On 19/07/2013 10:12 AM, Bob Sullivan wrote:
Very cute.
My son's 130 pound Golden Retriever is almost 10 and slowed by the
heat and age. It will be a sad day when he passes, and they'll need
another dog. It will be hard to find one with as much personality and
friendly disposition. Maybe another Golden, but not so big next time.
This one's a giant!
Goldens can be very big dogs. Fortunately, they are also very soft tempered.
I know you train dogs and favor Rotties. I wonder about disposition
with their fearsome reputation.
Intact male Rotties need a very strong willed owner, as they are
generally a pretty dominant breed. Having said that, Jester is a
dominant asshole, high drive dog from a high drive litter. As such, he
is somewhat of a special case in this regard. At he same time, he
doesn't have a mean bone in his body, he just wants his own way, and is
prepared to do whatever doggie thing he needs to do to get it. A weak
willed owner who is in the habit of letting the dog make his own
decisions would be what we call a fail of an owner.
Our last male (Rollei) had a very gentle disposition, was relatively
willing to please, and for the most part, was on the same page as we were.
Most Rotties that get in trouble do so because they have idiot owners
who don't understand the level of engagement they have to have with
their dog. When I am out with my dog, that is all I am doing. I'm not
talking on my cell phone, or texting or really doing much of anything
other than being with my dog. This is quite different from when I had
Leica. I could trust her to not cause anyone any problems. Jester, OTOH,
is quite dog aggressive (Bella, our Belgian Shepherd is worse), and will
also get very aggressive with anyone who he thinks might be a threat.
Hold his gaze for more than a few seconds at your own risk.
As I said, he is a special case, a very exceptional dog, but not one for
a weak handler, and honestly, not really a good dog in public.
Investigate your breeder carefully, Rotties, while not as prone to
genetic problems as Goldens, are prone to a few cancers, as well as
elbow and hip dysplasia, and also, take the time to investigate your
puppy's lineage.
Had I done this prior to getting Jester, I would have asked for a
different dog than the high drive male pick. After having him for a few
months, I finally got around to tracing his lineage. Amazingly, I was
able to trace his sire's side back to 1912 or thereabouts. Every male on
his sire's side had a Schutzhund title, and his line had been used for
all sorts of guard work in Germany, including guarding POW and
concentration camps during WWII.
He's a tough dog from a line of tough dogs.
A good starter Rottweiler would be a soft tempered female. Leica (my
first Rottie) was such a dog. Very smart, wanted to please, and didn't
like to displease. As such, she was easy to train, and never made the
same mistake twice (and only made a few mistakes in her nearly 11 year
life).
I would recommend the breed to anyone with the following caveats:
*If you are not an experienced owner, pick the softest female you can
from the litter. You will end up with a dog that acts sort of like a
Labrador, except calmer and with a lot more brains.
*If you are an experienced owner, but haven't owned a guard breed
before, a soft male would be an OK choice, be prepared to put the puppy
well and truly in it's place the first time it steps out of line and you
will likely never have a problem again.
*If you are an experienced owner, with extensive experience with guard
breeds, then by all means, choose a drivey male. They are a lot of fun,
and the rewards are tremendous, but they have to be handled with care
around people who aren't experienced with dogs. They will push their
boundaries, so it is very important to be ready, willing and ABLE to put
the dog in his place at a moment's notice.
In all cases, Rotties need some sort of job to keep them occupied. They
are a very smart breed, and they get bored easily. Like all bored dogs,
they can get destructive.
Fortunately, they are quite easy to keep engaged. They like obedience
work, and this should be started the same day that they come into the
house. Jester carries my camera gear in a backpack when we are out. It
gives him something to concentrate on, and it keeps him settled. Don't
just take your dog for a walk, do some formal obedience training for a
few minutes, and then walk for a while, and then do some more obedience.
Find out what sort of reward system makes your dog happy, and use it.
Leica was good with a tickle on the ear and being told she done good.
Jester, being a lot drivier, needs more engagement from me. A nice game
of tug turns his crank quite nicely, and keeps him very happy, and very
willing to work. If you aren't physically up to the task of playing tug
with a 125 or so pound dog with a lot of determination, a high drive
male might not be the best choice, since they all seem to like tug games
as a reward.
Gads, that's a long read. Sorry about that.
bill
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