The news of two pet Rottweilers mauling a 58-year-old worker to death in a farm near Chidambaram, in Cuddalore district, last week has sent shock waves through people. It was reported that the dogs chased the man, attacked him, and bit his ear off after their feed got delayed. This is not the first reported incident of assaults by Rottweilers. It was only two years ago that two pet Rottweilers were mauled to death by a 68-year-old woman in Avadi, Chennai. And a few years ago, two Rottweilers in Arakkonam mauled to death their owner when he had gone to feed them. The latest incident has once again put the focus back on Rottweilers and their suitability as pets.
“Rottweilers were originally used to pull carts to the market, herd animals and guard the home and farm. They were used as working dogs,” says Mini Vasudevan, an animal activist and founder of Humane Animal Society, “For many, their dark and sturdy features can come across as a bit terrifying. But I would say that Rottweilers are a breed that is gravely misunderstood. Rotts can be fiercely loyal to the family.”
Manoj says that training these dogs is a must. “If you want your Rott to guard your house but you allow them to socialize with everyone, the purpose would be defeated. Dogs need to be trained to listen to your command and should be made to understand from a young age that you are the one calling the shots and not vice versa. Rottweilers are extremely intelligent and can be trained easily,” he says.
Agreeing with him is Nalin, who says, “The best time to start training a Rott is when they are four months old. Whenever they tend to get a bit aggressive, work them up. I have a controlled environment at home and I leave them unleashed. They run around and get exhausted after a while. If you don’t have a facility like that, take them out for a long walk and tire them out.”
Countries where Rottweilers are banned
Ecuador
France
Israel
Italy
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Spain
Ukraine
Many states in the USA
