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| Basic Protection Questions Asked From Puppy Buyers Here are three basic questions pertaining to protection that I've been asked by many people searching for new Rottweiler puppies that have never owned our breed. Following each question is the normal response I've shared with them. I'm sure there could be additional items to cover, but hopefully the general basis is mentioned. Maybe those searching for a puppy or older dog can receive some insight on the subject. 1. I was wondering if Rottweilers are protective of their house and family? The general public feels that most dogs of any breed can be instinctively protective of any kind of property (stable and/or moving) and their owners (family). In fact, in the dog’s mind they believe that all the property, including people, is theirs, unless taught differently! However, there are differences in what one perceives and expects protection to be in a dog. It’s best left to the professional trainers to test accordingly for correct behavior and sound temperament in your dog. Differences in what one perceives, lack of education including basic obedience training, and the irresponsible actions of dog owners is why we here about so many dog bite victims in the news on a daily basis. For instance, children climbing or poking fingers through homeowners’ fences that own dogs, and the child or anyone for that matter, is harmed without doing nothing more then going on the owners property. This is what we usually call territory aggression and most pet dogs that are fenced become extremely territorial. Most commonly, the dog’s owners are dealing with different types of aggression on a daily basis. There are many forms of aggression that you’ll hear about: Food, possessive, dominance, fear, injury, territory, etc. You should learn each one of them carefully, the damages they can cause if they go undetected, and how to deal with them in an individual dog. You should also learn how dogs communicate, which comes in many forms, besides barking or growling. Many a times people could avoid injury if they could read the dog’s body language ahead of time! 2. Are Rottweilers a vocal dog at all and will they let you know if someone is walking/driving up to the driveway/house? This can depend on the dog's individual temperament, gender, age, drive, training, socializing, obedience, set-up of the home, and how you raise the dog. I've had dogs my whole life, of many different types of breeds, including mixed. Each one was an individual. Most dogs will "alert" too any sound, smell, or sight; rather you want too hear it or not and depending on their training. But some dogs do not bark! And then there are some dogs that just love to hear themselves bark, for no apparent reason! These are the neighborhood pests! I've got a couple in my neighborhood.... one is a lab and the other is a Doberman. Both these dogs have totally different reasons to bark… the one is totally bored and the other wants back in the house! There are also different types of vocal sounds (communication) that can come from one individual dog and it is up to the owner’s to understand what each one means. Those who have an extreme knowledge of dogs; can usually understand what a dog is made of, by the type of bark and growl they vocalize in a situation. Most dogs can tell the difference between their owner’s vehicle and a strangers’ car. They definitely hear someone approaching if they are walking, if they have good normal hearing! They can also hear them sooner then humans do. And yes, they can alert you, if they feel like it. But if you live on a busy street, would you want them barking continuously? Especially, if you become that neighborhood pest or you want to get some shut-eye! According to the standards, Rottweilers are suppose to be a "wait and see" (aloof) breed, before acting out. This can be in any type of situation. They take in what they observe and then decide what to do. They are intelligent thinkers! And their responsible owners must be more intelligent, have quicker responses to all situations, and should have more then a general background in dogs. Rottweilers were originally bred as a drover dog and used for herding, while living with their families in rural settings. Only later on, by mere accident, they were found to have a versatile disposition to be used as a total working dog, including, police and military K-9 duty. These dogs are very family orientated and need something to do to keep them occupied. Not to be used as a junk-yard or guard dog, but instead to go hiking with their family, be used as a herder on a farm, perform agility trials with their owner, a service dog, become a search and rescue dog, or work in a K-9 unit. They need activities or they get bored and destructive! 3. Can you get a Rottweiler with a stronger protection drive like you can ie. a Shepherd/Doberman and would a Rottweiler make a good watchdog for our family? You can get a walking "time-bomb" in a dog, if you look for it! Any dog can make a good watchdog and most people with common sense will not approach a strange dog, especially if they are barking, growling, etc. You’re asking for specifics like most people do. I cannot give you the answers that you want too hear. You will get many different opinions from many different people in dogs and it is up too you to make the right decision for your family and your situation! A dog is an animal! Something that has a mind of its own that can act out differently under different circumstances. I'm sure you hear "they never did that before"! Well, they are animals... we cannot control them at all times, but you better be responsible and accountable for all their actions at all times, because they are your property according to the law! Please remember that they all have teeth and have more powerful jaws then any human. And dogs do bite! It is a form of communication. Some dogs are soft-mouthed, made to retrieve, like the sporting dogs. Some dogs have stronger jaws made for dog fighting, bull baiting, etc.... But I'm telling you straight, people have been bitten as children by cocker spaniels (a sporting dog), and even the smallest of breeds can bite someone who may need surgery! You have to be careful in what you really want for your household! If your looking into a stronger protection drive, you need to ask yourself some huge questions besides the few I'm asking you. Why? I mean really, why? Unless you are a very experienced owner, trainer, breeder, and handler of the dog sport of Schutzhund, or in an actual K-9 unit looking for your next partner, I highly doubt you are, or you wouldn’t have to ask these types of questions. Then why do you really want this for your family’s pet dog? Do you have great house insurance that will cover any dog bite or any type of dog injury? If not, do you have some form of insurance to cover any of this? Most of us dog owners cannot find homeowners insurance! Even huge corporations that deal with registered therapy dogs have a very hard time finding insurance to cover dog bites. I belong too one of those organizations, who again, are having difficulties with insurance because of our breed. Could you live with yourself, if anyone, including a family member or a friend, or someone's child becomes harmed, or even worse, killed because of your dog and you cannot control it properly? Even if they are trying to break into your home and steal your property, is someone’s life worth dying over some stolen goods that can be replaced? Granted, your families’ lives are very important and extremely precious, and more so over property, but how bad is it really where you live? And if it is that horrible, isn’t it better to move? How can any dog protect your family and your property 24/7? It is impossible. In fact, we are all vulnerable to acts of crime. We cannot totally stop these acts from happening! But most of us are not ever going to experience harmful victim crimes, if we take certain precautions. Try using a great deal of light around your home, use very good secure doors, locks, windows, fencing, stickers in your windows warning that you have security devices, recording cameras, install alarms, don’t always do the same thing at home – watch around your house for strange cars, behavior, etc. Have neighbors that you can trust watch out for one another. Place your home on a vacation drive-by list at your local police department and stop all mail, newspapers, etc. while you’re away. Certain behaviors can be managed as homeowners from deterring criminals, besides having a guard-dog. Even placing beware-of-dog signs around your home without having a dog, can help. But make sure never to place, security dog, or offensive dog signs that draws lawsuits to you saying that you are harboring a vicious dog, if you do own a dog. Do you have a very secure fencing? Fencing that will not allow anyone near the fence, so if they wanted to pet your doggie... they wouldn't get mauled to death? People will, especially children and neighbors (stupid I know, but they do - do this) reach over, into, your fence to pet your dog or get a toy that fell into the yard, no matter if they have permission or not to enter, and no matter how crazy your dog behaves on the other side of that fence! You are then liable for damages!!! You now harbor a vicious animal and in most cases the dog will be put down and you will have to pay for all the damages, not too mention loosing your house insurance, and having a great deal of debt to pay off for being sued! Try taking a look at all the breed specific law (BSL) problems we are having with several breeds, especially with our precious Rottweiler breed! You will realize why breeders and owners are getting angry towards people who want this breed just to protect their home! It isn't fair for people like us to have our dogs taken away, with all the work and energy we put into them, because other people make a bad name for them. People allow their dogs to roam loose, they do not watch them carefully even on their own property or home, do not train or socialize them, they tie them up in a backyard or leave them outside 24/7 to do just what your asking… and for what? So the dog can later be destroyed, people harmed or killed, because they want a “Killer-Rott”. They want a loaded-animal ready to charge at any given moment. Please do some more research on this subject before purchasing a dog for these above reasons. Read some (REAL) breed books and magazines on the dogs your looking into. Breed books written by breeders who’ve done it all! Go to dog shows. Not to purchase a show dog, but too put your hands on the dogs, talk with the breeders, talk with the handlers and trainers who spend countless hours getting the dogs ready to perform. Watch the obedience and agility rings, not just conformation. Go to Schutzhund trials. Watch them perform in tracking, obedience, and protection work, not just protection only! Ask and learn what true sound minds are in a dog, and what you as an owner should do owning such an animal. Go to some herding trials and watch the dogs do what they were originally bred to do! Join some good breed discussion groups, forums, and e-mail lists, so you can ask tons of questions. Do yourself a favor and go to some back-yard breeders that you’ve read in a newspaper ad and then go to some of the breeders you’ve talked to at the shows or have been referred to by the parent club of that breed. Try to see the differences in the dogs, puppies, experience, breeders, owners, etc. from each place. Then find yourself a breed mentor! After you’ve done all this, then you might be on the right path to find your perfect companion! Written by, Jo Ann Lewis - "Von Stallog Rottweilers" |
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