I was going to post that the OP should have a local vet check the dog out also. I guess telling the OP that veterinarians check for hip dysplasia is also not part of the information he wants. If I wanted a quality Rottweiler, and I wouldn't for any reason, I would find a puppy in the local area that looks good to me and ask the breeder if I can have a vet check the puppy out. That would be less traumatic for the puppy, I would get a healthier dog and spend less money.

hi tony, I'm on your side. Obviously the cultural bias in this thread is USA all the way. Here in Mexico, most people don't give a ^#%@#$ what you do with a dog. And I don't see any cruelty in your plans.

Might be a nice dog but within five years that is when problems start to show. I hope yours does not have problems. As I said even with testing there are no guarntees

Hip dysplasia develops in young growing dogs, and signs maybe noticed as early as four to six weeks of age. However, there is no link between age and severity of this condition which means a very young puppy can be debilitated very early. In other cases dogs may not show any abnormalities until one or two years of age and in some cases may not become painful and lame until they are geriatric (6-10 years of age depending on breed). Here are some signs you should look out for:-

http://www.peteducation.com/...c=2+2084&aid=444

Hip dysplasia can be found in dogs, cats, and humans, but for this article we are concentrating only on dogs. In dogs, it is primarily a disease of large and giant breeds. German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, Rottweilers, Great Danes, Golden Retrievers, and Saint Bernards appear to have a higher incidence, however, these are all very popular breeds and may be over represented because of their popularity. On the other hand, sighthounds such as the Greyhound or the Borzoi have a very low incidence of the disease. This disease can occur in medium-sized breeds and rarely in small breeds. It is primarily a disease of purebreds although it can happen in mixed breeds, particularly if it is a cross of two dogs that are prone to developing the disease.

Nutrition: It appears that the amount of calories a dog consumes and when in the dog's life those calories are consumed have the biggest impact on whether or not a dog genetically prone to hip dysplasia will develop the disease.

Exercise: Exercise may be another risk factor. It appears that dogs that are genetically susceptible to the disease may have an increased incidence of disease if they over-exercised at a young age. But at the same time, we know that dogs with large and prominent leg muscle mass are less likely to contract the disease than dogs with small muscle mass.


(This post was edited by Rolly on Aug 28, 2011, 2:01 PM)

I hope your perroto survives the trip, that it doesn't acquire any mental anguish from its stay in the cargo hold, remains healthy and survives many years in an environment for which it's DNA and immune system are not used too.

Another ignorant gringo heading down.... don't we already have enough?