Allerzeit

I am so very, very sorry persephone RIP Dulcie and bubs, may you travel swiftly to the bridge

Best. Photo. Ever!

Awwwww - there's my favourite grotty boy! Just goes to show, a real man CAN wear fairy wings and a tutu

Enya and Molly sleep on the bed, Neo sleeps on a dog bed on the floor at the side of our bed. Radar and Feonix won't sleep inside, so they sleep in their run outside.

We cremated our last three, and we will keep doing this. I feel much happier knowing I can take their boxes with me when I move, and I feel a comfort having their boxes in the crystal cabinet

I'm so sorry for your loss, Anne Godspeed Beau, play hard at the bridge

Jed, what a brilliant post! Your posts are always well worth taking note of, but that one even moreso.

They must do, Ashli

How long is a piece of string? I can only answer for myself - our pups are normally around $1,000. We don't charge more for show potential pups, but we do discount if the pup has a major fault such as a white patch or overshot mouth. I commonly hear of prices up into the $2,500 - $3,500 range.

It depends on the line and on the dog Some Rottys are happy to laze the day away and won't give a toss if they miss their walk, others will drive you batty if you miss it.

I've never had a Rottweiler with a cruciate problem, but I do hear of it regularly. It may be that it is an issue in certain bloodlines, or it may be because of the size of the breed, or a combination of both. There is. The correct coat is smooth and harsh. It is also common to see a heavy "European" coat, which is thicker - but not long - and might have wave through it, but this is not the ideal coat. Longcoats also pop up every now and then, more commonly in some lines than others. A longcoat is a disqualification fault.

1. What is my relationship with the breed? (ie breeder, first time owner etc) I've been involved with the Rottweiler since 1974, as a toddler, when my parents started breeding and showing under the Allerhochst prefix. I began breeding and showing under my own prefix in 1989 at the age of 18. 2. Where and why was the breed first developed? The breed is one of the oldest recognised breeds, dating back to Roman times when it was used by the Roman armies to guard the camps and drove cattle. The breed was refined into what we have today in the German city of Rottweil, where it was used primarily as a Butcher's Dog - "Metzgerhund" - performing the functions of droving cattle to market and guarding the days takings in a bag around his neck on the way home. He also became known as a useful draught dog, pulling carts of produce for butchers, bakers, milkmen, etc. Eventually railroads and draught animals, such as Donkeys, made the Rottweiler's droving and draughting abilities obselete, and the numbers of the breed declined dramatically, until in the early 1900's they became recognised as valuable guard and working dog for the police services. 3. How common is it in Australia? The breed is pretty common, numbers are not as high as they used to be, but that's not always a bad thing. 4. What is the average lifespan? 8 - 10 years, although I tend to think we are starting to see an improvement in lifespan and I think more and more breeders are starting to factor lifespan into account when choosing breeding combinations. 5. What is the general temperament/personality? Confident, loyal, outgoing. Very intelligent. Strong willed and needs to know who his pack leader is, or he will take over that role. Rottweilers are people dogs and love to be where their pack is. 6. How much daily exercise is needed for the average adult? A good daily walk, and a play in the yard is normally sufficient, particularly if combined with mental stimulation as well. 7. Is it a breed that a first time dog owner could easily cope with? No, I don’t recommend the Rottweiler for a first time dog owner. He is a strong willed breed, and will happily walk over any owner who is not confident in his pack leadership abilities. 8. Can solo dogs of this breed easily occupy themselves for long periods? I’ll leave this to others, I’ve never had a solo dog. Anecdotally, people who have purchased pups from me as sole dogs have never had a problem with them being alone for long periods. 9. How much grooming is required? Minimal – a light brush every now and then and a wash if the dog needs it. Ours often only get a bath before a dog show, and they might be 6 months apart. 10. Is it too boisterous for very small children or for infirm people (unless the dog is well trained)? Due to size and strength, yes most likely. Although they are a breed that loves children and is very good with them, they are also very large and could unintentionally hurt a small child or infirm person. 11. Are there any common hereditary problems a puppy buyer should be aware of? Hip and elbow displaysia, OCD, entropian and ectropian are particular issues in this country. Although not necessarily hereditary, Rottweilers can also be also prone to bloat and cancer, particularly osteosarcoma. 12. When buying a puppy, what are the things you should ask of the breeder? (eg what health tests have been done (if applicable) and what is an acceptable result to those tests so the buyer has an idea of what the result should be) Ensure you see copies of both parents Hip and Elbow scores – according to the National Rottweiler Council of Australia guidelines, the combined hip score of both parents should be no more than 20. I personally don’t like to see any dog above 10. Ensure you see the Eye and Mouth certificate for each parent – this is a form, completed by a vet, showing that the parents do not suffer from entropian or ectropian, and that they have correct dentition. Expect a health guarantee – these vary, but most cover some sort of refund if the dog develops HD, ED, Entropian or Ectropian as a minimum.

Radar and Feonix have both had cold tail - they did have to insist on playing outside during the night in a freezing thunderstorm, instead of staying dry. Neither of them exhibited any pain response with it, but Rottys are very stoic so it doesn't mean there wasn't some pain. No swelling, but the appearance is as you described - tail held relatively normally at the base, and then dropping off to a "dead" tail after 10cm or so. They both recovered without any assistance, Feonix was back to normal in a couple of days Radar took around 4 - 5 days to get his tail right back up.

A year, already? Thinking of you, Anne :D :D

My heart absolutely breaks for you, Nekhbet :laugh: I think your idea to make a website about Diesel is a good one - even if your and Diesel's experience can educate one person on the horrors that irresponsible breeding can create, then it would make his life have more meaning. Bloody unfair! I'm so frustrated, angry and heartbroken for you Please give Diesel gentle cuddles from all of us over here

Oooooh ..... that'd be great for those who might be on diets but miss the taste sensations of those 'bad for diets' foods!! Now I LOVE this idea! I could just see myself smooshing chocolate onto my DMSO covered hand

The difference with DMSO, as I understand it, is that it is more readily and easily absorbed into the skin and doesn't rely on sweat glands as a route for absorption - this is something our dog chiro told us about quite a few years ago, so I can't remember the specifics, sorry

Sending lots of mental ;) and to both you and to Molly. I will be thinking of you and hoping for the best.

I've been thinking of you and just wanted to send you and Mark some more

I'm so sorry to hear that your path with Jess has reached an end for now, and that it is now time for her to make her way to the bridge :) Rest peacefully at the Rainbow Bridge, Jess :D

I'm no longer weighing pups at 6 weeks, because they are too big and hard to keep still But I would say around 5 - 6kg for a 6 week old Rotty pup

Dogy chiro's can be magical in the things they sometimes find when everything else has come back clear, so I can highly recommend giving one a go I'm not in Melbourne, but I'm sure someone from Melbourne will pop in and recommend one to you soon. I don't know if your breeder has discussed this with you or not, but having two large breed pups rough playing together is not a good idea as they are growing - it's almost asking for injuries and growth problems. I would recommend that you prevent rough play between them as much as possible, and particularly while your boy is limping.

Enya fouled the ring in her one attempt at Novice - she was already failing in the most spectacular fashion, so by the time she fouled the ring it was all the judge and I could do to not collapse on the ground in laughter Oh gawd, I shouldn't be thinking of that right now - she's back in the trial ring next weekend

I'm so sorry to hear that your journey together is reaching the end Elliot is certainly a grand old gentleman - 17, what a wonderful age, and a wonderful life he has had with you, I'm sure He will be welcomed with open paws by many friends, old and new, at the bridge for his next journey

If you get a chance, pop into your local health food store and get some Slippery Elm powder (or tablets if they don't have powder). Slippery Elm is totally natural and brilliant for stomach upsets, including diarrhea