Hello

Me and my partner are getting our first dog in a year or so and a year ago we chose the Rottweiler after reading lots of books and meeting lots at shows. We are dedicated to the breed and are currently reading dog behaviour books , we were going to get the help of a good behaviorist to help us when the pup is young to help us turn him into a happy well behaved dog. But we have a friend who has a rottie who has told us to start with an easier breed and shes even ask on Rottweiler facebook group and they also advised to start with an easier breed and then get the Rottweiler second. Some said that reading is not enough even with the help of a trainer and that when your a first time dog owner you dont know what sort of dog handler\trainer you'll be and you dont want to get anything wrong with a rottie.

I wanted to see if there are any Rottweiler owners here who agree and if theres any behaviourists or trainers and if they agree too.

If you did agree we have found another breed we really like thats easier and thats the golden retriever.

Good that you are doing research but I'd recommend a Golden Retriever.

I would heartily recommend a golden retriever too. They are more forgiving of mistakes then a rottie. As always make sure you buy a puppy from breeders who health test the parents.

I'm another for a Golden Retriever if you are first time dog owners.   I have an internet friend who is into Rotties and works at rehabs coming from situations where they went wrong.   Lots of them.   In my opinion, which is all it can be, this isn't a breed for the inexperienced, even with books and a trainer!

Forgot to say were also looking at the Eurasier so between the eurasier and the Golden retriever. We know eurasiers are a little stubborn and wont be as easy as the golden but a family member reccomended them so were researching them too.

Having lived with a breed labelled with 'stubborn' since 1972 I can say if you get stubborn, you need to change your approach to what you want.   In other words, I don't 'accept' stubborn - just make them thing what you want is their idea.   Then there's no battle!!

Thanks mamabas, a lot of eurasier owners have told us that , that stubborn doesnt mean hard. A few rottie owners told my friend on facebook that a eurasier would be a good choice to prepare for a rottie and a few said they eurasier is still a good choice for a first time owner.

Some eurasiers are also eager to please so not all are stubborn. We do prefer the eurasier between the 2.

https://forum.champdogs.co.uk/topic_show.pl?tid=151865

If this would be your first dog, then I guess a healthy Golden would be a good bet. We've had three Rotties over the last thirty or so years & their character & in particular, their sense of humour is something else.
We've found them very easy to keep, easier than a GSD for instance, as Judy Elsden says in her excellent book, nice sensible people bring up nice sensible Rottweilers.

I'd go for a golden, I love rotties but they do need careful rearing .  A golden is more forgiving of new owner mistakes.  Plus a golden can turn his paw to anything- whatever you fancy doing with a dog a golden will be up for it, fireside companion, long hikes, obedience training, running, scent discrimination, low level agility, showing, holidays away.

A huge advantage with a golden is the general public is not frightened of them.  I have met a few people with big dogs of less loved breeds who have terrible trouble with random people running into road when they see their nice dog as scared of it.  That can effect temperament of dog and makes it harder to have days out with your dog if general public frequently view your dog as scary.   ie pub gardens will often let a golden in but not a breed they view as less friendly;

Another advantage is they are popular so plenty of top notch breeders breeding them so you can find a really good one. Some of the more unusual breeds you might have to wait years to find a good breeder with a litter

> Some of the more unusual breeds you might have to wait years to find a good breeder with a litter

I would disagree.

I have a numerically small breed, bred almist exclusively by breed club members that are required to abide by a strict code of ethics, and peer ptessure alone means health testing is universal.

Yes litters are far and few between, but are if a higher standard than in popular breedsbwherebdemand means poor breeders can still easily find buyers.

What I am saying is than lesser known breefs are often bred almist exclusively by true breed enthusiasts.

I'd go for the Eurasier, but then I love Spitz breed character, a companion rather than a servant.

Thanks Brainless, we prefer the eurasier too. We really like the spritz character and im pretty sure we'll be picking the eurasier.

every breeder will have a different view but if as adults neither of you have owned a dog before and don't work in the pet world then i would look at something easier. If you get it wrong with a Rottweiler it can quickly lead into problems.
They are a great breed but in most general terms they aren't what I would call a 1st time dog for most. When people allow the likes of their pet Lab run around a park going up to all and sundry this is not something you really can be allowing your Rott to do, the stigma is still there and if anything happens the Rott is always to blame.
Maybe go and meet a local breeder and see their dogs and have a good chat. You need to consider warts and all with any breed you choose and a good breeder will and should be willing to tell you the downsides of the breed as well as the good.

Thank you to everyone who replied and gave advice. We have done a lot of talking and thinking and have decided on the eurasier as we prefer them and feel they suit us more. And rottie owners have told us the eurasier is still a better choice for a first dog than the rottie. So we are happy with the eurasier.

I have met a few people with big dogs of less loved breeds who have terrible trouble with random people running into road when they see their nice dog as scared of it.

Just read your comment  .... about 25 yrs ago I had my 1st GSD and daughter had a Rott  ... we found it amusing that walking round a Sunday market it was like the parting of the red sea with people making way for them  ... both dogs loved people - the Rott especially who was known to walk into oildrum bins around the place as she was desparately looking about to find someone who would fuss her. but in the run-up to xmas she had a set of antlers attached to her headcollar and some bells on her harness and same people were almost shoving kids if her face to 'say hello to the reindeer/dog'