Choosing a dog

[erezb]

Hey all.
I'm moving to a larger apartment with a little garden, so i was thinking of getting a dog.
I grew up with two dogs that lived for 12 and 11 years. The first was a mixed spaniel and the second was a German Shepherd bitch.
Loved them both dearly, the Shepherd suffered from arthritis in her hips in her last years, and i understand that is a common affliction with this bread.
The dog will have a minimum of three walks out, plus the yard (which isn't big in american standards, but big enough for a dog to run a little and stretch his limbs).
My wife wants a bid dog, and i don't mind.
I wish it to be trainable,loyal and trustworthy. If it can also guard it is a big plus. (We have a couple of young cats already)

Any suggestions of a bread? i am not against adopting, i just want to know what the dog will grow up to be, and adopting a fully grown dog can be problematic if he is somehow traumatized.

Also, if any of you have some experience with Rottweilers?

[battlefields]

Most people go for the long soft types of bread for dogs, but sometimes you've just got your normal loaf or bread, but that's no problem cause you just break the dog in two and place it side by side on the square bread. Bit of sauce, maybe some onions, relish, bam, hot dog sandwich.

[erezb]

Yea, breed. Thenks for that you are too kind.

[Fuzzy]

Lol, bread.

Your best bet for a dog is to hit up your local rescue centre and find someone who needs love, don't be too concerned about the breed.

[battlefields]

Boom, Fuzzy. Take that advice, save a dog, don't go to a breeder or a pet shop. You might be perpetuating puppy farming.

[Katje]

Yeah I agree about checking out a rescue centre, you'll also find that mixed breed dogs or "pavement specials" are often hardier and much less prone to genetic weaknesses specific to different breeds - such as hip dysplasia in your german shepherd. Rescue centre staff should also be able to advise you as to roughly how big you can expect the dog to grow if you adopt a puppy.

If you're set on a purebreed dog though, I highly recommend a youtube series called Dogs 101. It's produced by Animal Planet, and they give a breakdown of the breed, temperament, possible breed-associated medical issues, the kind of environment it's suited to, exercise requirements and trainability.

Here's one of the series called Picking Your Puppy, maybe it'll be helpful for you

edit: It also covers topics like how to pick a responsible breeder if you decide to go the purebred route. Like battlefields said, make sure you don't unwittingly support puppy farming, it's a horrible, cruel business.

[erezb]

It helped, kind of deterred me from Rottys, seems they are just too much.

[NeilG]

Rotties are a lot of dog and require a firm hand. We used to own an Akita, similar in temperament. Problem with them is they are bred to fight. Good with people, always aggressive with other dogs. PITA.

We had a rescue lab/border collie cross, kind of a generic black dog. Smart and obedient but skittish, we suspect abuse previously. Couldn't take him anywhere crowded.

Latest dog is a "Golden Doodle", about 3/4 standard poodle and 1/4 Glolden Retriever. These poodle crosses are very popular right now - he was my wife's pick. You can get Lab, Schnauzer, Wheaton Terrier and who know what else, all with cutesy portmanteau names.

He is very smart but a bit stubborn. Very pretty, not so blocky looking as some of the poodle crosses. Very high energy dog, hopefully he'll settle down a little - only 8 months old now.

[Katje]

Rotties can actually have an absolutely beautiful temperament, but they are working dogs so would need a to be worked or exercised every day so they don't become bored or destructive. They're also very intelligent so while obedience training is necessary, they'll take to it and learn quickly. The nice thing about them is that they're fiercely loyal, and they imprint on their family group and will guard them with their lives if necessary.

This is Fuzzy's rottie boy Mishka. He's like a humongous teddy bear to members of the family, but if a stranger were to try and climb the gate they'd find he's more like part dog part lion!



If you're looking for something gentler perhaps you should try a labrador/retriever or one of the poodle/labradoodle variations? Afghans are also very gentle dogs, but apart from being high-maintenance grooming-wise they are also quite stupid and tend to derp out at every opportunity.

[erezb]

Rotties can actually have an absolutely beautiful temperament, but they are working dogs so would need a to be worked or exercised every day so they don't become bored or destructive. They're also very intelligent so while obedience training is necessary, they'll take to it and learn quickly. The nice thing about them is that they're fiercely loyal, and they imprint on their family group and will guard them with their lives if necessary.

This is Fuzzy's rottie boy Mishka. He's like a humongous teddy bear to members of the family, but if a stranger were to try and climb the gate they'd find he's more like part dog part lion!

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If you're looking for something gentler perhaps you should try a labrador/retriever or one of the poodle/labradoodle variations? Afghans are also very gentle dogs, but apart from being high-maintenance grooming-wise they are also quite stupid and tend to derp out at every opportunity.

Frankly, i am partial to all gladiator breeds. Rotties included, i just want a dog i can control and train. I want to have friends coming over, i want him to not kill the cats, and i want my wife to be able to walk with him/her. Also, i live in Israel, a dog that will deter intruders while my wife or both of us for that matter are in the house is a plus, so labs and such though great are out of the question....i want a dog that will protect us if need be. Also, we don't have those designer breeds here as far as i know.

Would a female be easier to control?

[Katje]

Frankly, i am partial to all gladiator breeds. Rotties included, i just want a dog i can control and train. I want to have friends coming over, i want him to not kill the cats, and i want my wife to be able to walk with him/her. Also, i live in Israel, a dog that will deter intruders while my wife or both of us for that matter are in the house is a plus, so labs and such though great are out of the question....i want a dog that will protect us if need be. Also, we don't have those designer breeds here as far as i know.

Would a female be easier to control?

Make sure your dog is neutered/spayed, it should take care of any hormonal issues. You could do just as well with a neutered male as with a female, and when they go through teenager-hood they will challenge you to some extent, regardless of gender.

Fuzzy, our family's late rottie cross and a close friend who has a big rottie boy called Drake have cats and other dogs, and there haven't been any problems. They will also imprint on the members of their pack, including animals, and defend them fiercely against all comers.

Rotties are ranked in the top 10 most intelligent dogs in the world, and you can easily train them to recognise the difference between someone being let in the front gate and someone climbing over it. The real trick is to put in solid groundwork with obedience training from an early age and make sure all family members are consistent when it comes to expectations of the dog & discipline.

Remember though that like all living creatures each dog is an individual, so like with any big breed you want to use for guarding you'll also want to do your homework before you pick your dog. Interact with Mom and Dad, spend some time with your shortlisted puppies to assess their temperament & responsiveness. Make sure your breeder is reputable and conscientious, and when you've picked the dog you should enrol in a good training school.

To be honest it sounds like something like a german shepherd or a rottie would be perfect for what you're looking for. Just make sure that you're ready to put in the legwork early on in the dog's life and you will have a loyal and rewarding pet.

[Katje]

(I should point out that what I'm saying is based solely on my own experiences and I have no certifications in dog breeding or training)

[wetware]

I've got some experience with Rotties and currently own a Rottie/Terrier mix. (Don't ask how, but he's frigging awesome. I basically ended up with a tiny Rot. Or a 50 pound [20 kg-ish] terrier, depending on how you look at him.) For the first couple years of life you can expect that a Rott will tear some stuff up. Textbooks, shoes, basically anything you would really prefer not to have torn up. Once you get past this, he'll likely still steal your shoes and cuddle with them. You'll need to get him things he's allowed to destroy and he needs to know that those things are his. The biggest problem with Rotts, in my opinion, is likely that as a large dog his life expectancy is not what you'd like. They're also somewhat tough to leash train, but if you start early it should be a non-issue.

[erezb]

Great advice.
When choosing the puppy what should i look for?
i know some about GSD but nothing about rotties.
Also, i will ask again to be sure, there is not much difference in temper between a neutered male to a female? so i can get the hefty look of a mail without the added aggressiveness?

[Katje]

Great advice.
When choosing the puppy what should i look for?
i know some about GSD but nothing about rotties.
Also, i will ask again to be sure, there is not much difference in temper between a neutered male to a female? so i can get the hefty look of a mail without the added aggressiveness?

Always ask to meet the mum, and the dad if possible (don't worry too much if dad isn't available, to ensure bloodline diversity bitches can be bred with dogs from other kennels). Mum should have a good temperament, be handleable and sociable as the youngsters will take their social cues from mum. If the breeder won't let you meet the mum then it's not a good idea to go forward with the purchase, as mum probably has some serious physical or behavioural issues the breeder is trying to hide from you.

Many breeders also have children and other pets, so if you are worried it could be worth visiting a few different breeders and asking questions about what steps they've taken to socialize the puppies during their early lives. Well socialised puppies mean less legwork for you when you get your pup of choice home.

When you meet the litter look out for puppies who are bright and interested in you & their surroundings, and don't shy away from you or try to hide. I find a good test is to give one or two claps and look for those who come to investigate the noise, rather than running away or hiding.

More confident puppies are usually more laid back and easy to handle in higher stress situations (like having friends who are strangers to them over for the first time). A fearful temperament can lead to aggression as the dog tries to pre-emptively defend itself, which isn't a desirable trait in such a big animal.

You should also look for puppies who are happy to be handled and will come to you and your wife. Many breeders will let you reserve a puppy from quite early on, and from there you can pay them a few visits before you finally take them home. This makes for less stress on the dog at the time of separation and also means you'll have a good understanding of the dog as an individual before you go ahead and make them part of the family.

Rotties are very big dogs as a general breed, so it's probably best if you look for the puppy that fits you and your lifestyle before looking at the gender, since even females will get pretty darn large. I haven't experienced any differences between a neutered make & a female, but maybe some doggy expert bullies will correct me on that.

Whatever you do make sure you spay or neuter your dog at the right age (I think the usual age is about 6 months), because if your dog is intact when he reaches adolescence he WILL challenge you for supremacy, and that can only be unpleasant both for you and him. Females will challenge you too, as dog packs are traditionally lead by a dominant male and female, so leaving a female you don't intend to breed from unspayed will only give you the same results.