handler has the knowledge etc then I will happily help a female handler/male dog combo.

Mick.

[Judi W]

Just a quick little reminder - get a pair of those little league shoes with the rubber cleats on the bottom. (we'll wear our boots for the discussions) Good shoes, knowing how to manage your leash and balance/leverage. Also, I have found that Rottweilers are very smart. If the training and partnership is there, they pull just as hard as you can hold.

[damp]

I am 5’3” and 18 years ago about 114 lbs. That time, it was very hard for me to handle a 75 lbs. Boxer.
“After 3 dogs”, I was 101 lbs… still 5’3”, but more experienced and more knowledge and it was easier for me to handle my old 115lbs. Rottie male than that Boxer.

I have seen big grown men (twice as heavy as me) plough up the field while hanging in the end of the leash of a bitch.

The sterner sex?

Some may be big, but have no mind…

We are still small, but we have a strong mind AND THAT BIG MOUTH…don't we sisters



[This message has been edited by damp (edited January 09, 2001).]

[Bruce Lanthier]

Do you think the dogs know that a handler is a different sex? and have you ever seen/trained/handled a dog that was better for one sex than the other? I was just wondering if the dogs would change their attitude because the handler is different or because the handler was a different sex. Or if the sex of the handler even matters. I also have a question but am not sure how to ask but I'll try: Does an intact male dog react differently for ladies when their (the ladies) monthly "rythyms" arrive ?

[Storm]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by WorkinDogz:
I wouldn't suggest crawling on the long down... LOL

</font>

Ouch, ouch, ouch!! Will this new addition be a rottie?

[German Vanegas]

On this one "Bud", I gonna keep a "safe distance"

[damp]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Bruce Lanthier:

Does an intact male dog react differently for ladies when their (the ladies) monthly "rythyms" arrive ?

</font>

NOOOOOOOO, #!”+@@%!!!… but I am sometimes told that ladies react differently for ALL kind of male sex.

[WorkinDogz]

Storm,

After careful consideration, I decided that the addition would indeed be a Rottie. I still have my 3 GSD's and I'll eventually be giving Elke back to my Ex since she was purchased as "his" working dog (although he didn't do S*#@ with her in that regard...it was her and me.) which will leave me Rottie-less. Can't have that.

German....where oh where is that Rottweiler spirit!! You're lookin' a little "Poodle-ish" there my friend...LMAO! Failure to engage is a serious fault ya know...LOL

Bruce..

::ahem:: Did you just call us "bitches in heat"???? Seriously; I have worked majority male dogs; and no, they don't seem to "notice". Now when working a bitch; and SHE goes into season...sometimes they get downright WEIRD.

(I would carefully weigh any smarty pants comments about that last statement. )

LMAO Damp I'll reserve comment. Gotta love that 5th Ammendment wooohooo

[Hope]

Wd, great post!!! Interesting topic.

I have found that males are a lot easier to handle, less complicated than females, and from puppyhood, it makes it even easier, that is, for an inexperienced owner.

This is a generalizaiton, and my inexperienced opinion as I have only owner two rottweilers after owning mainly dobermans, but I honestly feel that bitches can be more moody, more complicated in their behavior and so I think that inexperienced owners are easier off in this way with a male. Though males are hard headed and stubborn at times, they are little more direct than females. We had a female doberman that was the most difficult dog I have ever seen. She was a lot harder to read, and that made it more difficult to train. I think that if you are a trainer, the gender issue takes a back seat to the genes and lineage of a dog, but for someone that is a novice, I honestly feel that males are easier to handle. I think a good trainer can train most dogs, regardless of age, genes, sex, but for a novice, things are different. The way I see it, for male ownership, you have to be extra patient, determined, and focused. For a female, you have to have the above mentioned traits and then some because females can throw you for a loop. They can sometimes seems less predicatable, more moody, and this makes it harder for a novice trainer, in my opinion.

The deal about puppyhood, I think that is an important issue. The last male I rescued from the humane society was diffuclt to train with my inexperience since he was seven months of age when I got him. It didn't mean it was impossible, just more difficult, we didn't have a connection from the get go, so training went slower. Not to mention that he was aggressive with dogs from the get go, though he didn't exhibit this behavior at the pound. So, I was dealt two blows with obedience and dog aggression issue. I may have been less experienced at the time, but having owned Mondo since a puppy, I would never go back to getting an untrained rottweiler at an older age, not unless I advance in training myself!!! I have a special connection that formed when he was small, we have our words, our verbal communications that we have grown to communicate with since he was small. I was able to groom him into a better trained dog since I had the time when he was smaller. I assured him of socializaiton, of training, of the level of expectation that I required, and that gets more difficult for inexperienced owners if the dog is older.

What is ironic is that I think the people who adopt rottweilers are exactly the type of people who are going to have it the hardest. I mean think about it, who goes into the shelters to adopt rotts, not breeders or trainers, but moreso the average person that is not that familiar with the breed, so while these people do a good turn for the dogs, it turns out to be more difficult for the owners. I think this is partially why rottweilers continue to have a problem in the public eye. while I think it is wonderful that rottweilers are adopted and not killed in shelters, I can't help but cringe when I come across so many people in public that have done such a kind inital deed, but then fail as owners as the dog may show aggression problems, training problems, obedience problems that the inexperienced owner was unwilling or unable to handle. Well, no unable, but it was difficult as the dog might require extensive retraining, training, or behavioral attention, and this is difficult for the first time rottweiler owner, or the inexperienced dog owner.

[This message has been edited by Hope (edited January 09, 2001).]

[WorkinDogz]

Hope..

Excellent point about Rescues! Often times "rescue" merely means they *saved* a dog from a bad situation....no temperament testing, no history, no training or reconditioning. Just a "you called about a Rottie well here ya go."

This is one area that I commend NERR&R on. The one (so far) rescue that I was involved with (Savannah) I can say that their temperament test in order for a dog to be ACCEPTED into the program goes above and beyond what it considered typical. It has tests that identify problem areas that may not necessarily deny a dog admittence into a Foster Home; but certainly gives the Foster home a "heads up" about the dog.

Their Foster Homes don't just "house" the dogs..they are WORKED with, socialized and started with their training. I was so glad to see that such a complete program was available to this breed.

Anyone adopting a dog from them will be told the in's and out's of the dog being adopted...and prospective adoptee's are matched according to experience and ability.

I really can't say enough positive about NERR&R. They really are a "showcase" of how it SHOULD be done; and done RIGHT.