posted on May 7, 2005 07:28:25 PM
A friend has a dog he may have to give away if he has to move. It's a Rottweiler, 1 1/2 years old.
I really don't care for dogs but feel sorry for it if it just goes to a kennel or to somebody who'd be mean to it. I hear they're good watch dogs.
Are they known as barkers ??....I couldn't stand that. He "says" this dog is very quiet and only growls and walks to the door if there's a stranger there.
How big do they get? Anybody had one?
posted on May 7, 2005 07:44:00 PM
Crow.. my friend has one.. she's about 100 pounds of pure muscle. They don't need to bark their look will frighten anyone. My friend has raised her from a pup and with very strong discipline, they need an owner who will be able to take charge. She says they have never had one bit of trouble with her, but they do shed and they smell.. They are very protective of their family and ferocious fighters if the need arises.. They love her and she is fine with their other pets and the grandkids...
Now.. having said that.. I knew of another person who had a rottweiler and they trusted that dog without question, until one day when their 10 year old daughter brought home a friend and out of the blue, for reasons they still can't explain, the dog attacked the friend and there was a law suit and they had to put the dog down.. so.. I guess it's all in the way the dog is handled and trained and with any large dog..you can never completely let your guard down...
I love dogs but I am not strong enough to own a rottweiler or pit bull or any large aggressive breed...
posted on May 7, 2005 07:49:06 PM
I have trained other people's untrained dogs in about 15 seconds , Maggie, so I think I could handle it but the smell and shedding is something I forgot about. And this has been a house dog(with plenty of exercise) but would have to spend most of the time outdoors where it belongs if it lived here.
And then the vet bills...
And the kennel...
And the lawsuits...
posted on May 7, 2005 08:09:10 PM
Yeah..DBL..if that's the case I must be a yappy little bugger, just like my Yorkies!
Crow.. I don't want to discourage you from saving this dog's life! But, if he's used to being an indoor dog... I don't see him being happy chained up outdoors.. but that's just me.. I'm a big softy when it comes to my pets.
And you couldn't let him run free... there are Rottie rescue groups... maybe your friend could check out something like that on the internet and find him a good home with people looking for a rottweiler.
posted on May 7, 2005 08:19:02 PM
Oh, Maggie, I would never chain up a dog which reminds me of another big expense...a fence....and I don't really want to fence my yard.
I guess it's a bad idea and I do trust this guy to find him a good home and not just dump him on anyone. He knew we would take good care of him so he kinda hinted around.
And we don't really need a watch dog...the neighbor's dog barks every time someone comes up OUR driveway.
Think I'll stick to one cat and various and assorted wild critters like the big raccoon I just chased off the bird feeder.
posted on May 7, 2005 08:26:36 PM
I'm really glad that you wouldn't chain him up Crow.. it breaks my heart to see dogs just left outside chained all day and night..
Tell your friend to check out Rottie Rescue on the net and they have them all over the States..I hope he finds the dog a good home.
Better a raccoon than a nasty armadillo..or worse yet a skunk!
Okay, outta here.. time for bed and that good book.. LOL
posted on May 7, 2005 08:29:18 PM
Oh Wait! Did ya see Letterman the other night?
That animal guy had on some armadillos and they started mating right on the desk ! Too funny......
posted on May 7, 2005 10:09:45 PM
Crow - check out the squirrel proof bird feeders. They really do work and for the first couple weeks it's just damn funny watching the squirrels try to figure out how to get into them.
As far as Rots go... They are big and they drool but I've never known a clean one to smell. The do shed but they are a short hair so not all that much. They are ferocious guardians but not high energy, they don't need a lot of run time. As long as they are trained and raised responsibly they are great dogs but like any other dog, you have to respect their nature and instincts. If you don't take the dog just make sure your friend finds an owner that really understands what they are getting. Too many people get dogs based on their looks and don't bother to learn about the breed. More than anything else I think that THAT is the reason there are so many dogs in shelters these days.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on May 8, 2005 06:32:44 AM
Several years ago, a Rottweiler in my neighborhood attacked a four year old child and ripped his scalp off. The dog, owned by a police officer had completed obedience training and had never attacked anyone. Because of a Rottweiler's incredible strength they sometimes cannot be controlled.
My daughter had to find another home for her Rottweiler who wanted to eat the neighbor. (An electric fence presented no obstacle to her Rottweiler.)
Here is the story about the neighborhood dog....
From the College of Journalism, Capital News Service on, Friday, February
06, 1998.
CNS-Dog Mauling,490<
Appeals Court Ruling Tightens Leash on Pet Owners<
By CHRIS GOSIER=
Capital News Service
ANNAPOLIS - Attorneys said that a decision published Friday by the
Maryland Court of Special Appeals will give victims of dog attacks a
powerful tool for suing the animals' owners.
The ruling stemmed from a vicious August 1994 attack on Alex Moura,
then 4, whose scalp was ripped open when he was mauled in Wheaton by
Diesel, a Rottweiler owned by Warren Randall. Alex was severely scarred
and needed skin grafts to restore his scalp.
But a Montgomery County Circuit judge threw out the Moura family's $6
million lawsuit against Randall, noting that Diesel had never attacked
anyone and had completed obedience training.
Circuit Judge James Chapin said that even though Diesel was not on a
leash at the time, Randall "had the right to believe, based on experience,
that the dog was under control."
But the appeals court disagreed in a Nov. 12 decision that was only
officially published Friday. It sent the case back to Chapin with
instructions to examine whether Randall erred by walking Diesel without a
leash.
"This decision basically throws out the age-old rule that every dog
gets one free bite in counties with a leash law," said Ronald A. Karp, an
attorney for the Mouras.
Attorneys for both sides agreed that the decision means pets in
Montgomery County will no longer be considered "under control" even if,
like Diesel, they have had obedience training and never attacked anyone.
They disagreed on the ruling's ultimate impact.
Randall's attorney, Barbara R. Graham, said it could mean "you're
liable for everything an animal does regardless of whether you knew it
could happen.... A leash could break, and under this decision you'd be
liable."
But Moura attorney Jack A. Gold said a jury would likely only make
such a finding "if you knew the leash was frayed."
In her opinion for a three-judge panel of the appeals court, Judge
Ellen M. Hollander wrote that Randall should have taken greater care
because Diesel ran away once before, to chase a cat.
"The owner's knowledge of the propensities of the animal is relevant
in determining" how careful Randall should have been, she wrote.
The judges told the lower court to consider other examples of
Diesel's aggressiveness that were kept out of the record. A dog trainer's
observation that Diesel "was straining at the leash" during an examination
was not used at trial because it was unaccompanied by a sworn statement.
"The dog was jumping up and down in an effort to get to me," said the
trainer, Mark Lipsitt. "He was barking. He was growling. He was snarling.
He was baring his teeth, and he was snapping."
Randall's attorney said the trainers provoked that behavior.
Hollander said the absence of sworn statements might make the
testimony inadmissable, but the circuit court should resolve this question
"in the light most favorable to" Moura.
http://www.inform.umd.edu/News/CNS/wire/1998-editions/02-February-editions/980206-Friday/Mauling_CNS-UMCP
[ edited by Helenjw on May 8, 2005 06:33 AM ]
posted on May 8, 2005 06:56:02 AM
Ok, OK, you all have convinced me that I shall remain dog free as always
fenix said the key word..."drool" ...YUCK!
And, Helen, if my dog ever did that to a child (or anyone else) I can't imagine how awful I'd feel. That was a tragic story brought on by one of those people who like to say "Oh, he won't bite, he's trained".
CRUNCH! NO dog ever should be in public without a strong leash....no dog should ever run free...
I will tell my friend to be very careful who he gives the dog to....maybe just back to the kennel where he got him.
Thanks everyone!
How about a Scotty ?
[ edited by crowfarm on May 8, 2005 07:22 AM ]
posted on May 8, 2005 09:11:09 AM
Fenix...they do stink! Even when clean..lol
They have a different odor than most dogs.. think about that air freshener commercial with the guy smoking a cigar and sitting beside a rottie...LOL
Yes, Dbl...you're right! we all three wear matching bows in our ponytails on top of our heads.. when we go to the vets..LOL
posted on May 8, 2005 10:26:21 AM
Crow - you might also suggest that your friend find a Rot Rescue group in their area. The people that run them are very experienced with the dogs and very careful about the types of people/families they place the dogs with.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on May 8, 2005 10:29:41 AM
My neighbor was transferred back to his home country and for months he cant sell or rent his home.
Finally a family moved in with a rotweiler dog,it appears they are on welfare but then may be not as they since have been evicted for not paying rent.(but then I heard being on welfare does not always mean you get rent paid for by Welfare dept).
Anyway,the rot came with a dog kennel too small for him and he spent a lot of time alone in the backyard.
Every time he sensed I am in my backyard,he would throw his body against the fence and given his size,it does do something to the fence we share.
Then it started to dig and the first time his owners found him sitting outside my backdoor and they have to lure him back to their backyard thru the hole he dug.
Then he dug some more and I called our assoc and they said just send them a friendly letter.
WOW,so I called the police and they said since he is in his backyard minding his own business of gardening and not loose on the street,it is not their duty to do anything,besides police deal with human,not dog.But they were kind to come over and chatted with my neighbor.
My neighbor then said they will send the dog away to live with her husband,then weeks later the dog came back and dug again.
I called the animal control folks and they issued them a warning .
Everytime this damn dog dug holes,I lose some soil and his owner will just shove some of that dirt back to my yard.
Then they promised to chain that dog and yet he managed to keep on digging.They claimed I harrassed their kids and their nice friendly dog who just wanted to scratch himself against the fence.
Anyway,now they have failed to pay their rent and they are gone,the place is up for sale with weeds and holes and dirt on the floor and carpet and soon to be foreclosed,the dog kennel is still there if any of you is interested .
-sig file -------
Eat grass,kick ass,never go belly up!
Wow, nice neighbors. . .NOT! When I first moved in here Ken had two very out of control dogs. They dug up the yard, chewed on the wood fence and dug under it. When they started literally chewing on the house, we got rid of them.
I wouldn't own a Rottweiller. Too much dog for me. An elderly man was killed around here a couple of weeks ago by both a Rottweiller and a Pit Bull. Our neighbor has a Pit Bull and I cringe when they take it for a walk. It's supposed to be muzzled, but it never is.
posted on May 8, 2005 01:06:31 PM
all puppies look cute until they grow up.
some small dogs are more vicious than big dogs,they said they have bred all the aggressive traits out of a Great Dane .
well I sure dont want to take a chance!!
-sig file -------
Eat grass,kick ass,never go belly up!
posted on May 8, 2005 06:26:25 PM
Please, anyone. Don't get a Rottweiler unless you are prepared to care for it properly. It takes a lot of effort, and you have to want to do it. Yes, it involves $1500.00 for a chain link fence around the back yard, and the perseverence to dominate the dog so he will obey. They are extremely loyal, very protective, powerfull, and stubborn as a Missouri mule. We had our first Rottie until he was 9 1/2 years old. A year later we got our second, and he's now 2 years old. He weighs 125 pounds, and is the friendliest family pet we've ever had. His best buddy is our cat, and I've posted a few pictures in the past on the EO of them playing together. But the underlying fact remains, he is still a Rottweiler, and capable of doing great bodily harm if he feels that his home or family is threatened. They don't smell any worse than any other dog and usually shed in the spring like most other dogs. They are great for guarding your Ebay merchandise that you store at home, but are bad news for the occasional customer who wants to drop by the house and pick up his item to save a couple bucks on shipping. And if you are doing Ebay as a business, you can claim him and all his expenses as a legitimate business expense because the I.R.S. will accept a Rottie as a legitimate guard dog. There are several plusses and minuses that come with owning a Rottie, just be aware of them before you get one.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
