New Dog, Need Help
- Thread starter Cthulhu7
- Start date
They are fairly quiet dogs...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89gSH1tp0AY
my boy's the fawn(when he was like 1-2) and the other is a dog I used to watch (she was 11-12ish I think in the clips). Boxers are crazy even through the golden years. Only way I can get my boy truly tired is a nice couple hour long hike or off leash beach/lake fun, but even then he only ever needs a couple hours to recharge his batteries before he's going full out again
English Mastiff. Socialize the deals out of it and train train train. And look into moving. Good luck . Let us know how it goes or if you have any questions. Some of us don't have pet rocks and want to help all we can. Read through the stickies in the puppy section. And the training and breeding. Research and I am sure this time you can find a family member that works.
Now that I've picked my jaw up off the floor after reading your post I'll make an attempt to tell you why owning a Rottweiler is a bad idea (for you).
I have a 22 month old Rottweiler who can be the sweetest dog in the world. However, to get her this way she has been in obedience classes since 4 months old, she has been socialized beyond belief since she came home to me (8 weeks) and she lives in a very stable loving home. Having said that, I also own a dog who in the flip of a switch will protect her family, her home, and her property if needed.
Socialization and obedience are a MUST (not optional) with this breed. As mentioned before if you can't handle a Schnauzer, a Rottweiler will run over you, and be miles ahead of you before you can blink an eye. They need an environment that can provide them consistency. If you are a student how you plan to provide this?
I'm going to assume that you are planning to get a puppy from a backyard breeder since you will have a very hard time finding a GOOD breeder to sell you a Rottweiler pup while living in an apartment. Hell, you'll have a hard time getting someone to sell you one if you are honest with them (can't control your small dog, have no past experience with a guardian breed, etc). If you choose to go the backyard breeder route, you can multiple any problems you might think you'd have by 10, even more so if they do not have a correct temperament.
Shedding...Rottweilers shed...TONS. If you don't consider black dog hair an added touch to your wardrobe then a Rottweiler isn't for you. She eats a raw diet as well, so the shedding isn't because of bad food, etc. BTW, I live in Oklahoma and it's very similar to Texas weather wise.
Rottweiler are not a lazy breed. They love nothing more than to work -- they need a job, or they get destructive. They don't require tons of exercise, but a decent amount and if they don't get it they CAN be hard to live with.
It's people like you who give my breed a bad name. People who go out and buy a dog because it's pretty, or because they want to scare the neighbors. I work everyday to bring a positive light to my breed, and make people see them for what they are/can be when properly trained, etc.
I have a 22 month old Rottweiler who can be the sweetest dog in the world. However, to get her this way she has been in obedience classes since 4 months old, she has been socialized beyond belief since she came home to me (8 weeks) and she lives in a very stable loving home. Having said that, I also own a dog who in the flip of a switch will protect her family, her home, and her property if needed.
Socialization and obedience are a MUST (not optional) with this breed. As mentioned before if you can't handle a Schnauzer, a Rottweiler will run over you, and be miles ahead of you before you can blink an eye. They need an environment that can provide them consistency. If you are a student how you plan to provide this?
I'm going to assume that you are planning to get a puppy from a backyard breeder since you will have a very hard time finding a GOOD breeder to sell you a Rottweiler pup while living in an apartment. Hell, you'll have a hard time getting someone to sell you one if you are honest with them (can't control your small dog, have no past experience with a guardian breed, etc). If you choose to go the backyard breeder route, you can multiple any problems you might think you'd have by 10, even more so if they do not have a correct temperament.
Shedding...Rottweilers shed...TONS. If you don't consider black dog hair an added touch to your wardrobe then a Rottweiler isn't for you. She eats a raw diet as well, so the shedding isn't because of bad food, etc. BTW, I live in Oklahoma and it's very similar to Texas weather wise.
Rottweiler are not a lazy breed. They love nothing more than to work -- they need a job, or they get destructive. They don't require tons of exercise, but a decent amount and if they don't get it they CAN be hard to live with.
It's people like you who give my breed a bad name. People who go out and buy a dog because it's pretty, or because they want to scare the neighbors. I work everyday to bring a positive light to my breed, and make people see them for what they are/can be when properly trained, etc.
Yeah you know how we say we about dogs and children that we should "set them up for success"? Well I think that works with adult humans too.. and I don't mean that in a demeaning way.
Renting in an apartment when it seems money is a bit tight and there was an incident with a dog getting into a fight with another is not a good situation in which to add a huge guardian breed, even one that is fairly watered down. I mean it could work but there are a LOT of places it could go quite wrong. More expensive to feed, more expensive vet bills, very hard to move with, hard to physically control, I don't think they're known for being super obedient, don't know how they are with other dogs but I'm pretty sure one could do better there too.
I think a nice dog/people friendly poodle is a great idea personally.
Renting in an apartment when it seems money is a bit tight and there was an incident with a dog getting into a fight with another is not a good situation in which to add a huge guardian breed, even one that is fairly watered down. I mean it could work but there are a LOT of places it could go quite wrong. More expensive to feed, more expensive vet bills, very hard to move with, hard to physically control, I don't think they're known for being super obedient, don't know how they are with other dogs but I'm pretty sure one could do better there too.
I think a nice dog/people friendly poodle is a great idea personally.
I don't think any sort of Mastiff/guardian breed should on their list. Just going off the history that we know here we'd be just setting it up for this dog to be put down or rehomed.
I agree. A standard poodle hits pretty much everything on their need/want list. It's larger. It would be better for them since both suffer from allergies. It's easier to train. And if they fail this dog it doesn't have the 'bully breed' stigma so it will have a higher chance of them being told to rehome instead of destroy the dog.
ETA: I'm not saying it will happen again I'm just saying it has happened once so it is something NEEDS to be taken into consideration.
I agree. A standard poodle hits pretty much everything on their need/want list. It's larger. It would be better for them since both suffer from allergies. It's easier to train. And if they fail this dog it doesn't have the 'bully breed' stigma so it will have a higher chance of them being told to rehome instead of destroy the dog.
ETA: I'm not saying it will happen again I'm just saying it has happened once so it is something NEEDS to be taken into consideration.
The slate coloured ones are pretty.
To the OP, I would suggest starting an account, and looking at buying a house before getting a dog. Or if you can't buy a house, look at the small, non shedding breeds that are not as likely to outgrow any apartment restrictions, become big and scary and get your neighbors upset and reporting you (I used to have a dobe and people would assume he was aggressive/mean/scary, I can see people reporting a dog like that for sniffing their little dogs); or becoming too aggressive or out of control for you to handle.
Save up until you can purchase a well bred puppy from a responsible breeder, or find an older dog that fits your needs from a breeder or a rescue where the dog has been fostered in someone's home. Also save up for classes and take lots of them for the first year.
To the OP, I would suggest starting an account, and looking at buying a house before getting a dog. Or if you can't buy a house, look at the small, non shedding breeds that are not as likely to outgrow any apartment restrictions, become big and scary and get your neighbors upset and reporting you (I used to have a dobe and people would assume he was aggressive/mean/scary, I can see people reporting a dog like that for sniffing their little dogs); or becoming too aggressive or out of control for you to handle.
Save up until you can purchase a well bred puppy from a responsible breeder, or find an older dog that fits your needs from a breeder or a rescue where the dog has been fostered in someone's home. Also save up for classes and take lots of them for the first year.
