Daisysmom Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 We went to the local animal shelter yesterday. My sister is looking for a cat for her new apartment she is moving into on the 1st. Of course, I had to look at the doggies, all the doggies, but especially the rotties. They had what looked like 3 fullbreds and a couple mixes. I took one girl, Penny, for a walk, [b]and she nipped me [/b]:o I think I can say we did not bond :roll: One of the workers had another FAT rottie out for her walk, and the two dogs wanted to sniff and etc., but the worker wasn't sure if they would fight, so I tried to move on, with a "come" comand, and a slight tug on the leash, and that's when she reached up and nipped my hand. After that, I was a little afraid to even take the others out. You all know that I am a BIG advocate of adopting, but I think with this breed, I would almost have to get a puppy. (not from a petstore of course) You just don't know how aggressive a dog will be, and I don't know if I willing to take a chance like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord_Pik Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 Sorry your experience at the shelter wasn't very pleasant :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisysmom Posted March 16, 2003 Author Share Posted March 16, 2003 Yeah, me too!! Well, three dogs are hard to handle. We just have two now, but I have this obsession you see. Maybe this was a sign from Trixie :-? YOU CAN'T REPLACE ME!! :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord_Pik Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 Only two? :o Which dog went byebye and why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisysmom Posted March 16, 2003 Author Share Posted March 16, 2003 Trixe, our sweet old gal was PTS about a month ago. See the memorial and the post "she's gone". Ugh :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord_Pik Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 awww...:( my condolences Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
behle Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 I'm sorry you had a bad experience with Penny. You never know what shelter dogs are really like due to the stress of being in the shelter; or what experiences they have had in their previous situation. Please don't let a single encounter color your opinion of the whole breed. I would recommend going through a rescue organization to find a dog. Particularly one that puts dogs in foster homes...so you know how the animal acts in a home environment. Try a neutered male, too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mouseatthebusstop Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 the word is not replace but complement Trixie, When you are looking in shelters ect. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie_Gurl Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 I agree mouse, you can never REPLACE a deceased (sp) dog, but you can invite a new one into the family to COMPLEMENT you. Don't let one bad experience ruin your thought of the whole breed. That's... umm, what's it called??... racism or something. Help me out guys!! One mean or nippy dog doesn't mean (sp) the whole breed is that way. For example, my GSD was the nicest dog in the world, wouldn't bight a fly, but one of my friend's GSD was meaner than he!!. It all depends on how the dog was trained, socialized, and treated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisysmom Posted March 16, 2003 Author Share Posted March 16, 2003 [quote]It all depends on how the dog was trained, socialized, and treated.[/quote] Exactly! That's why I can't trust a shelter dog. (at least with that breed) They are too big and can be too dominat to "wing" it. If I do decide to get another dog, I think I will go through a breed-specific rescue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullygirl29532 Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 Good choice Daisy. rottie rescues are the way to go. at the very least you'll have an understanding of what your getting into. but don't stop looking at the shelter you may just find one that you click with or is the youngster you want. but i'd advise that to anyone looking for a big dog that is worried about any issues the dog may have. unfortunatly shelters don't have the time or resources to fully test a dog before adopting him/ her out. on a personal note i have uncles that are very involved in dobbie and rottie rescue. usually they foster but every now and then they can't bare to part with the animal. so fostering might be something you'd like to think about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rottie_mama Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 [quote name='Daisysmom']You all know that I am a BIG advocate of adopting, but I think with this breed, I would almost have to get a puppy. (not from a petstore of course) You just don't know how aggressive a dog will be, and I don't know if I willing to take a chance like that.[/quote] Hi Daisysmom, I've been on vacation, so I'm just now seeing this thread. I'm soo sorry to hear of your bad experience with the Rottie at the shelter! The behavior of that dog is inexcusable, but please don't let one encounter taint your entire perspective of the breed. I am not foolish enough to think that there aren't bad Rottweilers out there, but in my experience the vast majority of the Rotties that wind up in shelters are very nice, stable dogs who would make wonderful pets. I can certainly understand your hesitance to go to the shelter to evaluate another Rottie, but don't write off adult Rottweilers completely. With the exception of my old lady, Jael, all of the dogs in my home came to me in their adulthood. They are wonderfully well adjusted and very bonded to our family. I think the suggestion to check with local Rottie rescues is a good one - that way you can still adopt a Rottweiler in need of a home, and you don't have to risk personal injury while doing so. Check [url]http://www.rottsacrosstexas.com/rescuelinks.html[/url] to find a list of rescuers in PA that you can work with. Rachel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisysmom Posted March 17, 2003 Author Share Posted March 17, 2003 Thanks :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 18, 2003 Share Posted March 18, 2003 Your forgetting one thing that has a big impact on the temperment of any breed and that is GENETICS ! I don't know about where you live but in my area there are always several adult rottweilers for free in the newspaper. The owners are usually giving them up for simple things like leg lifting,pulling on the lead etc.. those rotties will end up at the pound if no home is found for them but if you go through the original owners you may be able to learn a little more on the history of the dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 18, 2003 Share Posted March 18, 2003 I agree adopting a Rottweiler is taking your chances, they are not a breed for novice owners. I rescued my 4 year old Rottie when she was 11 months old...boy did I have alot of bad surprises with her! she has a very high prey drive...which if you have not owned a Dog with a high prey drive you would'nt understand...this can lead to attacks on smaller Dogs & children...especially if they are running or scared...I see the way my Rottie looks at children..any way I have worked with an Animal Behaviorist who understands this behavior and I have attended Aggression seminars...I did not give up on her even though she attacked me 3 times when I first got her... oh by the way, not all Rotties have a high prey drive, just as all Newfoundland dogs do not have the drive or love for water...it just depends.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisysmom Posted March 18, 2003 Author Share Posted March 18, 2003 Wow :o -high prey drive! Didn't read anything about that!! Thanks for the additional information. Every little bit helps me to make a more informed decision. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
behle Posted March 19, 2003 Share Posted March 19, 2003 My rottie does not have a high prey-drive. Dogs are individuals even considering all the breed characteristics; they do vary. If you get a dog from a good rescue or a reputable breeder, they can help steer you to a rottie that suits your needs. I would hesitate to take a rottie straight from a shelter unless I had a lot of prior experience with this breed. :lol: But once you find the right rottie you will love these very faithful, intelligent, family oriented dogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rottiegirl Posted March 19, 2003 Share Posted March 19, 2003 now thats not fair. I have a wonderful Rott and my parents first Rottie was a shelter dog. I have been bit by only one dog out of aggression. It was A Shih tzu from the pound. SO maybe all Shihs arnt safe. Who knows? You have to meet each individuel dog. Not just the breed. Sadly many shelters just put Rotts and Pit Bulls down becouse people wont even consider them. The dogs dont deserve this.. :cry: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisysmom Posted March 19, 2003 Author Share Posted March 19, 2003 [quote]now thats not fair[/quote] What's not fair? Not wanting to get a rottie from a shelter? I think it is a smart choice on my part. I don't know the background on any of these dogs, and the one that more than two shelter workers told me was sooooo sweet, was the one that nipped me. It would have to be a very young dog, for me, to get it from the shelter. I am not experienced enough with rotties to be able to handle a dog with "issues" shall we say. I think it is very wise on my part. And, I wouldn't want to get a dog and then have to take it back because it was aggressive. I don't want to be afraid of my own dog :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
behle Posted March 19, 2003 Share Posted March 19, 2003 I agree that it is not fair that rotties and pit bulls are PTS is shelters. I agree that it is not fair that they languish in their cages in no-kill shelters. I wrote that "I would hate to take a Rottie straight from a shelter unless I had a lot of prior experience with this breed". I did not say you should never adopt a rottie from a shelter! (I am of the opinion that quite often smaller, more high-strung breeds are more prone to biting than the larger breeds.) I also said in my post that dogs are individuals. People who take on ownership of dogs with "bad reputations" have to be extra careful about training, socialization, and proper stewardship of their dogs. It is unfortunate, but still true. Even the rottie rescues label some dogs with "must go to home of experienced dog owner". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie_Gurl Posted March 20, 2003 Share Posted March 20, 2003 It might not be fair to put down pits and rotties right away... but is it safer?? I still think that shelters should do good well done temperment tests in all aspects (is that the word?). But, maybe I'm just in dream land up here. I once went to the shelter to volunteer... I was walking the dogs. There was two rotties. One was a year old, huge, and aggressive. The other was 4 years old, not-so-huge, and a total sweety. It depends on the dog independently. Not just the breed. Like my lab is aggressive. I mean, you never know. But, I have to say, if I were to decide to get a rottie or a dobie or something big like that, I'd look in the humain society first--sometimes you see a dog there and you just click with them.. you just know that they're ment for you, then I'd look in a breed-specific rescue, then a breeder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 20, 2003 Share Posted March 20, 2003 You are doing the correct thing by doing research before making such a big step and getting a Rottweiler from a rescue. I have had many Dogs and many different breeds for the past 35 years...in those years I have only adopted adult Dogs...some I have gotten from breeders after they have finished their Dogs from the show ring and want a good retirement home for their Dogs....I had a Standard Poodle 4 years old when I got her...she was a total kennel dog and only socializing at the Dog show or at Grooming seminars, she was great, mild mannered and great around children even though she had not brought up with children, she lived to be 13. I had a Doberman which I adopted as an adult, she was a show dog and when I got her she was the most loveable dog I ever had...and good with children, she was not brought up with children, she lived to be 11...I have owned a Dalmation, Great Pyrenees, border Collie, Siberian Husky and alot of Newfoundland Dogs, which is currently the breed I have been "into" for the past 15 years, I have owned 6 of these wonderful Dogs never a problem...What I am getting at is when I adopted my Rottweiler I got alot of surprises I was not prepared for...they were orginally breed to drive cattle...so they have the instinct to chase after and nip at things...this drive can be very ingrained in some of the Dogs and I beleive alot of this maulings we hear of can be directly linked to a dogs high prey drive...and not to scare you too much but once a Dog with a high prey drive has its sights on some thing there is not a thing you can do to stop it! the only thing you can do is be extremely cautious and have a wonderfully secure enclosure to ensure a mistake never happens. My Rottweiler is a great family dog, she loves all big dogs..I can even put her out with any Newfounland male or female...I just brought home a new female which is a year old...there was not one problem, no dominance issues, they will even share food, she loves any one who has no fear, the Vets love my Rottie, they can do x-rays on her with out putting her under, I have removed quills from the back of her mouth and even had others help me remove them when she once found a dead porqupine...she is great at obdience, etc.....but, my Rottie gets that awful predatory look when she sees a child or an old person, small dog, cat etc...and to be quite honest it scares the stuffen out of me! I think I am getting alcers because I am so afraid that some day when I open my screen door to air out my rugs she may get past me and get lose and kill some ones little dog...or worse.... Any way, you are very smart to be hesitant...perhaps if more people were like you there would not be so many people killed by these breeds...a little boy was just mauled to death in New Brunswick, Canada...from what I hear the Rotties ripped the little boy apart...the ambulance workers had to go to counseling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisysmom Posted March 20, 2003 Author Share Posted March 20, 2003 Wow Casie, thanks for all the information. I think I am making the right decision too. I think I will stick with the two I have for [u]now[/u], and not actively pursue a another dog at this time. Thanks again to all of you for your input. :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 23, 2003 Share Posted March 23, 2003 I'm sorry to hear about the bad experience with Penny... :cry: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rottie_mama Posted April 3, 2003 Share Posted April 3, 2003 [quote name='Cai']I rescued my 4 year old Rottie when she was 11 months old...boy did I have alot of bad surprises with her! she has a very high prey drive... <snip> I did not give up on her even though she attacked me 3 times when I first got her...[/quote] Good grief! Where in the world did you adopt this dog from??? Ethical rescues will not place dogs who are temperamentally unsound, and they offer full disclosure about the dog's nuances, i.e. high prey drive, doesn't get along with other dogs, etc. Rachel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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