Paul777

Thanks for all your replies. I've been thinking since I wrote the above & think that the incident when hovering over his bed was more to do with him 'teaching' me some doggie etiquette rather than a challenge (THAT came a few mins later when I ordered him outside) For e.g., I needed to get his attention or call him to heel before taking him by the collar. On one occasion I thought that I had his attention & took him by his collar (he was distracted & digging at a large piece of bark) & he went off his head. He was very vocal when voicing his disapproval. It taught me to wait for him to look at me before proceeding. Remarkably, when my son was a toddler, he'd grab Pontis collar all the time without any reaction. Todierikx, not all Rottis are the same. I've known some who'd hold the door open for a burglar. Often, it's how they've been raised. I encourage my dogs to earn their keep by protecting family & home. Little Zagan will most likely do protection training when older. And yes, pup does grab my leg only when outside tearing around the yard with an abundance of puppy energy (he's so cute) Simply Grand. Yeah, I just divert his attention when he does it without making a fuss. I've started the TOT training by SteveK9Pro. It's remarkable how quick they learn. - & I'm learning too, lol. His advice not to say 'no', but rather, give a command like 'leave it' instead, for e.g., makes a lot of sense. With pups, I get them to learn the things that help keep them safe first; like 'leave it' when about to grab an electrical cord for e.g. - 'drop it' when he has something hazardous or disgusting in his mouth. Pup already knows 'leave it', 'drop it', 'piss' (pees on command), 'come' (most of the time - he sometimes thinks it's a game) & 'sit'. Not bad for a 10 week old pup. I like to know that a command is cemented in his brain before moving on to the next one & tend to err on the side of caution as I'd hate to confuse him. "Build the relationship" Yep, he's with me most of the time, sleeps tethered next to or under my bed & follows me everywhere. Persephone, he's so adorable. That link is exactly what I was looking for, thank-you (not the easiest forum to find what I'm after) cavNrott "distract" Thanks, yes it's what I'm doing (how could one get grumpy while he looks at me with his 'butter wouldn't melt in my mouth' puppy eyes? lol) It's so easy to distract him when he's so excitable. So I've started putting a ball in my pocket for that purpose. Nice to know that my instincts are correct : )

Hey Kirislin. Why do you think you were calling Penny's name? Did you awake with the sense that she paid you a visit? Love is what keeps us connected. It's why they're patiently waiting for us : )

What I'm saying is that she can't argue both sides of the coin. She lectures people all the time on the subject & even admits to being a hypocrite. The last 2 GS pups she emergency housed, lingered for over 3 months. No, it's not registered. No, I definitely would not breed her on her temperament alone - friendly nature but will only listen to owner when it suits. Escapes at any given opportunity. Despite heaps of $$$ on training - has a terrible hip score & is not a good example of a GSB. Despite all of this & the sheer hypocrisy, why not eh? Sheesh.

Hey BoldNFearless. Not an enviable position that you're in. It's a good warning to others never to 'co-own'. I've never had to pay for a first consultation with a lawyer. Unless the 'rules' have changed since my wild days?

Animallover99 Thanks I'll be sure to check out their website. Although I've owned a Rottweiler dog, I've never raised a Rotti pup & it's been over 30 years since raising any pup, so any advice from experience is not only welcome but would also be prudent on my part. I'll have to check out what their idea of "dominance" is before I can comment. Rottweilers need a firm hand & absolute respect for their owner. That, in my opinion, does definitely not mean a heavy hand. Rottis respond so well to affection & praise. And they really don't like being roused on. My Rotti had such a refined sense of right & wrong, as reliable, as dependable, as predictable, as one could ever hope. I can't ever remember saying 'bad boy' to him, once he'd settled in.

Dame Dannys Darling. Thank-you, it's responses like yours (& the others) that makes one feel safe to ask. No, I hadn't found the "478-Rottweiler" thread yet, thanks. Sometimes, like most breeds, only a Rotti lover understands a particular issue : )

Hey Persephone. "Don't over think it"? lol Zagans dad is a magnificent boy, who at 2yo is 65kg, his mum is 50kg, so he's going to be a very big boy. Having had a male Rotti in the past & knowing from experience that there will be a 'shot at the title' (challenge pecking order) at some point, how can one not keep an eye open for possible signs of dominant behaviour that needs nipping in the bud? My previous Rotti was brought home as an 18 month old protection trained dog. The first challenge was quite scary & I'm sorry to say that I'd unwittingly provoked it (preparing for bed, with cat in arm ready to be put in the laundry, Ponti opened his eye to see me hovering over his bed picking up after him - who knew that they considered the 'air space' ABOVE them as theirs? - & went off his head) Once we got over that incident (we were politely aloof for 2 days before he couldn't stand it any longer & kept glancing at me sideways, waiting for me to call him over for reconciliation, lol) From that day on, it's as if he would subtly check to see if I'd had a brain aneurysm overnight or not, every morning. For e.g., he'd make sure that I was looking before he'd make out like he was about to get on the lounge, & when I'd cough my 'oh no you wouldn't' cough, he'd happily move off as if to say 'just checking', hahaha. (I often wondered if it was a genetic thing from his wolf ancestors, ensuring that alpha male is still up to the task for the safety of the pack?) Anyhoo, because I'm not an expert, I'm taking the 'better safe now, than sorry later' approach. Better to ask silly questions now, than to ignore & regret later. As you know, bad habits aren't always easy to rectify once established. Thanks for your reply, much appreciated.

Hey animallover 99. "trying to instigate a game"? Lol, he's a little terror. It's like he has an on/off switch. Sleep or play, one or the other, rarely in-between. "Pics"? Yeah I know, he's so adorable (& cheeky & mischievous) that I'd love to share. I'm fairly new to computers & haven't a clue how to transfer pics from phone to computer. A mate has been promising for months to show me how. I'll make a point of finding a tutorial in the next few days & have a go by myself. He's growing so quickly & I keep forgetting to take new pics. Thanks for the reminder.

Hey Chele Isn't cleaning up puppy 'accidents' so much fun? I'm so lucky that my 10 week old Rotti pup sleeps at least 6 hours straight at night (last night I got 7 1/2 hours sleep. Ahh, sleeeep) without a single accident (touch wood). You've been given some very good advice here. I'd like to add that when I take pup out for toilet, (after he wakes, after a meal or at least every 2 hours) I say the word 'piss' (I'm a bloke so you might want to choose another word) when we go outside. When he pees I repeat the word & say 'good boy'. When finished I use my 'happy voice' to praise him (And doesn't he look so pleased with himself when he does a big poo, lol) It's also very useful for the rest of their lives. When getting ready for bed for e.g., when I had my last Rotti who's now in spirit, I'd ask him if he wanted to go 'piss'. Often he'd drop his head (his way of saying 'Nah, I'm good') he'd think about it for a sec, then get up & trot to the back door to be let out for toilet. Also, before my new pup learned the 'piss' command (only took less than a week) when I take him outside, I'd stay there until he went toilet. At night I use a torch & don't take my eyes off him until he's done the deed. Not much fun at 5am while getting attacked by mossies, I know, but better than a house that smells like a toilet. Yes, pups CAN be very time consuming but with proper training it does get better, often quite quickly. I'm one of those 'meanies' who never allows my dogs onto my bed or the lounge. Pup has HIS bed (very comfy beds at that) one next to mine & one for the living areas. I'm glad that the situations improving for you & trust that it gets easier with time.

G'day everyone. My 10 week old Rottweiler has started to grab my leg in a 'hug', without any thrusting or 'humping' motion & just looks at me. Is this a sign of dominant behaviour or one of affection?

yes. I have several friends who have done/do that Would you believe that an acquaintance who belongs to the GSDRescue group, is actually intending to get her GS pregnant BEFORE she gets her spayed? She's had dozens upon dozens of rescues go through her home & yet she still doesn't get it. Stupid is what stupid does & until we can clean up the human gene pool ..........

Give the morons a lobotomy? And ban them from ever owning another dog? I was really thinking of dogs, rather than bitches, when I wrote the above. Just a 5 min talk with me would convince any animal control official that I definitely was not looking to breed any rescue, but I guess that people lie & others could change their minds. Others irresponsible attitudes spoil it for the rest of us. Not that I regret my Rotti pup (who's a very cheeky mischievous boy) but that GSD was just beautiful. Hope he went to a good home.

G'day Poochmad. A friend of mine bought a fluffy neurotic lapdog (I forget the breed; small, snow-white, longish coat, yappy ) simply because some idiot on the internet told him that this breed didn't shed. You're suggested breeds for your sister are well considered. I suggested a mini schnauzer for my mate & his wife. Lovely little dogs. That's the point of choosing a pedigree, right? You pretty much know what you're getting. Why on earth I asked, would one not consider a dogs temperament & compatibility before aesthetics? Would you believe that my mate has just gained a Doctorate in psychology? (seriously, most of them have less of a clue than the rest of us) No, my mate nor his wife don't have any allergies, they chose this loony animal simply because it 'doesn't shed fur'. The funny thing is that yes it does shed fur, lots & lots of white fur, lol.

Hawkesbury N.S.W. Jackies Pet Foods - George St. South Windsor. Wide range of fresh & frozen raw food. Very reasonable prices; not only on food but also accessories. A large dog bed was $30 cheaper than a Petbarn inferior equivalent for e.g. Best known for raw pet food. Customers come from miles around.

G'day Misconceived_paws. You offer some very good suggestions. I'm also a raw meaty bone diet fan. My Rotti in spirit loved a frozen chicken carcass or lamb brisket on a hot day. He treated them like an ice block, licking them in the shade of a tree for ages before ripping into them. But I do draw the line at "I will suggest freezing your organs". Nuh-uh, not while I'm still using them : )

G'day everyone. My best mate & loyal companion passed over to the other side over 7 years ago at age 14. Before he passed I had shed many tears knowing that his time was soon. 6 months before he left, I was so choked up that I couldn't speak, when the vet had the "well, we have to think of what's right for him" talk. He wasn't in ill health, had a healthy appetite for his raw meaty bone diet & only a few kilos down from his prime. Ponti was just an elderly gent. The day that he 'went home', he woke me at 3am to go toilet. He lay outside on the lawn (where I went back to sleep lying alongside him, lol) & when the sun rose I awoke. I lay there telling him how much I loved him, that it was ok for him to leave me, that I'd be ok, that we'd always be mates, even in spirit. With that he lifted his head & gave me his usual 'kiss' when no-one else was looking (he only ever gave me a kiss when alone, or in front of a girlfriend), just a little flick of the tip of his tongue under my chin (hilariously, after seeing this & expecting the same, when girlfriends asked him for a kiss he'd stick his long tongue straight into their mouths & tickle their tonsils, hahaha) lay down his head & took his last breath. His passing was so peaceful & so beautiful, that I didn't even shed a tear. I was so grateful to have been so privileged to have shared over 12 years (brought him home as an 18 month old) with such an extraordinarily special boy. Ponti often anticipated what I required from him. There was no grieving period. His memory would always bring a smile to my face. Not a day has passed where I haven't thought of him at least once. Ever since, Ponti visits me in my dreams. At some level I knew that I hadn't been buying him any food (a regular weekly activity) & I'd awake a bit upset. From then on, I wouldn't remember the dream itself, but would awake really happy, with a knowing feeling that he'd visited me that night while asleep & that he's doing just fine, awaiting to greet me when it's my time to go 'home'. Never ever would I have ever considered replacing him. Several months ago, I awoke 'knowing' that Ponti had visited & 'told me' that it was time to get a new canine mate. There's no-way I could've coped with a puppy due to disabilities, so I was looking for an 18 month old. A series of synchronicities led me to bring home an 8 week old Rotti a fortnight ago. What was I thinking? There's no doubt in my mind that I was led to my new pup, Zagan. When I viewed the pups & parents, after rumbling with his brothers, Zagan come up to me, said 'hello' & then went to sleep under my feet. Zagan is an amazing pup, it's as if he already knew me. Doesn't get under my feet (except when overly excited & tries to grab a trouser leg) sleeps 6-7 hours straight at night. Settles himself & sleeps under/next to my bed when I need a nanna nap. After pissing on the carpet twice, he has now taken himself to the bathroom, where I secure him when I go out & pissed on newspapers that I put over a bath mat, without ever showing him. Who else here gets 'visited' in their dreams by their fur family who've passed over to the other side?

G'day Willem. You've well & truly stirred up a hornets nest with this thread, lol. Strongly held convictions from both sides of the argument. Why oh why do so many animal lovers think that butchering an animal unnecessarily is the way to go? My opinion is that castration is a means of last resort. Only if it's absolutely necessary. Looking for a new companion recently, I went to the local pound where there was this beautiful, self-assured 18 month old German Shepard. While the other dogs were yapping their heads off at nothing in particular, this handsome, intact boy just sat, observing the immediate activity around him with relaxed interest. Exactly the kind of dog I was looking for. With cash in hand, I was told that he 'was not ready yet' because he hadn't been castrated. There was "no way possible", that I could take him home intact (Hadn't even thought of a vasectomy but it wasn't offered as an option, which I would've gladly paid for) The GSD was eventually re-homed. When I discovered that ALL shelters & pounds castrate dogs before going to a new home, I rejected 'rescue' as a possibility & eventually brought home a Rotti pup a fortnight ago from a breeder. It's sad that proven responsible dog owners are not given the option of rescuing an intact dog. In over 40 years of dog ownership, only one of my dogs was ever picked up by animal control. An adopted Staffy X escape artist that had been abandoned (a beautiful animal that was as stubborn & headstrong as they get - obedient until left alone) who never became pregnant because I built an escape proof 'run' for her (after her pound experience) My last dog, a 50kg Rotti, was intact & lived to 14yo. He never once got out to menace the neighbourhood despite many opportunities to do so (on one occasion I'd forgotten to shut the front door while running late for work. Came home 10 hours later with both the front & screen doors wide open, with Ponti guarding the doorway) If a system was employed where new owners of rescued dogs were given the opportunity to prove that they were responsible owners, with adequate yard security &/or an enclosed run, how many more pound puppies/dogs would be found new homes? They could implement a 'one strike & off to surgery' rule.

Do I believe in reincarnation? Absolutely. I've seen over 15 of my past lives & have helped others to witness hundreds of theirs. Over 7 years ago, I lost my beautiful Rotti at 14yo. There was no way that I could ever replace him, he was that special. I've thought of him fondly everyday since, knowing without doubt that he'd be waiting for me when it's my time to pass over. Over the last several months, I kept getting the feeling that a new companion would not replace Ponti, but fill the void left by his absence. Over the preceding 7 years, Ponti would visit me in my dreams, but I'd become upset because at some level I'd be aware that I hadn't been buying him food, although he looked healthy & happy. Since then, I wouldn't remember the dream, but would awake feeling really happy, knowing that he had visited me during the night to check in on me. It sounds weird, I know. A month or so back I awoke knowing that Ponti had 'told me' that I need a new mate (Ponti always considered it his duty in life to take care of me) I'm an amputee & have a bulging disc in my back, a puppy was not an option so I was looking for an 18 month old. No-way could I have a pup, the thought was impractical & ludicrous. Long story short, a series of synchronicities led me to the most amazing 8 week old pup. Zagan had chosen me & I couldn't say no. Zagan seems to be aware that I have a disability & does not squirm nor lift his head when I step over or around him. He's slept for 6-7 hours straight every night over the last 2 weeks without any accidents. Zagan settles down next to me & sleeps while I have a nanna nap. He never whinges or whines (except for when I put him in the bathroom when I have to leave him alone but settles himself quickly) He happily plays under the table while I'm at the computer. He's like a cheeky, rambunctious, intelligent, sweet, curious & obedient head on old shoulders. It's like he already knows me. At first I thought that Ponti had chosen Zagan for me. Yesterday I wondered for the first time if Zagan was actually Ponti returned. Then I read your thread. I don't believe in coincidence but I definitely believe in reincarnation. Time will tell me if Ponti has returned as Zagan.