Rottweiler pros and cons
There are many advantages to Rottweilers. The positives of owning a Rottweiler include the dog's great potential as a guard dog. Rottweilers are protective of their owners and make great personal protection dogs with proper training. Other advantages of Rottweilers include a loyal family dog, highly intelligent and fun to be around. Suspicious around strangers, Rottweilers tend to be affectionate and loving towards their families. In the right hands Rottweilers can be trained to a high standard.
Rottweiler cons include the dog's dominant temperament and not all owners can successfully handle this stong minded dog. Disadvantages to owning a Rottweiler include difficulties in handling a large and willful dog. Some Rottweilers may develop aggression issues that can be difficult to correct. Rottweilers shed a lot and require frequent brushings to manage the shedding. Rottweilers are active dogs that require daily exercise. Potential owners need to be prepared to spend a considerable time every day on walking and exercising the dog. This is not an ideal breed for living in an apartment. Rottweiler owners may have to deal with destructive dog behavior when a Rottweiler doesn't get enough physical activity and mental stimulation during the day, which is another disadvantage. Working adults who do not have the time to commit to this demanding breed should not get a Rottweiler. This breed is not ideal for seniors and for families with young kids. An ideal owner has experience with large and strong minded breeds such as the Rottweiler. First time dog owner may not be able to control this dominant dog. Confrontational approach does not produce best results when training a Rottweiler. Instead, the dog needs an owner who has a calm and assertive energy and can earn the dog's respect.
The Rottweiler is one of the oldest of herding breeds. Roman drover dog (the ancestor of the Rottweiler), was a mastiff-type dog that was a dependable, rugged dog with great intelligence and guarding instinct. Strong drover dogs were used by the Roman army to keep the herds of cattle together and to guard the herds at night. Rottweilers are naturally alert and make excellent guard dogs. Potential owners need to be aware that a Rottweiler is a demanding breed that requires extensive socialization, training and attention every day. This is not an ideal breed for a novice dog owner, unfamiliar with the dominant temperament that Rottweilers are known for.
Rottweiler size
Rottweiler weight
Rottweiler male weight: 50 to 60 kg (110 to 130 lb)
Rottweiler female weight: 35 to 48 kg (77 to 106 lb)
Rottweiler size
Rottweiler male height: 61 to 69 cm (24 to 27 in)
Rottweiler female height: 56 to 63 cm (22 to 25 in)
Rottweiler double coat: Short, hard and thick
Rottweiler color: Black and tan or black and mahogany
How many puppies do Rottweilers have on average?
Rottweiler litter size: average 8 to 12 although larger litters are known
Rottie life span
Rottweiler life span: 9 to 10 years
Other names for the Rottweiler breed: Rottie, Rott, Rotweiller and Rotweiler
How much does a Rottweiler cost?
Rottweiler puppy price starts at $850 and up depending on many factors
Rottweiler shedding
Do Rottweilers shed? Abundant shedding is one of the disadvantages of owning a Rottweiler dog. Rottweilers shed heavily twice a year (in the spring and in the fall) and will require regular brushing. Daily brushing will help to save you the cleaning time around the house as using appropriate grooming brushes helps to remove the loose hair.
Hertzko is a great deshedding tool that removes up to 95 percent of shedded hair from the dog coat. This gentle yet effective brush is a must have item for Rottweiler dog owners.
Furminator deshedding tool for Rottweilers
Besides brushing a Rottweiler daily to help manage the shedding, providing the dog with fresh drinking water at all times helps to keep the dog's skin and coat healthy. Nutritious diet is also important to maintain Rottie's skin and coat in best condition.
Rottweiler temperament pros and cons
The Rottweiler's temperament is confident and fearless. Very alert and quickly reacts to changes in the surroundings. Protective dogs that will defend their family and territory. The Rottweiler excels at being a watch dog and a guard dog. The watchful Rottweiler has an acute sense of possession of its pack and of things it thinks are his. The Rott is predisposed to protecting his territory and his pack and can show hostile behavior towards strangers who approach the territory which the dog considers its own. The dog will show his intent to protect his territory and family with all his strength and courage.
Fearless temperament and dominant nature of the Rottweiler make this dog an excellent guard. Rotties are not suitable to live in an apartment. This big dog needs plenty of space. A Rottweiler needs a securely fenced yard and daily exercise. Classified as a working breed, the Rottweiler is genetically predisposed and built both physically as well as in temperament to have a strong work attitude. The Rottweilers were used as drover dogs and the breed needed superb strength to successfully carry out heavy tasks. The drover dogs were expected to drive herds of cattle perhaps 40 miles (around 65 km) a day. The modern day Rottweilers also require plenty of physical activity during the day. Puppies under a year old should have their exercise limited to prevent damage to their growing bones. A Rottweiler is a medium-large to large size dog with a compact and powerful body. The Rottweiler has 328 pounds of pressure in the bite which is stronger than that in Pit Bull and German shepherd.
This strong dog needs a calm and firm owner who is willing to invest plenty of time into training and socializing him. It is important for the Rottweiler to have a clear task within a pack and to have a close, collaborative relationship with the owner. Potential owner needs to know that Rottweilers can be very dominant, especially adolescent Rottweiler males. Young Rottweilers should never be allowed to develop bad habits that are difficult to break in maturity. If you are buying a Rottweiler from a breeder, buy from responsible breeders who make good temperament a priority.
Are Rottweilers good with kids? Although Rottweilers can make wonderful companions for experienced owners, the breed is not ideal for families with toddlers or young kids. There's always an element of risk present with large guard dogs and children should always be supervised around the dog. For older children a Rottweiler that was socialized to the kdis from a young age can be a good companion dog, but children should not be allowed to take him outside unsupervised.
Rottweiler Aggression
The Rottweiler is an ideal dog for a person with a long experience in handling a what will turn out to be a powerful and strong-willed dog that will surely look to become a head of the new pack. A Rottweiler puppy that shows more relaxed boldness will be more ideal for a family. This robust dog breed requires diligent training from an early age throughout life. Rottweiler temperament is self-assured and laid back, and, if managed wisely, the Rottweiler knows how to be tamed inside his family. If you are looking for a top protection dog or for a dog that will guard your home, the Rottweiler may fit the bill. The Rottweiler has what takes to be the best guard dog and with proper training he will excel at protecting your property and your family. The Rottweiler's behavior is sure and strong-nerved. He is always vigilant to the surroundings. An inexperienced owner may have issues with dominance and in some cases aggressive behavior when the owner fails to establish leadership in the relationship with the dog from an early age. With a large and dominant breed such as the Rottweiler the owner needs to assume the role of a leader as soon as the puppy arrives. Always feed the dog after you and the family finished eating as in dog's world the leaders eat before the rest of the pack. Also make sure to always enter the home before the dog after walking him. This is another way to show the dog that you are the leader in the relationship.
Every dog needs to be trained to walk on a leash.
Leather dog collars, leashes, and harnesses for the Rottweiler breed
Rottweiler care
Rottweiler's teeth need daily care. Start caring for the the puppy's teeth early on. You can easily make a teething toy for your puppy by placing a tennis ball into an old sock, knot the sock to keep the ball in place, wet the whole thing and freeze. Get the dog accustomed to having his teeth brushed and provide him with chewing toys and rawhide strips.
Trim Rottweiler's nails from an early age, while the dog is more flexible and will be easier to accustom to this procedure.
Keep the dog's ears clean. Bathe him as necessary. Remember to wipe the dog's ears with a soft, clean towel after bathing to help avoid ear infections. Use ear wipes for dogs to keep his ears fresh and clean.
Due to overbreeding, the Rottweilers are prone to obesity. Be sure to provide your dog with adequate exercise and feed your dog well-balanced and age-appropriate dog food. Best dog food for a Rottweiler. Breed specific dog food for Rottweilers is a good choice as the food is designed to meet the Rottweiler's dietary needs.
Rottweiler puppy training
When you are selecting a Rottweiler puppy, be sure to pay attention to the puppy's temperament. A good family dog will be the one that does not show excessive timidity nor excessive boldness. The timidity in a puppy may indicate distrust and insecurity in the character of the dog. And excessive boldness may translate into excessive dominance as the Rottweiler puppy is turning into an adult dog. A good breeder will be able to provide you with insights into each puppy's character. This means that the breeder took the time to get to know the litter and put energy into socializing the Rottweiler puppies with humans which is very important from the early age for the character formation of the dog. A good breeder will ask you what you will expect of the dog in terms of the physical activity and work, where you live, how much time you will have for the Rottweiler and whether there are children in the family. The breeder may also ask you whether you had a dog before and what kind. The answers will help the breeder to assess your experience in handling a large size dog of strong character. These will be your guarantees of reliability. In this case trust the breeder, let the breeder point out which is the right puppy for you. Within the same litter puppies that although having the same kind of predisposition are different in levels of dominance and possessiveness. A Rottie that is already two months old that shows confidence in dominating a pack of siblings will touch our hearts and make us proud but this dog will prove unsuitable for a family with small children which ideally requires a dog as a children's game companion.
The best thing would be to make the Rottweiler puppy's arrival coincide with one of your holidays or when you have extra spare time. A dog is an animal of fixed habits and any change in the environment or its daily routine is a cause of stress for it. The small and inexperienced puppy until now psychologically relied on the security provided by its known environment. The move to the new environment away from its pack of siblings will be a reason of confusion and insecurity. If it arrives in home with everything already in place and organized, it will allow the puppy to settle into the new environment in the most gentle and serene manner possible. During the first few days avoid taking the dog out for walks or meeting other animals or humans as this may cause the puppy more stress than pleasure. Postpone meeting other people and dogs for a few days to allow your new dog get comfortable in the new environment with the least stress possible. The Rottweiler puppy must focus on you as its new pack. Another error that new owners often make with a puppy is overcuddling and overprotecting the puppy. Some tenderness is surely a good idea but be careful not to exaggerate. In addition, new owners tend to leave too much space around the new puppy when putting it on the ground, or letting the dog move all over the house or the garden is not okay. The Rottweiler puppy will certainly try to patrol the territory and a territory that is too big will be a cause of stress. The space the size of a room is more than sufficient to initiate the Rottweiler puppy to a new life, new rules, new social education and a need for a new toilet training.
Your new Rottweiler puppy has a lot to learn and it will naturally pay close attention to how you react to new stimuli. For example, if your Rottweiler puppy runs into an obstacle and knocks it over, the puppy may get frightened at first by the noise it created. If you remain calm and indifferent then the puppy learns that there's no reason to get frightened in such case and there's nothing to worry about. Do not run and pick the Rottweiler puppy up to protect it as that behavior only confirms the need to get frightened and escape. Try to completely ignore the noise and if possible, leave the object on the floor. Get up, pick the object up and distract your puppy with one of its toys that you have handy so that the puppy won't treat the fallen object as a game. Treat the situation with indifference so that the dog having assessed the situation thinks that if this situation had no affect on the owner, then there's nothing to worry about and it will not be frightened the next time around.
Leave some toys for your Rottweiler puppy on it's territory. In addition, have two bowls for the Rottweiler puppy, one for water and one for food. Get fixed, non-slippery bowls.
Each game is an educational experience for your Rottweiler. Dogs love to fight, chase and bite. A soft sausage toy tied up to a long piece of twine will be useful to stimulate your Rottweiler's predatory instinct. Letting your dog bite it will satisfy its natural instinct. Move the sausage toy in front of your dog as if it were a pray and then let your dog take it. Make your dog struggle for it by pulling on the twine slightly and then let the dog win and take it for an instant. Praise your puppy and then take the toy from it. Be careful during the teething stage. Pulling the toy sharply may cause the dog experience pain.
For the very first time when you're putting on a collar on your puppy, it is a good idea to put the collar on during a meal time so that the puppy does not have a negative association with the collar. The lead is another important object in the life of a dog. Do not let your puppy bite on a lead. Put on a lead for the first time during a play. Do not be severe the first few times you're using the lead. As soon as the Rottweiler puppy is accustomed to the lead you will be able to correct the dog. Do not correct the dog using the lead during the introduction to the lead stage which will take some time. As you are walking your puppy on a lead for the first time, remember to continue slowly walking without looking behind. Above all do not turn back. You can stop a few times and give your puppy a praise. The unofficial rule is that dogs are walked on your left. It is best to accustom your dog right away to the correct side, rewarding and praising your dog each time it is solely on your left side. Naturally for now you will be the one to look for the correct position. After the first week of your puppy arriving to your home, it is time to begin to socialize your dog. A Rottweiler is a territorial animal and that is why it is very important to socialize your dog early on. Avoid laziness and walk with your Rottweiler on the streets, in public parks. Remember that your Rottweiler should always be on its lead. Do not allow other adult dogs to treat your puppy roughly. Disregard what other owners might say. Wrong beliefs can ruin the young puppy's delicate psychology. If you want to find your Rottweiler puppy a playmate - look for a dog of approximately the same age of opposite sex.
As with any dog breed, it is important to housetrain your Rottweiler.
Rottweiler health issues
Large dog breeds such as the Rottweiler are prone to joint arthritis especially as the dog is aging. Keeping your Rottweiler in healthy weight helps to put less pressure on the joints and as a result the dog is less likely to suffer from joint diseases. Take your Rottie to the veterinarian if you are noticing any signs of arthritis such as the dog is suddenly unwilling to go up or down the stairs. How long do Rottweilers live depends on the dog's overall health, care and genetics. On average, large dog breeds have a shorter lifespan than smaller breeds and most Rottweilers live around 9 or 10 years.
Bloat or Volvulus is another disease that may affect the Rottweiler breed because this disease usually occurs in dogs with deep, narrow chests. When a dog bloats, the stomach twists on itself and fills with gas which cuts off blood supply to the stomach. If you notice any of the following, take your dog to the veterinarian immediately: heaving, acting restless, have an enlarged abdomen, dog may lie in a prayer position (front feet down and rear end up). This disease may be fatal within thirty minutes and it is imperative that you act quickly and take your pet to the veterinarian asap.
Minimize the possibility of bloat by feeding the Rottweiler twice a day and use a slow feeder dog food bowl to decrease the amount of air that the dog may swallow along with food. Feed the dog when he is in a calm state of mind. An excited Rottweiler will tend to eat faster and gulp more air along with his food, which may potentially contribute to developing a bloat.
How does the Rottweiler breed compare to other large dog breeds?
Comparison between the Rottweiler and Doberman Pinscher breeds
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