Breed Characteristics:
Apartment Friendly
?How well will this breed adapt to apartment living? Is the apartment size the most important factor when it comes to proper living conditions? Is the breed suitable for apartment living?
Good For First-Time Owners
?Some dogs aren't suitable for first-time dog owners. Is this breed a good match for someone with no dog experience? Can training help them be on their best behavior with owners with no dog experience? Are they suitable to be handled by someone who is just entering the canine world?
Overall Sensitivity
?Some dogs are sensitive. Certain breeds are rough on the outside, while having the softest heart on the inside. In other words, some dogs are 'thick-skinned' while some are 'easygoing.' Is this breed prone to sensitivity?
Tolerates Being Alone
?Separation anxiety in dogs is a serious condition that can affect a dog's life quality. Is this breed prone to this condition? Can you leave him alone for hours? How destructive this breed can become when bored, neglected, or not loved enough?
Affectionate With Family
?How affectionate this breed will be around his humans? Will he welcome new family friends easily or he will choose to be shy? Some breeds can be clingy with owners, while others don't attach a lot. Will this breed act as the family's best friend?
Kid-Friendly
?Some dogs will tolerate children, while others will adore well-behaved ones. Dogs and children should always be supervised, no matter how well trained the dog might be. Will this breed act as a nanny dog or he will stay away from children?
Friendly Toward Other Dogs
?Some dog breeds cannot wait to run to the dog park and run with others. Others prefer to be with their humans, and not to be a part of a multi-pet household. Is this breed dog lover or not? How friendly this breed will be toward other dogs?
Friendly Toward Strangers
?Some dog breeds tend to be reserved toward strangers and highly suspicious. Others are fast to walk away with them easily. How welcoming this breed is toward strangers?
Drooling Level
?If you love to clean all the time drooling level in dogs is a trait that you should mind. Is this breed less likely to drool, or you will always need a towel on hand?
Easy To Groom
?Heavier shedding during the shedding season is something that every dog needs to go through. However, some dogs shed just a bit all year round. Is this breed one of them? How often should you groom this dog?
Overall Health
?What can you expect from this breed in terms of health? Are there any genetic conditions to vary about? Is obesity a major issue in this breed? By knowing more about the dog's health, you are learning how to help him live a longer and healthier life.
Prone To Obesity
?Treats are a great addition to training sessions. Dogs love sweet bites of dog treats but they should be served in moderation. Treats can lead to obesity, next to poor nutrition. Can this breed gain extra weight from treats? How prone to obesity this breed actually is?
Trainability Level
?Training some dogs is easier than others. How easy this dog will be to train? What can you expect? Some dogs are huge people pleasers and they will master commands easily, while others will try to outsmart you.
Intelligence Level
?Dogs are smart beings. We do our best to train them, but they do still end up training us to adapt to their needs. How intelligent is this breed? Will he try to outsmart you? Or he will need multiple training sessions to master basic commands?
Prey Drive
?Dogs were bred for a specific purpose. Those who were bred to hunt have natural instincts to hunt, even today. This is why many dogs, like Terriers, will chase other animals. They will also have a hard time concentrating on your commands when there is something small moving. Is this breed prone to following his prey instincts?
Barking Level
?How vocal this breed is? Can you expect neighbors to ring you often to calm your dog? Or you can sleep without worries of hearing your Fido bark? Some breeds are highly vocal, others have unusual sounds, and some are silent. Is this breed prone to barking?
Energy Level
?Low-energy dogs are happy with regular walks and indoor chill times. High-energy dogs are always ready for action. Is this breed a couch potato, energetic dog, or somewhere in between?
Exercise Needs
?Some dogs are more than happy with a slow stroll down the street. Others need hours of active time to stay happy and fit. Is this breed demanding in terms of exercise? How much exercise this breed needs to stay happy and healthy?
Playfulness Level
?Some dogs never lose that puppy spirit, not even in their senior years. Others are more serious and prefer having a job to do. Is this breed demanding in terms of playfulness? Can you expect playfulness in their senior years as well?
Rottweilers are a distinguished breed that has become well known for their guarding and companionship potential. With their fierce loyalty and their love of serving their families, they have become a beloved breed in the working dog and family dog world.
In this article, we’ll discuss the specific qualities of the Rottweiler, and ways you can accommodate them in your life.
Rottweiler History
Rottweilers originated in Germany where they were used to drive cattle and pull carts for butchers and farmers. Their broad chest and muscular bodies made them ideal for labor, and their loyalty to their work makes them dedicated to getting the job done.
There are even stories of how Rottweilers would help butchers haul carts of their meat around town, then carry back the money that was made from the beef in bags they wore around their necks. Since the Rottweiler appears threatening, they were able to protect the money and deter thieves.
The Rottweiler also has a long history in military and police work due to their mellow disposition and natural ability to work and protect. The Rottweiler has always excelled in service work and is still prevalent in all kinds of service work to this day.
Rottweiler Physical Appearance
The Rottweiler generally weighs anywhere from 85 to 130 pounds and can stand up to 27 inches in height. With females typically being smaller than males, Rottweilers can range greatly in terms of size.
Rottweilers have a double coat that is typically short and quite coarse. Their outer coat is medium in length and is typically shorter around the head, ears, and legs.
The Rottweiler has a plush undercoat for protection against the elements and will vary in thickness depending on the environment in which they live.
One quality that is set in stone with the Rottie is their coat color. They always have a black coat with markings that are tan to rust in color. The markings appear over the eyes, on the cheeks, on each side of the muzzle, on the chest and legs, and beneath the tail.
Their markings appear over the cheeks, eyes, each side of their muzzle, on the legs, on their chest, and around or beneath their tail.
Rottweiler Personality
The Rottweiler is calm, confident, smart, courageous, and extremely sure of themselves in many situations. They are not highly excitable, and often prefer to sit back and examine the room or sniff someone out before they actually involve themselves in a situation.
Though they are hesitant to interact when they first meet someone, they form extremely close bonds with their humans. They will often follow their people around the house and sit by them at all moments of the day.
Because of the bonds they form with their families, they are often quite protective. This is an endearing trait, but it can be dangerous when the Rottweiler is not properly socialized.
When it comes to their behavior with children, they are beyond polite and nice. Rottweilers are extremely gentle with children.
After all, this is a guarding breed and they will protect what’s theirs. This is why Rottweilers are often used to protect children with autism.
Not only that they get to protect them and keep them safe, but they will also provide the right emotional support, that only a Rottie can give. These dogs are people-oriented and no matter how young your children might be this dog will enjoy spending time with them.
Though they generally have a calm and collected temperament, their overall personality will also have a lot to do with their heredity and socialization habits.
A well-socialized Rottweiler from a reputable bloodline will often be well mannered and laid back, while an unsocialized Rottweiler with a questionable breeding history may be more skittish and on edge.
Fast fact: Did you know that Rottweilers can be trained to be hunting dogs?
Rottweiler And Potential For Aggression
Just like with any other protective breed, the Rottweiler does have the potential to be dangerous if they are not properly socialized. Protective qualities are considered one of their best qualities, but their protective instincts can easily get out of control if they are not in an environment that best suits them.
Rottweilers will need plenty of daily interaction with humans and animals if you plan to have other pets.
If a Rottie is left in the backyard to live as an outside dog with little interaction with others, they can become fearful and possibly aggressive with any human or animal interaction they have. They become extremely protective over their home, so without proper interaction with others, they may see everyone as a threat.
Socialization from the point that a Rottweiler enters your home is a must, as the lack of socialization can result in unfavorable behavior.
By exposing them to other people, animals, places, sights, and sounds, you can help them feel confident in an array of situations. A confident and socialized Rottweiler is less likely to be aggressive and can be a wonderful addition to your family.
Proper socialization can also show them what a positive interaction looks like, so if you are ever in a dangerous situation or a stranger enters your home, they can better understand that this is a hostile interaction that warrants an aggressive response.
Overall Health Of The Rottweiler
While Rottweilers can lead a generally healthy life of 8-11 years, they are prone to a few medical conditions that you should be aware of. These conditions include:
1. Hip & Elbow Dysplasia
Hip and elbow dysplasia is the abnormal arrangement of the hip or elbow joint that can lead to grinding of the joints. Since these conditions are often hereditary, these conditions can begin at any point during their life and can result in troubling symptoms.
Dogs with hip or elbow dysplasia experience pain, limping, lameness, difficulty getting up and down, slowing down, crying out, and other evidence of chronic pain.
Since these conditions are hereditary, it’s important to get a clean medical history and x-ray report of both parents of the Rottweiler you are looking to adopt if the parents are known.
2. Osteosarcoma
Osteosarcoma is an aggressive bone cancer that is common in Rottweilers.
Osteosarcoma will essentially eat away at the bone that is affected leading to pain, lameness, swelling, and possible fractures of the bone.
When treated with amputation or chemotherapy, there is a decent prognosis when caught early. They can often live for 1-3 years after initial diagnosis when treated effectively.
3. Gastric Bloat
Bloat (GDV) is a life-threatening condition that affects deep-chested large breed dogs. During gastric bloat the stomach will flip on itself, trapping the stomach contents and cutting off blood circulation.
Symptoms of bloat include wretching with no vomit produced, distended abdomen, weakness, and even collapse. When not treated immediately, this condition will be fatal.
4. Allergies
Rottweilers are among the breeds of dogs that are prone to allergies. Allergies in dogs can be from their food, an allergen in the environment, or a contact allergy.
Symptoms of allergies in a dog include red or irritated skin, itchy skin, ear infections, sores or hot spots on the skin, and hair loss.
5. Panosteitis (Pano)
Pano, or often referred to as growing pains, is common in Rottweiler puppies between 4-8 months of age. Puppies will often start limping with no known injury in their past. This condition is often treated with cage rest alone.
Training Your Rottweiler
Training your Rottweiler should be a fairly easy process, as they are generally smart and eager to please. Though they can have a bit of a stubborn attitude, they do well with an experienced and firm trainer at their side.
Since their attitude can be more of a challenge, the Rottweiler is not recommended for first-time dog owners.
Rottweilers do learn well with a firm trainer, but they still work best with positive reinforcement style training. Being firm should simply mean that you are confident in your stance, and work hard to set a well-inforced routine for your Rottweiler.
Rottweilers love mental stimulation, so they should be eager to please and excited to learn something new!
Exercise And Your Rottweiler
The Rottweiler is known tor range in energy levels from dog to dog. While some Rottweilers are a constant ball of energy, some enjoy a lazy day on the couch with their human.
No matter their energy level, each Rottweiler will appreciate 15-20 minutes of daily exercise. If it seems like you ended up with one of the wild Rottweilers, then, of course, increase their daily exercise time.
Important Tips For Owning A Rottweiler
Before you bring a Rottweiler into your life, there are a few tips that you should review! Helpful tips to owning a Rottweiler include:
- Socialization is EXTREMELY important to prevent aggression, as they are known to be very protective of their family and their home.
- Since Rottweilers bond heavily with their owners, they won’t do well in a home where they are left alone for long hours.
- Rottweilers are extremely intelligent, so they crave mental stimulation. They love to learn new things!
- Make sure to get a health certificate that ensures their parents are free of hip or elbow dysplasia if possible since this condition is hereditary.
- Even if you do not have other dogs in your home, it’s best to expose your Rottie to other animals as often as possible, since they are known to be aggressive with other animals if they are not properly socialized.
Fast fact: Rottweiler is mixed with Boxer to create a new breed of Boxweiler – a dog of great working skills and softness toward children.
Good to know: Before you get this breed, learn how much owning a Rottweiler puppy might cost you.
Owning A Rottweiler – Conclusion
The Rottweiler is a beloved breed that has a long history of protecting and loving their owners.
With proper socialization from an experienced dog owner, a Rottweiler can make an incredible addition to your life.
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