Rottweiler

These are big-sized dogs with massive heads and usually docked tails and have strong and muscular bodies. According to the FCI, their main color is black with clearly defined rich tan markings, and the colors that are accepted by the AKC are black with rust to mahogany markings.

FUN FACT: They are not only excellent guard dogs but they are also used as police and rescue dogs. Following the terror attack of 9/11 in New York, Rottweilers were one of the dog breeds used to help search for people stuck in ruins.

Rottie grooming

Rottweilers require weekly brushing to remove dead hair and distribute skin oils. They shed in normal amounts, except in the spring and the fall when they shed heavily. By weekly brushing, you will remove dead hair and secure that your dog looks at his best. You will only need to bathe him when needed. Regular teeth brushing is advised because with brushing, you will remove bacteria and tartar build-up and prevent bad breath and gum disease.

The best thing you can do to get your dog used to brushing is to start while he is young. Make this a positive experience and your dog will enjoy brushing sessions when he grows up.

Many Rottweilers snore and can be drooly because of loose flews.

Training and exercise

Rottweiler should always be calm and confident and never shy. Rottie doesn't make friends with people immediately; he waits to see what can be expected from new people around him and then decides. With his family, he is affectionate and gentle but very protective. These dogs are smart, highly trainable dogs but can sometimes be stubborn.

They require firm and consistent but never too harsh discipline. Training Rottie means establishing leadership over the dog and setting boundaries to gain dog's respect which is the key to successful training. He is not well suited for people who will not have enough time to take care of this dog by providing him with proper among od training sessions and exercise. If you set boundaries and set yourself as an alpha, your dog will respect you, but that takes time and patience.

They don’t require a lot of exercise; moderate walks, hiking, and/or fetching will make Rottweiler happy, but it depends on how energetic your dog is. 

These dogs strive for mental stimulation, and if he's not provided with proper exercise and stimulation, he will become bored and destructive. He is eager to please and loves to learn new things. These dogs are well-suited for agility and obedience competitions.

FUN FACT: Lethal Weapon 3 and the HBO show Entourage had Rottweiler dogs in it.

Training these dogs requires a lot of time, consistency, and patience. These dogs are natural-born guard dogs and have inherited instincts to protect their family and home. Because of this instinct, it is important to socialize your Rottweiler from an early age. There is a possibility that in the wrong hands, these dogs can become overly protective, almost aggressive.

Because of this characteristic, these dogs aren’t meant for everyone. They require experienced handlers, but if your dog is well-bred and you spend enough time training and socializing him, he will be obedient, gentle, protective when needed, and a great companion.

Socialization

Their temperament is affected by numerous factors. The most important factors are training and socialization. If you start with socialization from the start, your dog will become a well-rounded dog when he grows up. That is why is necessary to expose him to many different people, sights, and sounds while he is a puppy so he can get used to many different situations.

Females are more affectionate and gentle and are especially attentive to children. The male dog needs a firm owner who will know to take care of this dog. Two types of behavior can occur. One is inherited – the result of breeding dogs for generations and the second one is gained through socialization and experience.

They are shaped while they are puppies, and it can be very hard to change the behavior of an adult dog. That is the main thing why it is advised to start with training and socialization while they are young.

Except for training and socialization, for Rottweilers is important that they are around their family, and they need to be included in everyday activities. They love people and want to be around them as much as possible and thus, it is important for these dogs to live in the home with their people and not alone in the backyard. If they are left alone in the yard for too long, they can become bored and destructive.

FUN FACT: Rottweilers are leaners and they often lean their bodies up against their people. This action is believed to originate from the breed’s need to move cattle, using their bodies to move them in the right direction.

Rottweilers and other animals

Males can be aggressive towards other animals, especially dogs of the same gender. When introducing a Rottweiler to new animals, be careful and do it slowly. With training and proper guidance, your dog can learn to accept new animals, but these dogs should not be trusted off-leash in public. If they are raised from the puppy age with other dogs or animals they can generally get along with them.

FUN FACT: Rottweiler dogs have a bite force of 328 pounds per square inch.

Rottweilers and kids

Usually, these dogs love children, especially if they are raised together. They should be supervised when playing with children, but only because their big and muscular bodies may accidentally hurt the child. Also, when the house child has unknown friends over, if there is some rough play between kids, your dog may think that the child is in danger and may step up to put a stop to it. Some Rottweilers may chase kids who run because of their strong prey drive.

They are best suited for homes with older kids who understand the right way to interact with the dog. You must teach your kids not to sneak on the Rottweiler, pull his tail, bite him, or take the food from his bowl because the dog might react.

Health issues

The Rottweilers life span is 9-10 years, and just like any other breed, these dogs are prone to some health conditions, such as

• hip dysplasia,
• elbow dysplasia,
• aortic stenosis/sub-aortic stenosis (a heart defect where the heart struggles with pumping blood to the body and can cause fainting and sudden death. This is an inherited condition),
• osteosarcoma (an aggressive bone cancer),
• bloat, 
• allergies, etc.

Except for these conditions, Rottweilers are especially prone to obesity. Their food take should always be monitored, and that is also why it is so important to provide them with enough daily exercise. You should also watch out that you don’t give your dog too many treats because that can cause obesity.

Rottweiler breeders

These dogs have unfairly gained a bad reputation because of people not breeding them properly. That created puppies with a lot of problems that usually were mentally unstable and not trustworthy. Repeating those breeding practices harmed the breed as a whole. This is the biggest reason why it is very important to be careful when choosing the Rott breeders and buying a puppy.

Make sure you are dealing with a responsible breeder that can show you all certificates about his kennel and his dogs that confirm claims that he indeed is a responsible breeder whose kennel is accepted by relevant authorities.  

Here at World Dog Finder, we work exclusively with breeders of the highest standards and require them to send us the necessary documents that show us they are registered with the FCI or AKC and their countries' cynology association. 

This dog breed is not suited for everybody. They need an experienced owner who will know how to take care of this dog, train and socialize him correctly. If you have any questions regarding raising a puppy, feel free to ask the Rottweiler breeders all you would like to know because a good breeder will gladly help you because he wants the best for his puppies.

If you treat these dogs properly and devote your time to them, you will get a fearless protector of your family who will give you love and affection, and for sure, both you and your dog will be happy.

World Dog Finder team

This is a breed of working dog, developed in Rottweil, Germany, where the dog was used to drive cattle and pull carts for farmers and butchers. They were also used to protect a butcher’s money when he traveled to the market. They first came with Romans, who came to that area to take advantage of the climate and agriculture-friendly soil.

At one period, this dog breed nearly became extinct. In 1882 at the dog show that was held in Heilbronn – Germany, only one Rottweiler was exhibited. In 1901 the Rottweiler and Leonberger Club were founded, and this situation began to change. At that time, the first breed standard was written. Rottweiler breed clubs were created over the years, but the most powerful one was Allgemeiner Deutscher Rottweiler Klub (ADRK), which was founded n 1921.

This club survived World War II and promoted good breeding programs throughout the whole world but especially in Germany. After World War II, breed popularity raised, and at that time, this dog breed was known as an obedient dog. In the mid-1990s, more than 100.000 Rottweiler dogs were registered in the AKC.

Popularity doesn’t always mean a good thing. Because many people wanted to get Rottie, the irresponsible breeders (puppy mill breeders) saw an opportunity to earn money because of this breed's popularity and started producing puppies without worrying about their temperament and health. This lasted until bad publicity and the demand for this dog breed decreased.

From that moment, good breeders worked hard to turn this breed around and to ensure that Rottweilers were the type of dogs they were meant to be.

FUN FACT: First Rottweiler dog came to the US in the late 1920s, and in 1931, the first dog named Stina v Felsenmeer was registered by the AKC.