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For Rottie owners or if you know of anyone that has a Rottweiler how reliable is that breed in comparing to the other large dogs (Great Danes, Dobermans, German Shepherd, Saint Bernard etc).
I know it's definitely better than the pitbull but can it be fully trusted and trained to not think everyone is an intruder? I plan on owning a large dog in the future for the first time. Though, I know nothing about training an animal so I might need some help.
And well I tend to have this greatest fear towards that specific breed than the others (even fear it more than the pitbull). Maybe it's because it can destroy a pitbull if it wanted to. I heard of a case of a pitbull that was attacking a child and a family Rottweiler intervened, fought the pit and killed it instantly. Though the ending was sad: the Rottie got the blame it and it got shot way before the boy told them it saved his life (it was later confirmed that the only blood coming from the Rottie was from fighting the pitt).
But still, a Rottie is so powerful and I wouldn't want it to confuse my family members for strangers.
If I understand correctly, you are asking how easily you can train a dog to accept guests into your house. Any dog with a stable temperament (do your research and find a breeder that temperament tests, health tests, proves their dog in a venue, etc) should be able to meet that requirement. Another option is to find an adult do in rescue whose temperament is established, especially one that has lived in a foster home so its foster family can comment. It is far more an individual dog thing than it is a breed thing. Some breeds tend to the "OMGIJUSTMETYOUANDILOVEYOU" end of the spectrum, and others will be towards the "I will accept you but I won't love you", but no stable dog should be fearful or reactive towards people.
I would do my best to find a rescue or good breeder locally so you have a support system since you don't seem to have any dog experience. I would also find a positive reinforcement training class and/or puppy socialization groups BEFORE you get the animal in your house, so that you don't waste time with the dog potentially making serious mistakes.
All that being said, I know multiple rottweilers, shepherds, pitties, danes, berners, etc that have been well loved, stable family pets. The breeds are very different though in their personalities, exercise requirements, grooming needs, ets. It might help you narrow down what you wanted if you posted what you were actually looking for in a dog besides "does not attack family members".
I've heard different versions of a Rottie. Some say it can be a good friend but will tend to be slightly more territorial and jealous than the other large dogs while others say it's a man's best friend and better than the other breeds. For some reason the Rottie has controversial views so it's hard to judge it as a whole.
Hence, why I asked if this was a very trustworthy breed as some say (if I wanted to get a large, reliable and gentle dog).
If the pup comes from a reputable show breeder who breeds for temperament, the dog will be reliable. If you buy from a drug dealer who breeds for dogs who will kill anyone who breaks into the marijuana farm, you are not likely to get a safe dog. If you buy from a puppy mill, it is anybody's guess about what you will get.
I do not consider a Rott to be a beginner's dog. If OP wants a big dog to protect the family, I suggest a Bernese Mountain Dog or a Leonberger. Big, intimidating, adores children and loves strangers. Yet will defend the family if, and only if, the chips are down.
Rotts are for people who speak dog, and OP doesn't.
If the intimidation is it and OP doesn't want attack protection, then I recommend an Irish Wolfhound. Not even a cranked up meth head will take one on, although the chances the dog will bite anybody are about zero. The dog is just too big to try it to see how the dog will react. Evil people just back away and go elsewhere.
Why not visit breed shows and meet rottweiler owners that you can talk to and question? You can meet breeders and interact with their dogs in person and see how they handle being touched by strangers. The rottweiler standard says they should be:
Quote:
The Rottweiler is basically a calm, confident and courageous dog with a self-assured aloofness that does not lend itself to immediate and indiscriminate friendships. A Rottweiler is self-confident and responds quietly and with a wait-and-see attitude to influences in his environment. He has an inherent desire to protect home and family, and is an intelligent dog of extreme hardness and adaptability with a strong willingness to work, making him especially suited as a companion, guardian and general all-purpose dog.
I would never purchase a dog from a breeder without seeing the parent dogs in a family environment similar to my own home. Research and find out what you're getting. Find out how much exercise momma and daddy dog require--it will give you an idea of if a couple miles of walking a day is sufficient, or if you're going to need to find an outlet for mental/physical stimulation. Find out how they are around children. Judge how they bark/react when you approach the front door. Etc, etc.
If you choose the rescue route, visit the dog in its foster home if at all possible. Is it protective of the space at a level you're comfortable? Does it bark in alert, but not display fear or aggression? Is it displaying nervous signals when you enter the home? (Lip licking, ears back, eyes showing whites).
Individual dogs can have personalities across the spectrum, which is why the comments you're reading and stories you're hearing are so polarized.
Regardless, NO dog is 100% reliable in anything, ever. My dog is amazing and loves everyone, and I would bet $1,000,000 she wouldn't bite anyone, but I still would never leave her alone with a child, ever. And this is after years and years of training with her.
I do not consider a Rott to be a beginner's dog. If OP wants a big dog to protect the family, I suggest a Bernese Mountain Dog or a Leonberger. Big, intimidating, adores children and loves strangers. Yet will defend the family if, and only if, the chips are down.
I tend to agree. To be honest though, I don't think anyone should get a dog expecting it to "protect the family". Alert barking is one thing, and probably all any dog needs to do. Really, any dog (short of one that fits in the palm of your hand) will deter bad guys, most likely. My dog is a 25 lb black fluffy thing who loves everyone she meets, but people still cross the street to the other side when we're walking, just because it's a dog.
If I want a large breed is that a good one I can get?
If this is your first dog, avoid Rottys, Pit Bulls etc. They can all be trained to be loving trusting dogs but they need an owner that knows what he or she is doing. They need an expierenced dog owner.
As a pit bull owner and Rottie lover, my first intinct is to explain what good dogs these breeds can be, but I'm just going to say, don't get a dog of a breed that you are afraid of, especially if you don't know anything about training dogs. You're not going to feel comfortable around it when it does normal not-yet-trained dog behaviors. Any dog will watch the house, if that's what you're looking for.
Look, I tell people all the time to get dogs if they are fearful of intruders and if they actually LIKE dogs. However, I do not advise that because the dog will "protect" the family - I advise it because the dog will alert the family in most cases and a barking dog will send most intruders on their way. A dog that you are getting to actually defend you and your loved ones is basically a walking liability unless you are a very experienced trainer. Now, some dogs will naturally do this, but you can never be sure WHICH animals will do this - and it raises a whole bunch of other issues.
As a child, my sheltie let us know when anyone stepped onto the property. She was just 30 pounds and a sweet, gentle soul - but she terrified those who didn't know her. The UPS guy almost refused to deliver packages until we convinced him she would never bite in a million years.
My goofy-ass, gentle beagle pup, at just 4 months of age, flung himself between me and my dad's very large cousin when he came up behind me on our property. My little dude was doing his best approximation of a roar, with his hackles up as he came to my defense. We just about fell over laughing.
My male border collie, who is now about 16, was a terrifying defender of his designated property. I had to be very careful about how I introduced people once he came to live with me, because he had bitten a lot of people at his old home. He understood that anyone who came into my home without me knowing about it and whom he did not know was to be considered an intruder. But if they were known to him or I was with them, they were fine. Otherwise, all bets were off.
None of these animals were "trained." It was just what they did, to varying degrees of effectiveness.
I also know people who bought a doberman for their first dog because they wanted a guard dog. They were not experienced dog people and had no idea what to do with the animal. When a friend and I visited their house, the dog was completely out of control and I had to let my companion hide behind me because the owners could not control the dog, and I was the only one calm enough to face it down. It was horrifying (and I was scared ****less).
If you REALLY want to protect your family though, you will buy some good security doors and locks, get an alarm, get a safe, get some outdoor lights and keep the shrubs well trimmed. If you actually like dogs and want one for companionship, you will choose a friendly, well-adjusted animal who barks when excited, and then you will take some classes on how to ensure that your dog becomes a well-trained animal and you become savvy owners.
I lived in a house that was burglarized repeatedly. All of that came to a screeching halt when we got a good alarm system. As an adult, I live in a fairly safe community, with close-by neighbors. My dogs bark whenever someone enters the home, and I have sturdy security doors on the front and the back. I feel pretty darn safe.
A Rottweiler is not a beginner's breed, and home protection should not be your primary goal when getting a dog.
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