Rescuing a rotty any advice is helpful

roeboat21

roeboat21

Member
Feb 29, 2008
110
0
#1
So, this girl that I used to work with decided she wanted a puppy. She lives with her bf and I guess she didn't understand that dogs are people to cause she didn't tell him that she was getting one, just showed up with the pup. So her bf freaks out cause she leaves for 2 weeks to go work in NOLA and leaves him the pup to take care of...that he didnt want in the first place. She never talked it over with him or anything, just sprang it on like hey surprise I got you a puppy.

Ok, so I was talking to the bf and telling him, you need to crate train her if your going to keep her inside and he doesn't listen to me at all. Instead he blocks off places and lets her go wherever. He is pissed he has the pup and shes not there to help or to take care of her since she wanted the pup in the first place. I told him he needed to tell her his feelings cause if not he was just going to end up resenting everything and hating the puppy. So they got into a fight etc etc and she is like get rid of her blah blah. I told him months ago, if you guys decide you don't want to keep her and can't find a good home WE will take her. I can't just let a puppy be thrown around, I am such a softy.

So she gets back, they talk and try to work things out and this is 3 months later and guess what..I get a phone call, do you want to take this dog? When I had first talked to him about back in Jan I didn't know I was pregnant. I am not two and a half months pregnant and I was at first like no we can't afford another dog at the moment.

Well my husband gets home from work yesterday and I just feel awful how they are treating her, just get rid of it is their point of view. So I talk to my husband and tell him the situation and he was like well, if they want to meet us halfway..we live like almost 6 hours away..then we can take her.

So, I call them and tell them the deal, if you meet halfway we will take her, they didn't want any money for her or anything they just want to get rid of her. It's so sad...

What makes me so mad about it all is the fact that NOW they are trying to crate her and she keeps messing in her crate...they have no patience for the pup and just can't deal with it.

So, My question is.....advice. Anyone who has any advice in rotts please give me some. This puppy will be a indoor doggy just like our hunters, she will be raised with all kinds of love and attention. We treat our animals as if they were people.

A little info about me, I am pregnant and due end of Oct, we have a 3 yr old choc lab who is a big baby and loves anyone and everyone and kitty that is 1 that I adopted from the pound last year, she will adjust it will just take some time lol.
 
#2
First of all it's great thing your doing saving the puppy. I feel like rotties don't get the support they need just because they are big dog. Also I think as long as she's still a puppy you'll be fine. Just train her like you have in the past with your dogs, she isn't any different then them. She'll just be a larger dog. But of course your going to have to walk her a lot since she'll have more energy than your current dogs. I've seen full grown rotties pull small red wagons with children in them, they are working dogs so they really enjoy that kind of labor. Besides it makes them calmer and helps to drain energy. I would recommend walking her with a dog backpack as well, it'll help her focus more and watch Cesar Milan! He does a lot of rottie training (which is where I got all my tips from). Good luck and post pictures when you get her! I would love to see the puppy! :nuts:
 
#3
At 3 months old, you may need to take some days off work to properly housetrain the new pup.
If they have been letting her go wherever :cursing: she has been confined, shes not going to easily get the concept of going outside unless someone is around to let her out when she needs to go. It won't take long, but it probably needs to be done .
I think its wonderful that you are taking this girl from these people.
Rotties are great with kids when brought up properly.:heart:
 
#4
I am home all the time, searching for a job now blah, so it will be easy for me to retrain her. I am not too sure how old she is at the moment. She might be 5-6 months and even then I will let her know her boundaries and what not. I LOVE big dogs..my husband had to talk me out of a great dane, and every rottie I have met has been nothing but a big chicken and sweetheart. We are complete animal lovers...my husband cries at movies that kill the doggy..its so cute...sooo she will def get lots of love and attention and everything. I am pregnant so I am trying to take walks around my neighborhood everyday and take Hunters with me. I have to use a gentle leader with him anytime he needs to be leashed cause he wasn't trained to walk properly..thanks to DH. So, I will be sure to train this one properly. Also will it be hard to change her name? We don't really like the name they have given her but I do not know how they have responded to her at all if she even knows it or not.

And what is a dog backpack?
 
#5
It won't be hard to change her name. Just keep saying her new name and she'll get used to it. Like "good girl____" and you'll be fine. She's still young, so it shouldn't be that hard. I know people have changed the name of a dog at like 6 years old so no biggie.

Here's a link to a dog backpack at I found on a website:
http://www.dog.com/ItemDetail.aspx?ItemNo=320259 SM

It's one of the better ones I've seen. It's supposed to be like a physically thing with the dog so she feels like she has a job to do and will be more focused on that then like say chasing the squirrel or pulling on the lease. If you put like four water bottles in it, it'll create weight to it's more work for her to do. If you walk the dog for like 30 minutes, with the backpack it'll feel like an hour so it's better.

Rotties are working dogs so they need a job. I have a boxer and they're working dogs too but she's still a puppy. When she gets bigger I'm going to get her a backpack and put her water bottle, toys, ball, whatever like if I'm walking to the park etc. It'll keep your hands free too!
 
#7
Just a little note about the dog messing in her crate ....
The crate she is in must be too big. Dogs are generally very particular about keeping their sleeping area clean. As long as the crate is big enough for her to stand up in and turn around it is fine. It sounds like you will be fine with your new Rottie as you already have a lab. Although, training a lab is easy because they are considered very eager to please. Rotties can be a bit more difficult. Just make sure she gets lots or exercise and you are consistent. The doggie backpack is a brilliant idea. Keep that dog working!
 
#8
Yeah, I dunno what size the crate is. We shall see when she gets ahold of me to find out when we can meet. I can't wait to get her though. Thanks for all the help guys!
 
#9
roeboat21 said:
Yeah, I dunno what size the crate is. We shall see when she gets ahold of me to find out when we can meet. I can't wait to get her though. Thanks for all the help guys!
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You're doing a good thing especially being pregnant and taking this on. I will say there are rare cases of dogs that always potty their crates. My 3 babies are completely house trained, but if I crate them (separately of course) the boston terrier always potties in her crate (its the right size too) since she was a little puppy. I get home and she'll be standing to avoid the mess. She never uses the restroom in the house otherwise, but will in her crate even 4 yrs later. If this happens (which it probably won't) just be patient because you can still housebreak her just maybe not crate her if so. Good luck and I'm sure you'll love her.
 
#10
I had a rottie and he was a found dog. About 18 months when we found him. He was trained and knew commands but someone abandoned him. He was a great dog and super protective of me. We lived out in the country and he loved to take long walks and was really strong. We had him for about 5 years and then I got pregnat and had my son and the dog started to growl at me and the baby... It was really scary. I did not feel safe with him around the baby or me. We found him a new home with people who were building a house on a few acres. Their brother baby sat the dog on his horse farm while the house was being built and this dog was more spoiled than I thought possible. So he stayed on the horse farm living the good life with 2 adults to spoil him rotten which is what he was use to. I regret giving him up but feel he grew up on land and needed to be able to have acres of land to run around on.
I think they are beautiful dogs. Mine I felt was abused as a small dog because if you tried to bend down near him he would growl or try to jump at you....it is like he was hit. He freaked out once when we were walking and I was throwing sticks to clear out the yard so I could mow it.
I wish you the best. You sound like you have a very loving home to give this dog.
 
#11
Thank you for rescuing the Rottie. I think they are such BEAUTIFUL dogs!
I personally don't have any experience with rescuing a dog, but I wanted to say congrats and thank you!
 
#12
Rotties are amazing dogs.
Thank you SO much for what you're doing.
You're a beautiful soul with everything that's on your plate already.

I know a website or two where there are some great people who will definitely help you with any questions you might have. Send a PM if you'd like and I'll direct you there.

Good luck and thank you again!
 
#13
Just a little update. I didn't end up with the puppy, she went to another friend who lived in Baltimore who wanted her from the beginning and they didn't know it. Because he really really wanted her I told them to give her to him, he is great and will take very good care of her so I don't feel like I abbandoned sp? her. Honestly, if I felt that he wasn't going to take as good of care of her as I would I wouldn't have let him take her lol. But either way she went to a great home and he babies her already! :smile: Thanks for all your advice and my husband and I have already started talking about adopting another puppy after baby is born and about a year old.
 
#14
roeboat21 said:
Just a little update. I didn't end up with the puppy, she went to another friend who lived in Baltimore who wanted her from the beginning and they didn't know it. Because he really really wanted her I told them to give her to him, he is great and will take very good care of her so I don't feel like I abbandoned sp? her. Honestly, if I felt that he wasn't going to take as good of care of her as I would I wouldn't have let him take her lol. But either way she went to a great home and he babies her already! :smile: Thanks for all your advice and my husband and I have already started talking about adopting another puppy after baby is born and about a year old.
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Thats good news. Its probably for the best until after your baby is born to not take on any additional responsibilities.
 
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