shelly asked:
Also, why do they recommedn first time dog owners who’ve never had dogs before to get an adult dog from a shelter?
Dog Lovers Mega Pack
Also, why do they recommedn first time dog owners who’ve never had dogs before to get an adult dog from a shelter?
Dog Lovers Mega Pack
Tags: Dog Owners, Dog Shelter, Dogs, Pitbulls, Rottweilers #15
December 1st, 2005 at 6:51 am
You know the proper answers to BOTH of your questions!!!
December 4th, 2005 at 2:25 pm
Those 2 breeds are known to be agressive but experienced handlers could curb that in them. An adult dog from a shelter is a great idea as they seem to “appreciate you more.” Just make sure you pick one that isn’t agressive.
December 6th, 2005 at 1:59 am
because those types of dogs can be tough for someone who hasnt handled that breed, and dogs in shelters could have been messed with cause damage so they could have mental issues.
December 9th, 2005 at 12:01 am
ibecause the are strong an and aand if they play tey can easily break your body until you learn to conrol your dog and be more resposible!
December 12th, 2005 at 6:09 am
pitbull and rotties have to strong of personalities for first time dog owners and will walk all over you if you dont know what you are doin they make great pets for people that can handle them. Adult dog from the shelter cause you know what you are gettin into there are know suprises good luck!
December 12th, 2005 at 7:44 pm
getting a pit for the first time is like giving a gun to a 5 yr old. pits are unpredictable and even with the best training, they can still turn on you; just do a google search and you will see what I mean. rotts are gentler, so if you got a puppy, it would be fine. just make sure to get it neutured because when the dog (esp. male) becomes an adult, its testosterone hits and he will become aggressive.
December 15th, 2005 at 2:01 am
Those breeds are more aggressive than others and if you aren’t able to be a good ‘pack leader’, they could get dangerous. An adult dog from a shelter is good for several reasons:
1. You aren’t supporting puppy mills.
2. An adult dog usually knows not to poop in your house. An adult dog won’t chew up your new shoes.
3. You will save his/her life.
Check out the Dog Whisperer on National Geographic channel.
December 17th, 2005 at 12:18 pm
Because both of those breeds require confident, assured and experienced handling. They are both great dogs but they are both powerful, head-strong and extremely intelligent.. these breeds can be trying for even experienced owners. They have ALOT of energy and alot of strength they need good guidance.. a first time dog owner may be unsure, and inexperienced both traits these breeds take advantage of.
The reason why it is reccomended that first time owners get adult dogs is because they are usually already partly trained, mature and easier to learn with. Trust me a puppy is not something I would tell anyone who never had a dog to get… heck I myself have sworn off puppies and I am quite experienced with dogs.. but it is SOOOOOOO much more work to get a puppy.. 20 times as much work as an adult dog. Thats why its good advice for a first timer to get a dog that is at least past puppyhood.
December 20th, 2005 at 6:38 pm
pitts and rotweilers can be tempermental if they are loved at home — you can’t follow traditional dog rearing advice and hit your dog etc. or they get mean.
a lot of times people get puppies because they are cute and then get rid of puppies because they chew on everything and pee everywhere. an adult dog hopefully doesn’t chew so much and pees outside.
December 21st, 2005 at 2:49 pm
Shelters help pick you out a dog that is well suited for your daily life …and pitbulls and rottweilers need to be trained very well …they are dominate dogs and intimidate a lot of people
December 24th, 2005 at 3:47 pm
Because those dogs can become a deadly problem in the hands of someone who knows absolutely nothing about how to train and control a dog. Please do not get me wrong, I am NOT trying to say that I believe those breeds to be dangerous or naturally aggressive, but they need a very strong, determined, experienced leader, or they could quickly become that way. Everyone THINKS they are a strong leader, but when faced with a massive, willful dog who could physically overpower them, they realize that maybe they still have a lot to learn. It’s better to “practice” with a less powerful breed first.
As for adopting an older dog from a shelter, it’s probably because puppies require such a massive amount of time and effort, and few people realize this if they’ve never had one. By getting an older dog first, the chances that you will be successful in your first attempt to have a dog are higher, since they are much easier to care for. Still, my first dog was a pup, and she turned out wonderfully. But those first two years of her life were NO PICNIC for us. Puppies present a whole host of problems that you simply don’t face with an older dog, and it would certainly be easier for a first time owner to be able to skip that puppy stage.
December 27th, 2005 at 5:37 am
Rotties and Pits are both wonderful breeds in the right hands. But in inexperienced hands (not to mention just plain bad ones) they can become dangerous. Both breeds require a firm, experienced hand by someone who has successfully trained dogs before getting either breed. And the person, even if experienced, must be someone with the leadership capability these (and other) breeds require to have a happy and successful owner-dog relationship.
The reason people suggest an adult dog, and this can be from a shelter, rescue group or responsible breeder, is that with an adult you know what you’re getting. Having a puppy is a lot of fun but it is also a great deal of work and takes a lot of time.
Many puppies of first time owners, especially owners that did not grow up with dogs in the family, end up in shelters when they hit adolescence because the owners didn’t train them as puppies and now they have an unruly teenager on their hands. And this could have been prevented by getting an adult that was already at least partially trained.
December 29th, 2005 at 3:15 am
While I have never had either breed myself, I would suspect that both of these breeds can be very headstrong and stubborn.
I have a friend with a HUGE Rottweiler that has NEVER, EVER, EVER BEEN SOCIALIZED AND HE IS STILL INTACT (un neutered) at this time. Because of this lack of socialization, the dog is a menace and to me he is very, very dangerous and I feel like she is asking for a lawsuit if god forbid this dog ever escapes from her backyard.
It is good to do research on dog breeds as well as ask owners of a particular breed about the dog. You need to be very informed about the good as well as the bad points of any breed that you might choose. You might talk to a kennel owner as they will know a lot of information on their particular breed.
The reason that I would think that first time dog owners should get an adult dog from a shelter is that 1) you are saving a dog, 2) the dog might possibly already know a few manners and commands. The dog may or may not be house broken and plus their personality is already set. By set, I mean that the dogs personality will not change by very much.
I hope that this answers your question to your satisfaction.
December 29th, 2005 at 11:45 pm
Both of those breeds require someone experienced in handling strong-willed dominant dogs.
An adult dog from a shelter or rescue may be easier for first time owners to handle because they may already be housebroken and past the mischievous, chewing puppy stage.
December 31st, 2005 at 12:42 am
Both of those breeds (as well as many others) are very intelligent and independent. I don’t necessarily think they are wrong for someone who has never owned a dog, but I do believe that anyone who wants a large, strong breed should do some serious research and be prepared. Many breeds need a firm hand, meaning an owner who will socialize them well, obedience train them, and always maintain the upper hand. In other words, you must be the pack leader. This does not mean you need to be tough or cruel, just that you do not allow them to think that they are the boss.
There are many other breeds who are more easy-going and are able to ‘forgive’ their owners’ mistakes. Although every dog should be properly trained and well-socialized, there certainly are breeds who are much more dependent on their owners and more willing to let their owners be the pack leader without challenging them.
As for getting an adult dog from a shelter, I think any potential dog owner should check local shelters and/or rescue organizations first, whether or not they’ve ever owned a dog. There are advantages to a first-time dog owner IF the adult dog they adopt is friendly, house-trained, and socialized to other animals and people. This will prevent the frustration of dealing with a puppy and all the whining, house-soiling, chewing, need for intensive training, etc. that a new owner might not be prepared for. I think that depends on the person: their age, their living situation, and what they want out of dog ownership.
Regardless, owning a dog or other animal is a huge deal. You are responsible for that life and I think many people don’t realize what that means when they think about warm fuzzy puppies.
January 1st, 2006 at 11:38 am
Mainly because first time dog owners lack the experience to handle dogs that are that powerful. I have raised dogs my entire life. I have raised Pitts, Rotts, G-Shepards, Chows, And Dobies (all of the “BAD DOGS”.). They are the best dogs if you know what you are doing! Most people don’t! You have to raise a certain breed of dog a certain way. You have to be in control and be the pack leader. If it is your first dog the chances are that you do not yet know how to do this. I hear all of the crap about how certain breeds of dogs are bad, that is bull$hit and makes me sick. I have never in all of my life of raising “BAD BREEDS” had a bad dog. The very day that I was brought home from the hospital after my birth I was brought into a house with a well trained and well raised 120 lb Doberman! From that time on I was raised and trained how to raise and train those type of dogs. They have a bad rep because of people getting them for the wrong reasons and training them to be the poster pups for “BAD BREEDS”. Also they have a bad rep from people who dont know what they are doing getting them and thus letting them become “BAD DOGS”. More bites that require medical attention happen from smaller dogs than the larger “BAD BREEDS” every year than is reported because of the news. Cocker Spaniels record more scarring bites than almost every dog on record, but do you hear about that on the news? No because its more scary that a someone was attacked by a “BAD BREED” of dog! Alot of people get “BAD BREEDS” as their first dogs and they usually dont work out and end up being sent to the pound and destroyed because they dont figure it out in enough time! If you dont know what you are doing then dont get one. Own a few other dogs first, or go to some kind of class that trains you to train your dog. Even then it takes experience in 99% of cases. I have never been bitten by any dog that I have owned nor had my dog bite anyone for no good reason! I now have a Rotty and a Pitt and they are babies. I could take them to the mall around kids and never have an issue! Now if someone were to try to break in or do me or mine harm that would be their @$$! Thats how a dog should be no matter what the breed is. It all comes down to raising them and training them. RAISING THEM & TRAINING THEM!!!!!!!!
January 4th, 2006 at 7:15 am
Check these sites out for the right dog for you
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Good luck- personally- Rotts are a pretty tough breed to own- they are very unpredictable and also are very proned to cancer. I have not seen one live past the age of 12- they usually get bone cancer. But, if they fit the bill for you and it is the breed you are looking for, go for it.
As for the smaller dogs that bite- i.e. the cockers the person above me speaks about- you dont see those reported because they dont do great bodily harm- i.e. chewing the feet off a baby- killing children or ripping the forehead off a child- that happened in a town by me about 3 weeks ago- a Rott bit a kid riding his bike down the road minding his own business. That Rott jumped over a fence and attacked that little boy for no reason. I have never heard of a cocker spaniel or a chihuahua doing that kind of damage to a human.
I think if you are a first time dog owner- stay away from the dangerous breeds- get a dog from the sporting group- they are all very friendly and are bred to be great companions. They come in a variety of sizes and you cant go wrong really with any of them.
Let me tell you another thing- being in the veterinary field for the last 14 years, I have NEVER met a Chow or a Shar Pei that liked anyone besides its owners. Stay away from those breeds. I wouldnt even go for a pit bull with all the controversy surrounding them- its to much hassle. Get yourself a nice Golden Retriever that loves to lick people and these dogs have never met strangers.
Funny you get a thumbs down because you state a fact that a rot ripped a childs face off- I dont understand that
January 7th, 2006 at 4:08 am
because both breeds are very tough and if an owner does not know how to control them they can easily turn aggressive and take over your home.
January 8th, 2006 at 10:20 pm
I plan on getting a Rottie as my first dog. Although I’m the type of person who’s not wishy washy with training either. Getting an older dog is actually a good idea. Their temprament is already known and if you get them from a shelter with foster homes it will already be housebroken, crate trained, and have basic obedience. Puppies are a lot of work and require a lot more attention than adults do, especially when it comes to potty training. At the Rottie shelter I’ve kept my eye on, they always point out which dogs are perfect for a ‘first time Rottie owner.’ They’re usually older and laid back.
January 10th, 2006 at 12:45 am
Pit bulls and Rottweilers have reputations. Everyone knows that. It takes someone who is a strong leader to raise a dog with this kind of power. If the everyone who got a large powerful dog were responsible and hired trainers I think alot of the reputations these dogs suffer would be diminished. I know people who are very good owners, and they have wonderful pets that just happen to be Pitts and Rotties. They are the biggest sweetest babies ever. But, the owners are the kind of people who researched the dogs first. Made sure the dogs were trained well and socialized from the time they were puppies. Not everyone is willing to do that. So not everyone should own these kinds of dogs. Alot of times people who have never owned a dog are just so impressed with the look of an animal. They don’t get passed that before they purchase the dog. If they don’t know to ask about the dogs parents and grand parents….or to do some research and find out if the breeder is reputable, they have no idea what they are buying. They just have this adorable little puppy. Then all of a sudden this puppy is HUGE and very very strong. They don’t know how to train the dog, or control it. That is why it is not recommended for first time dog owners to have those dogs. More for the protection of the dogs and the reputation they already have.
As far as getting an adult dog from the shelter: When you get a puppy, what it grows up to be like has alot to do with what has happened in it’s life already. Plus how it is raised and trained when you get it home. The personality of the dog will change as it grows to adulthood depending on all those factors. So if you know what you are looking for in a dog, the easiest way to be for sure you are getting exactly what you want it so get an adult dog. Dogs that are in shelters have to go through lots of tests before it is determined that they are adoptable. So when you meet the dog, that is what the dog is going to be like.
January 13th, 2006 at 12:30 pm
Both breeds can be aggressive and you need to know how to handle that. Most first time dog owners do not. If you do want one of those breeds you can get professional help in training. As a proud owner of a pit bull it is well worth the trouble
January 15th, 2006 at 10:29 am
If you’ve never had a dog before, you don’t want your first experience to be with a breed that is as naturally dominant as rotts and pits. You need to carefully research the breeds that interest you, paying extra attention to how much exercise, grooming and attention they need. Even a small dog can be very high-maintenance; while some of the larger ones can be very quiet and calm. Also, every individual dog within a breed will have its own personality. Good luck and enjoy!