About the ROTTWEILER for SARALOU

We had neighbors (who just moved, thank GOD) who had the Min Pins.  we calle dthem the terrorists.  The male bit my younger son and tried to bite Gyspy on more than one occasion.

FWIW, I have been bitten by  four dogs--two GSD, one Dobe and a Border collie.  Do I hold grudges against any of these breeds? NO.  These were isloated incidents. 

As for little dogs not really hurting anyone, how about the Pomeranians who killed a baby a few years ago?

ORIGINAL: mrv

My biggest issue is the fact it is socially acceptable and even "cute" for small dogs to exhibit aggression.  As support of this fact, just watch AFV, how many times have you seen small dogs demonstrating true aggressive behaviors.  The problem is since they can be picked up, it doesnt matter.  Well it does.  I would be willing to accept that all dogs should be held to a civil dog standard. 

 
I totally agree. I was watching America's Funniest Videos the other day and there was a small black dog (looked like a mini Poodle) whose owner was trying to clean his ears. The dog sounded like a raving banshee, it lept off the table and chased this lady around the room trying to bite her. The lady was laughing and screaming in this high pitched voice- clearly thinking the dog was being cute. My jaw dropped. There is NOTHING funny about that aggressive, dominating behavior. The dog was clearly running the house and it REALLY burned my biscuits.
 
I hate those kind of videos and it's really beyond me how anyone could think it's cute or funny??
 
As far as large dogs, I AM more wary of them than small dogs when I'm on a walk. With very small dogs, an attack from a large dog could kill them instantly while an attack from a smaller one might need a few stitches. And I have no predjuce whatsoever about the breed. There's a bratty Golden Retriever that lives near me and I've picked Gingerbread up several times when the Golden came running over. This dog lifts his leg over all the bushes and is always off leash. [:-] 
 
I do think that sometimes small dogs can activate the prey drive in larger dogs- like a squirrel or cat.

I have owned and trained Rottweilers for almost 20 years. I am well aware of how powerful and determined they can be.

And you should check your stats. A Yorkshire terrier has KILLED a child, it's in the dog bite stats if you care fo to find them.

This country is well on it's way to see to it that I cannot own a breed that I love and cherish and have studied, shown, trained and owned for the better part of my adult life. My chosen hobby and past time is under attack, and a large part of the reason is because people think that the DOGS are the problem.

That DOG that day was not the issue, the ISSUE was the STUPID PEOPLE who own it, who did not train it, and failed to confine it. It could have been any dog from an Australian Cattle dog to a GSD, and everything in between.

Breed specific legislation is running rampant in this country, and it does NO GOOD. If Rottweilers were outlawed in your town, those people you speak of would have some ill mannered untrained Labrador. Or Doberman. Or Great Dane. Or Presa Canario. Or Dogo Argentino. Or Cane Corso. etc etc ad infinitum.

IMO there is NO SUCH THING as a bad breed. Just ignorant or malicious money hungry breeders, and irresponsible ineffective owners.

[:@]

Well said Red and Glenda and Luvntzus!

sooner, my Rottweiler Athena has an extremely high prey drive as well.  I did some reading on predatory motor patterns which I found very interesting.  Of course I am just discussing what I understood from my reading...this in no way means I am an expert.
It's really neat that breeds like Rottweilers, Terriers, Huskies have a full series of motor patterns starting with eye stalk, then chase, grab bite, then kill bite, dissect.  Some of the motor patterns are more enhanced in some breeds than others due to selective breeding.  When compared to sheep herding dogs the difference is amazing as a herding dog for sheep has eye stalk then chase and very weak grab bite...no kill bite. The retrievers have another series of motor patterns and some have deleted chase from the series.  It's very neat. 
 
This is why a Rottweiler when not properly socialized can be dangerous if they have a high prey drive.  I rescued a purebred Rottweiler (orginally bred for show) she was left tied in a backyard.  Any how, when she came to me she demonstrated predatory drift towards humans...she was always friendly, sweet 99% of the time, loves belly rubs etc...but, to this day some actions of other dogs will put her in predatory drift...(at one time it was directed towards me).  I can tell you, it's very scary to see this first hand as the dog will go through the entire process of the enhanced predatory drives.  This is why a Rottie that has not been social or had a chance to imprint on small breeds or cats etc can attack and kill.   We've had a few instances in my area where Rotties and other breeds have killed small dogs or maimed due to predatory drift....we also had a little 4 year old boy killed by 4 Rottweilers....I met these Rotties at the Vet clinic I worked at, they were very sweet and easy to work with.  It only took one instance for that little boy to look like a prey object, excite the dogs and they followed their selected drives and killed.  I have also met a few people who breed Rottweilers and show all over North America who do not trust their Rottie's around smaller dogs.  One Rottie was in a huge show and was in the BIS line up when he attacked the dog in front of him.  That's the scary thing about predatory drift, the dog is silent most times when making the attack...the only indication I ever saw in my Rottweiler was a lowering of the head.
 
I think that is my only concern with the Rottweiler breed.  An owner should take extra care to have their dog imprint on many different things such as babies, children, small dogs etc.  An unsocialized Rottweiler is going to be much more dangerous than an unsocialized Golden Retriever due to the dirves and motor patterns they were selected for....which makes them the breed they are.  By breeding away from the selected drives but still trying to maintain the outward appearance the breed slowly starts to fall apart and the hips do not fit properly (Hip Dysplasia), immune diseases-cancer etc. 
 
I have never had a problem with shedding tho.  Of course I have 3 Newfoundlands as well...so, a Rottie coat is nothing for me.[]
 
Just to add, the above are just my thoughts.  It is interesting to discuss tho as I find breed specific motor patterns very interesting.  It's neat how a breed evolved due to selecting for behavioral conformation, not physical conformation.
 
btw, regarding predatory drives, I read up mainly about drives in the book "Dogs" by Raymond Coppinger.  Also, from owning a Rottie with extremely well tuned drives but, was not socialized enough to learn what is the proper object to direct predatory drives towards.  We have come along ways with her tho with positive training...plus, although she has demonstrated predatory drift towards myself and my Sister when I first rescued her...she is the one of the best dogs my Vets have as a client.  They love Athena as she is so laid back and friendly...but, just because a Rottie is friendly and easy to work with does not mean it will not have displaced predatory drift.  Just my thoughts.  I really worry about having such a discussion as it can sometimes make people feel defensive...which btw, it is not intended on doing.[]

I have not seen any toy poodle, or Yorkies mauling and killing dogs and people. Untrained small dogs may bite, but not tear up and hunt down a dog and person walking blocks way.

In 1999, a Pomeranian killed a child. Just a couple of years ago, a Jack Russell PUPPY chewed off a baby's foot.

Just the other DAY, Ron and Shadow were attacked by a roaming Jack Russell, but they were left unharmed. It *does* happen, but you don't hear about it as much.

IMO there is NO SUCH THING as a bad breed. Just ignorant or malicious money hungry breeders, and irresponsible ineffective owners.

 
AMEN.

The only dog I was bitten by was a white toy poodle.

Stevie was half dobe and half rottie. He didn't have a really high prey drive, but he was a GREAT mouser! Sofia can catch them outside. Stevie easily caught them inside.

Yappy little unsocialized mini-dachshunds that belonged to the neighbors weren't even NOTICED by STevie. I took him across the street to meet one and it was going bazoinkers right below his feet and he looked up at me and said, "What? What did you want me to see?"

[]

Meanwhile Sofie is attacked by what looks like to her to be an angry, hairry brown tennis ball. Sure she wants to eat it! Looks and sounds kinda like a squirrel!

It's the "teacup" Yorkie that this woman brings to my work, and refuses to put on a leash. I didn't let Sofia hurt it, but she still won't a) train it, or b) put it on a LEASH!

Some people, honestly!!

I was constantly chased by a neighbor's unleashed Cocker Spaniel as a kid, but I didn't think all of them were mean.  My grandmother had one, too, so I knew they weren't evil little monsters.  I don't stereotype a breed, because I know that one dog doesn't represent an entire breed.

Although Roxie is not a full-blooded Rottweiler, her dominant appearance suggests the obvious -- someone in her gene pool was.  If the idiots here passed an anti-Rottweiler BSL, she'd be in the fire.  While she may not be 100% Rottweiler, they'd just look at her and point their fingers. 

Stereotyping her as a family Rottweiler that is potentially dangerous rankles the crap out of me.  Who knows?  She may snap someday, but I'm going to defend her to the end.

I have not seen any toy poodle, or Yorkies mauling and killing dogs and people. Untrained small dogs may bite, but not tear up and hunt down a dog and person walking blocks way. ORIGINAL: sallya


I take your comment to mean that it's not as important when a little dog is snapping, growling, barking and being vicous, just because they cannnot do as much damage. And that big dogs will chase someone down and maul them, just because they are big and are able to do that. I find, like many others on here, that the small dogs are the ones that get away with being aggresive, because people think it's cute! If I bigger dog were to act like that, people would be all over them to put the dog to sleep. But with the smaller dogs, it's ok because, according to what you said, they don't do much damage to anyone.

You also said that you have to be more careful with large dogs, because you never know when they will go after another dog, or a person,  just because they are big, and can appear 'scary'.  I, for one, tend to stay away from little dogs, because they're the little ankle biters.

I'm not trying to condemn a dog by it's size, or breed here, I just think it's unfair that you would group large dogs ( specifically Rottweilers here) into a category as being dangerous.

We will just disagree. I will do my very best not to ost about them anymore. Sorry. 

No, let's not.

I'm quite interested in how you come to the conclusion that the millions MILLIONS of Rottweilers (who live out their entire lives never harming a human being) are not to be trusted?

Just because you have ONE incident with ONE (clearly irresponsibly owned) Rottweiler, that gives you the right to condemn the ENTIRE BREED?

[8|]  [>:]  [:@]   

 

Sally,
 Any breed has the ability bite and attack from Yorkies to Irish Wolfhounds. The bigger problem is irresponsible owners which is why you were attacked. If the owner had his dog in control as any responsible owner would have this would not have happened to you.
 
Breed Specific Legislation is rampant because of owners like this man, not the breed of dog. I'm sorry you were put in this position, it really ends up hurting every breed when people feel it is the dog when in fact the issue lies within the owners. I hope you will be able to rise above this

Please keep in mind, although passionate about your breed. Shouting in caps is considered rude behavior. You can get you point accross with straight facts.
 
I fight BSL daily, I'm working right now with KY, having done the for years I have learned the way to open minds is to keep calm and be direct. people start to block you out when your passion hits the high marks

It was a family dog with tiny kids in the family. Supposed to be friendly. That is the scary thing to me.
 
I have heard a lot of poeple here talking about small breeds too, so we just all have our experiences. It was not just one time. There have been several times and breeds. I had a construction worker help me once. I was lucky that a home was being built when another one came at us. I was so thankful. It is very scary to walk with a small breed or sometimes, even alone if a dog has gotten out. Add to that a violent, bloody attack. I will keep it to myslef from now on.