9 replies to this topic

[Fox]

Has anyone got a Rotti?
Or know someone with one?

Im debating to get one, A few things make me think not too.

I have a 2yr old and another due in 2 weeks, that doesnt really bother me as Ive had other dogs with kids before.

Their health issues?
Yard size?
People friendly?

Any info would be great good OR bad.

Cheers
Az

[cichlid4lyf]

dont give into there cuteness they are pretty extreme and need heaps of handling.
my freinds rotti chased him and tore open the back of his shirt and took some skin of his back. (alot of skin)
they mite be ok will kids. but a good dog for your little girl and the one coming would be a shitsue X maltese.
i have had mine for 5 years and he is awesome. he never bites, barks, attacks, sheds and doesnt poo or pee in the house.
they dont need alot of backyard space and a once a week walk.
maybe give a rotti a go but what ever happens happens.

phillip

[Cawdor]

Ok, my usual rant first up: buy from a reputable breeder and you won't need to worry about health, as all the checks should have been done. The Canine association website will direct you to Rotti breeders:

http://www.cawa.asn.au/

You can pick a few and email them with questions, they will be more likely to know the "what to look out for" in a Rotti than any of us here. Gelderland Rottweilers is one of the breeders I know.

Now, regardless of what breed you buy, NEVER ever leave a dog alone with a toddler or small child. It does not matter how well behaved the dog is with children, all it takes is a snap and your child is injured or worse. Remember dogs are pack animals and it doesn't matter if it's a male or female dog, it will see a child smaller than itself as being below in the ranks - ESPECIALLY if the higher ranks (you and your partner) are not present.

Equally important is to teach your children how to interact with dogs properly. The amount of times I have seen children approach a stranger's dog and try and hug it or kiss its face is frightening. What would your reaction be if a stranger comes up to you and puts his face right in front of yours? I know I would shove or throw a punch. Dogs can't do that, they use their teeth instead.
What children (and adults) need to know:
1. Never approach a dog from behind without making your presence known
2. Never get "in your face" with a stranger's dog or you own (unless you know your dog will tolerate it)
3. Never lie over or on top of a dog - it's a sign of dominance and if a child does it the dog may want to challenge that dominant behaviour.
4. learn to interpret the dog's body language and act accordingly, ie if the dog retreats after a play session, don't follow it. Growls and showing of teeth should be respected.
5. Give the dog its own domain/sanctuary, like a crate or a basket. If the dog retreats to its area, leave it alone.

Also remember, small dogs have teeth too. They may not be able to kill a child, but they sure can hurt it. Don't think because you have a small dog it's save to drop your guard.

Lastly: train your dog well (lots of positive reinforcement and minimal physical punishment) and you will have a loyal family companion for years to come. Treat it like a "thing" and it will become one.

Sorry for the rant Az, most of it is just general stuff and not directly related to your enquiry, but I feel it's important to mention in a thread like this

[Fox]

Thanks peeps, Thanks Tim, Knew all that, Ive had dogs with little kids before, so I know all the pros & cons of keeping them with kids..
All dogs can be agro towards kids & others. A lot of training goes into any dog I have for that reason.

[Iamsam]

i have a rotti and the only thing i would be concernd with is the size of them; exspically wen there still young i could see them accidental running a small child down; ours wouldnt hurt a fly and is not agresive at all; and is also we trained how ever wen you throw her a toy etc. she will run straight to it and will hit anything in her path; however any of that can be prevented if both your children and the dog is well trained. I belive that there is only one major problem with rRottweilers and that is hip problems, as for yard size obvisoly the bigger the better, however could easily be supplemented with frequent walks etc. ours is a ball of energy and coud just run all day however we have never had any problems with her digging etc. and as said earler she is the friendlest dog ever and have never had a problem with meating people.
However this is just from my experience with rotties,

Regards
Sam

[CCA001]

We own a Pure bred Rotti we got of Madora Rottweilers i have seen some of gelderlands dogs at the shows and you are lucky if you get within 5mtrs of the cage before the dogs go spastic at you, not what i would like for traits in a dog (just my opinion tho)

Anyway back to the point our guy is nearly 4yrs old and we have little emily who is just over 7 mths Jaxon loves her so much that it isnt funny its almost as if ite his own child he just rolls onto his back next to her and lets her pull his fur, pull his ears,gums or poke him then just turns his head and starts licking her non stop, i have seen about 10 of these pups from this breeder going to family homes with young children or with kids on the way with not a problem at all.

I would have NO hesitation in recommending a rottweiler to someone who has kids it is all how you raise and train the dog. I also agree with IAMSAM aswell as they ar ea big and clumsy dog at times. You should also never leave a dog unattended with a child anyway but that is comon sense.

I know of someone who had a Jack russell with there little boy the boy now has bad scarring up his arm and the dog is no longer in this world as he attacked the boys arm. I guess all in all any dog big or small is capable of anything

This is just my 10cents tho i am not a expert in anyway. Hope this doesnt offend anyone in anyway.

Cheers

[Kimbo]

would be a shitsue X maltese

nearly every house i go to to deliver cocktail machines have these little guys, they get on your nerves real easy! running around at ya feet always trying to jump up! Ive been to a few houses with rottis aswell and they are always one of the more obedient dogs, i personally like dobermans myself. My mate has a rotti aswell but its more for guard dog purposes, shes always angry, another mate has one thats the most docile dog ive seen, and can jump nearly 2 metres up from stationary, thats no exageration either.

[ZOLTAN]

Small tip for you, i learnt this from one of my best mates mum before she passed away with cancer. She once worked for a dog training school for most of her life and pretty much worked with every kind of dog that comes into the picture, now not too sure how many others know this but she told me when you go to a pet shop, breeders home first thing is let the puppy have the chance to get to know your scent and then place the pup flat on it's back and hold it there with a firm hand and time it out and see how long it lasts. Before the pup starts to lose the plot and will start to kick, wiggle and cry it's pretty much a temperament test, the longer the dog holds the better. Another tip she told me is if your choosing between the different types of dog security or family, if the pup responds and pursues a tennis boy thrown will make a good guard dog, if it doesn't pursue a toy and insteads just chooses to play with you then it pretty much resembles a family dog trait to stay close and listen. But doesn't always mean it'll happen in that order sometimes but i can tell you 100% is that when the police go to choose the german shepherds they always choose the ones that chase items that are thrown to them, the way the police see it is their alot easier to train then a dog that thinks for itself.

While we're talking about small dogs, as much as they can be alright but i can't stand small dogs barking, like kimbo also mention you can't see them before your tripping over them and if they have a semi long coat or a long coat altogether just keeping them clean and maintain can be a mission. And another good idea for training your dog at a young age is and i've seen it happen afew times is stick your hand in your dog/pups face when eating, this will allow the dog to know that you are not out to take his food, this will prevent young kids getting to know kujo's nasty side.

[Nads]

These dogs need a firm hand, training and lots of socialisation

As the others said, make sure you buy from a registered breeder to ensure the pups parents have passed their hip and elbow x-rays

You can find puppy listings here:
http://www.dogzonline.com.au/

And will find a wealth of info on the forum:
http://www.dolforums.com.au/

Here is the website for the WA Rottweiler club:
http://www.wcrc.org.au/breeders.htm

I myself have German Shepherds

[dave06]

Hey All,
I was given a Rotti x Mastiff about 10 moths ago (he is now a year old) and he gets on really well my 2 year old boy.
Hes not the sort of dog i would choose, but having said that I have no regrets about taking him on. During the day he is a gentle giant but at night he is the most switched on, alert dog ive ever known. We feel really safe with him. I am a firm believer if you bring up any dog right it can be truly trust worthy. I also have two French Bulldogs they too have great pet qualities. Having said that, I think the more time you spend with a dog the more you get in return, its worked really well for us- Anyway just ranting, hope my experience helps.
Cheers
-- Dave