Dog Lovers/Gurus: Labradors and Rottweilers

[Warik]

Greetings canine fanatics.

My girl is crazy about getting herself a little doggy. My dad knows someone whose dog had puppies. The puppies are 4 week-old Labrador/Rottweiler mixes (not sure which breeds were the mother and the father).

Her main concern is with adult size, trainability, and aggression. My mom potty trained our family dog and he is rather docile and calm most of the time, but then again, he's a chihuahua/terrier, so I don't know how that mix is different from lab/rott. The owner claims that the pups won't grow to more than 15-18lbs at full size, and that they won't be aggressive when grown.

Naturally, I'd like some second/third/fourth opinions from people who know about these breeds.

How large will these puppies get at full adult size?

How trainable are they to do basic stuff such as poop in a litter pan and not chew things up?

Do they become very aggressive for no good reason as they age?

Thanks. Any and all information is greatly appreciated.

-Warik

 

[danielson]

as far as i know (i could be wrong )

labs- very friendly, extremely so. ive never met an evil lab very friendly




labs= pretty big dog IMHO or can be

rott= muscular

as for being vicious....i dunno. they are used as guard dogs though, must be for a reason. then again alsatians are too, and i love my doggy like no other and hes got alsatian in him

 

[spentagn]

Those dogs will be a hell of a lot larger than 18lbs. But they will be friendly. Dogs are aggressive if you train them to be. Those "puppies" will be 20 lbs within the first year and a half, if you feed them.

 

[Puc]

A friend of mine has an Akita (I think that is what it is called). Damn thing kills rots for fun... but it has a hell of a good disposition when it comes to people...

 

[the nature boy]

a lab/rott mix would be fucking awesome!!! You'll have a strong, smart dog on your hands. My folks have a lab/doberman mix. He's smart as fuck, he can be a pain to walk because we never got him to heel properly. After 10 minutes or so he calms down and doesnt try and pull you around.

When you deal with mixes you won't have a lot of the purebred issues such as hip displasia, other health problems and mental defects. I'm not the biggest expert on the subject but if you follow standard dog training methods you should have a great pooch. Post some pics when you get him or her.

 

[spentagn]

I'm not the biggest expert on the subject but if you follow standard dog training methods you should have a great pooch. Post some pics when you get him or her.

I believe they're already dating.

 

[Puc]

I believe they're already dating.

 

[the nature boy]

and if you train the dog properly he or she can sniff out cheap home theater speakers.


sorry. couldn't resist.

 

[spentagn]

and if you train the dog properly he or she can sniff out cheap home theater speakers.


sorry. couldn't resist.

That's fine. It was a lame joke, anyways.

 

[the nature boy]

That's fine. It was a lame joke, anyways.

for you maybe.

 

[spentagn]

for you maybe.

It's a good thing when you can laugh at yourself. That doesn't include jokes.

 

[the nature boy]

It's a good thing when you can laugh at yourself. That doesn't include jokes.

I joke about myself all the time. I have so much material to pull from.

 

[spentagn]

I joke about myself all the time. I have so much material to pull from.

Me, too. Thank God for a sense of humor, else I'd be one depressed muthafucka by now.

 

[Rex]

My friend's uncle has a Rott. It weighs in at 120-ish so I think that a Rott mixed with anything will weigh more than 18 lbs.

I want a pup so bad, but can't get one just yet. Looking into a Pitt when I can get one. If it was mixed with a German Shep that would be my dream dog.

 

[Boach]

It's all genetics and with genetics, comes pure luck. You can expect the dog to share traits from both breeds, but don't expect the dog to have all the traits you want!

What you'll definitely benefit from is the lack of common ailments associated with overbreeding/inbreeding, such as hip dysplasia, deafness, and arthritis. The dog shouldn't be HUGE as a rotty, but you can expect the dog to be well over 40lbs. Look at the paws as a likely indication of you aren't sure. Big paws equals big dogs!

Both Rottys and labs are generally good natured dogs if treated well so temperment shouldn't be an issue and they are both extremely intelligent animals--especially the lab. Your biggest problem is going to be it's energy level. It's going to be an extremely active animal, I can tell you this much. Expect long walks, and a big food dish!

 

[the People's Champ]

my black lab of 14 years was awesome in his prime. he probably weighed in at 100lbs at his heaviest, but he loved to jump. we had this birdcage in the back yard and everyday, you would see him jumping directly underneath the birdcage nonstop. he would not get tired. very obedient as well.

 

[LargeNCharge]

I have a lab and used to have a Rott. You can expect that dog to EASILY weigh 80 pounds, if not more. My lab is a small female and she weighs in at around 70. Our Rottweiler was also a female, but she weighed around 110. I would expect the pups to be GREAT dogs. Both breeds are very social and outgoing, but also very loyal. If you want a smaller dog, like said above, look at the paws. Get the one with small paws and get a female-they are usually smaller. Good luck!

 

[toga22]

I have a 10-month old male Yellow Lab, named Ernie.
He is about 100 pounds now, and I don't expect him to get any bigger. As far as training went...potty training was a breeze. And most of the basic commands and house rules he picked up on very quickly.

And he is a very friendly dog. As far as protective however, all I can say is that I am lucky that he has a loud bark. LOl....

I do not kennel him, and he is very good in the house. He does not come on the carpet, or sit on furniture. And he is not a begger...which is my biggest pet peeve with dogs. He loves his outside time and is a very good running partner with a lot of endurance. However, remember that labs are hunting dogs, and swimmers...so he can become distracted easily by wildlife.

I had him "fixed" at 6 months, and even though he was good before....he became more calm indoors and it made him less apt to stray from his yard.

The only thing I would have done differently, is knowing that he is indoors often, I should of had his tail docked. You would probably have this done anyway though since it is a Rott mix.

Good Luck & have Fun!!
~toga

 

[Test boy]

I've got the worlds greatest dog. He is lab, rottwieler, and something else that gave him a white chest. Weighs 75 pounds and eats like a horse. Friendliest dog in the world but a great fearless watchdog.

Unbelievably intelligent...he is too smart for his own good. He licks too much but nothing is perfect. I have deliberated on methods to turn him into a female but then I would lose my dog.

 

[BigPhysicsBastard]

15-18lbs my hairy ass!!! maybe by the time it's 3 months old.....for gods sake, who was the fuking moron who told her that??? fuck, that dog is going to be a specimen. It's going to be big just from the Rott side of the family, now depending on the type of lab it is..........you may have yourself a small farm animal there. make a harness and have it pull around a john deere to mow the fucking lawn.......christ that may really be a BIG FUCKING DOG!!

 

[Warik]

Oh well... looks like the dog isn't going to happen. My girl's mom said fughettaboudit... even if it would have only weighed 15lbs (which I thought was BS from the start... my chihuahua/terrier weighs that much - imagine a rott/lab).

Thanks a lot for the info. everyone, though. My first post that I get so many replies so quickly... now if only some of you knew about fish... I wanna start an aquarium. =)

-Warik

 

[TheProject]

Here's what I know about fish: they're a giant pain in the ass.

However, here's a fun trick I learned: dated a girl for about a year, she left, didn't take her fish. She decided she wanted her shit back, so I sold the fish, dumped all the wet gravel into plastic buckets, let them sit for a nice long time, and then let her haul them back to Texas in a truck in the summertime.

Seriously, here's what I did learn about fish: freshwater are easiest to take care of, saltwater look cooler. Make sure you can mix the types of fish you buy, or the mean fish will beat the crap out of the other fish. Don't buy fish from Petland or any of those places, find a local dealer that owns his own shop. They'll be more likely to live longer, and you can often sell them back if you decide you don't want them anymore. Oh, and don't skimp on the air pumps and stuff.

Okay, there's my fish brain dump. Hope you really wanted to know...

 

[Warik]

Here's what I know about fish: they're a giant pain in the ass.

However, here's a fun trick I learned: dated a girl for about a year, she left, didn't take her fish. She decided she wanted her shit back, so I sold the fish, dumped all the wet gravel into plastic buckets, let them sit for a nice long time, and then let her haul them back to Texas in a truck in the summertime.

Seriously, here's what I did learn about fish: freshwater are easiest to take care of, saltwater look cooler. Make sure you can mix the types of fish you buy, or the mean fish will beat the crap out of the other fish. Don't buy fish from Petland or any of those places, find a local dealer that owns his own shop. They'll be more likely to live longer, and you can often sell them back if you decide you don't want them anymore. Oh, and don't skimp on the air pumps and stuff.

Okay, there's my fish brain dump. Hope you really wanted to know...

I've got a list of most of the stuff I'm going to buy for my first aquarium. I'm looking at about $300-$325 for everything from scratch. Looking to start a 29 gallon freshwater tank with barbs and tetras. Met some dude online who has been keeping fish for 30 years so he's giving me kickass info. I'm buying an excessively powerful filter and pump to keep the thing clean. I think I've found myself a new hobby, albeit an expensive one.

I plan to take mega pics... hehehe.

-Warik

 

[TheProject]

I've got a list of most of the stuff I'm going to buy for my first aquarium. I'm looking at about $300-$325 for everything from scratch. Looking to start a 29 gallon freshwater tank with barbs and tetras. Met some dude online who has been keeping fish for 30 years so he's giving me kickass info. I'm buying an excessively powerful filter and pump to keep the thing clean. I think I've found myself a new hobby, albeit an expensive one.

I plan to take mega pics... hehehe.

-Warik

I'm trying to remember what all we had. 3 aquariums, a 10, 20, and a 50 gallon, I think. We did have some tetras, but as I recall, they didn't get all that big. I wanted bigger fish. We had a lot of cichlids, some angelfish, and I don't remember what all else. African cichlids have the best color, IMHO, of the freshwater fish, but they're supposedly the most difficult to keep alive.

Good to have someone that can give you quality advice. There's all sorts of people that have pets; some of them know what they're doing.

 

[Warik]

I'd like to have big fish, but that means fewer fish unless I get a larger aquarium - something I don't have room to do. Besides, most of the big fish are aggressive. I'm a newbie at this so I don't have the time or skill to deal with aggressive fish. I'm told that tetras and barbs are very docile and that there are various kinds of them, so I should have plenty to enjoy. Supposedly I can fit 20 or so full grown ones in my tank due to my more powerful filtration and air circulation. Yeehaw

-Warik

 

[TheProject]

I'd like to have big fish, but that means fewer fish unless I get a larger aquarium - something I don't have room to do. Besides, most of the big fish are aggressive. I'm a newbie at this so I don't have the time or skill to deal with aggressive fish. I'm told that tetras and barbs are very docile and that there are various kinds of them, so I should have plenty to enjoy. Supposedly I can fit 20 or so full grown ones in my tank due to my more powerful filtration and air circulation. Yeehaw

-Warik

The agressive fish are kinda fun. We mixed a few angelfish in with the cichlids. The black angelfish lived a long time, but eventually succumbed. The white one lived until all the fish got sold. The guy at the shop that bought them was surprised the the angel was still alive at all. Someone told my ex they would cohabitate, and it didn't work out that way.

They were fun to look at when I didn't have to take care of them.

 

[KAYNE]

YOU HAVE A GIRL???


IF THE GUY TOLD YOU THAT A ROTT/LAB PUPPY WOULDNT GET ABOVE 15-18 LBS, HE IS SMOKING CRACK!!!


I HAVE A FULL BRED GERMAN ROTTWEILER AND MY MOM HAS A LITTLE SCHNAUZER. THEY GET ALONG FINE. MY DOG WILL PRETTY MUCH TRY TO KILL ANY DOG HE SEES EXCEPT MY MOMS DOG. SHE BITES HIS ASS EVERY DAY AND ALL HE DOES IS PLAY WITH HER. EVEN WHEN SHE HURTS HIM, HE DOESNT GET ROUGH WITH HER. SHE FITS IN HIS MOUTH BUT HE NVR PUTS PRESSURE. GOD I LOVE MY SON!!!


KAYNE

 

[MasterMind]

Who knows what the results are when you mix breeds....actually a pure breed rott is acutally a very friendly dog and a lab is a very friendly dog.....but like I said it never is good to mix a rott with anything else....of course the proper training can turn any dog into an obidient one....

 

[Boach]

I'm a regular doctor fucking dolittle. I can answer your questions about almost any animal! How big is your tank?

 

[Boach]

Oops, just saw your post. There's NO way you're gonna start a 29 gallon tank with just 300 bucks, even if it is freshwater. It's gonna cost you at least $450.