two week old rottweiller - no mom will she have behavior problems

by komolo
(union)

My two week old rottweiler has no mom, no litter mates only a kitten, will she grow up ok.

We take her to the vet regularly they said she'll be fine is she going to be okay?




Hi Komolo
There are some behavior issues that you tend to see with pups who have been taken from their mom (or lost their mom) too early, but these are avoidable to some extent and shouldn't have long-term or serious consequences if you're aware of them and are proactive in tackling them.

Excessive biting or 'mouthing' is the most common one, as a pup without littermates to play with, often has trouble learning 'bite inhibition' and proper social interactions with other dogs. However, your pup has a kitten to play with, so that makes a reasonable substitute for a puppy brother or sister, and the kittens claws will act as a siblings teeth in terms of correcting your pup when he gets too excited or bites too hard.

I'd also recommend that you read my Stop Puppy Biting page and make sure that you use the proper corrections and discourage any tendencies towards this behavior from day one.

Excessive fearfulness and difficulty in interacting with other dogs is another problem that's sometimes seen in these pups. However, you can most definitely take steps towards preventing this by making sure your pup gets lots of socialization experiences and learns to be around other dogs, people, and new places and situations as much as possible. REMEMBER though, until she's had all her puppy vaccinations she's at risk of disease, so keep her away from other dogs or open, public places until then. I think you'll find this page (and the other pages it links to) helpful when it comes to socialization... How To Socialize Your Puppy

As your pup is getting regular veterinary care and seems to be healthy, and you're aware of the possible problems she may face behaviorally, I think you're in excellent shape to give her a great life and let her fulfill her potential. Personally, I think she's going to turn out just fine and I wish you all the luck in the world.

Enjoy that puppy, she's lucky to have such a loving and caring home.