How do you protect your 2-year-old daughter if you just moved into a house where a neighbor two doors down has two rottweilers and he does not put them on a leash?

Answer 1

== == * Rottweilers are unlike Dobermans and German Shepherds as well as Pitt Bulls and Dobermans were trained in many cases to be aggressive (started during the war years.) Rottweilers were actually a herding dog and the rancher would put a leather purse around the dogs neck and send the dog, alone to herd the sheep, etc., into the nearby village and return with the money from the sale. Some men are particularly bad for getting these large dogs that do look aggressive simply to look cool and here in British Columbia they are one of the breeds along with Pitt Bulls that are used in illegal crystal meth labs and Marijuana grow-ops. The dogs are beaten and sometimes starved to make them mean, so in most cases it's the owner and not the dog. * Be wary and get to know the neighbors and their dog. Most dogs (all sizes) are very protective of the property they live on and also the family they belong too. Example: What if your children were playing with your neighbors children and they got into a playful tussle. There is a risk that the Rottweiler will indeed lunge at the child. It's best to play it safe than be sorry. Children should be watched around anydog, because they can torment the animal (thinking it's fun and not realizing what they are doing) or actually be mean towards the animal. When company comes to my home with children I tell them to play gentle with my dogs and if they can't then I tell their parents my husband and I will not be responsible if the dogs possibly nipping or biting them. * Not all Rottweilers want to kill. Some are very friendly and can even be protective of their family and of children. Don't assume that just because some Rottweilers are trained to be aggressive that ALL Rottweilers are aggressive. On the other hand, it's never a good idea to just let children out with a large, unknown dog without adult supervision. Get to know the dog and the neighbor before you become too concerned about safety. === === * I assume you wouldn't ever let your two year-old play outside unsupervised so it shouldn't be an issue. Also, you need to teach her proper doggy manners starting with: Never approach a strange dog without the owner's permission. As the others have said, this is not a naturally aggressive breed. Some are and some aren't. These may be perfectly lovely dogs. Don't judge them by their breed; just don't let your daughter wander around outside on her own and she should be perfectly safe. * A responsible owner knowing there are children around the reason he has not placed them on the lead is because they are under control and well trained. My Rottie is walked even by my children with out there leads, but this is due to my knowledge that my dogs will not attack, they do not bite. We often enjoy peoples reactions to the way we can feed them Hola hops which are placed around our fingers and the dogs remove and eat them. It is all in the training, and handling. * Any breed of dog or any size can nip or bite a child and no owner can guarantee 100% that their dog will not bite. It's important to teach your child the rules of being around any dog. More than once I've had parents let their children run up to my dogs and put their faces down to them. My dogs are well trained, but I correct the parents and tell them to please not let their children run up to a strange dog and most importantly let the child put their face up to the dog (for some dogs this is an out and out challenge and other dogs may not be use to children.