Thinking About a Rottweiler?

An ancient breed, the Rottweiler’s first historical mention is in the Middle Ages when they were used for boar hunting. Later, they were used as cattle dogs, guarding the herd at night from predators and thieves, preventing cattle from straying, driving them long distances by day, and carrying the master’s purse tied around the dog’s neck to protect it from theft. In the 1800’s the Rottweiler was frequently used as a draught dog, pulling small carts, and in 1910 they became one of the breeds used by the police. For all this time, the Rotty was being bred as a high intensity, fierce, super-powerful, determined working dog. During recent years his popularity has suddenly grown, and everyone thinks he needs a Rottweiler. Unfortunately, most people have no idea what they are getting into.

A good, well bred Rotty is intelligent, very energetic and extremely powerful. He has a very high guarding instinct and charges forward barking loudly at the slightest stimulus. He will chew on everything in sight until he is two to four years old, making a large crate an absolute necessity. He loves to dig and will spend hours creating holes and trenches in the garden. He plays very rough, his specialties being the body slam and the hip check. Stubborn and full of bounce, the Rotty matures very slowly. As you can see from this description, even a well bred Rotty is a challenge to raise, requiring patience, firmness and knowledge. He is definitely not a beginner’s dog.

Tragically, the Rottweiler’s great popularity has led to bad breeding practices, and today the majority of all Rottys are plagued by a variety of health and temperament problems. Many Rottys are “shy-sharp”. This term is used to describe a personality that is very, very easily irritated, annoyed and threatened (“shy”) and that uses a high level of aggression (“sharp”) when upset. These are dogs that bite you because you looked in their eyes, touched their paws, spoke sharply, moved suddenly, or any one of a hundred other things the dog might find distressing. In addition to being shy-sharp, many Rottys (especially un-neutered males) are excessively dominant, often to the point where any attempt to control them elicits aggression. Most of these poor dogs end up being put to sleep before their third birthday.

The Rottweiler Rescues (groups of people who help Rottys to find new homes) are so over run with dogs in need of help that they frequently refuse to take in a new dog – they simply have no more room. The really dangerous dogs are immediately put to sleep, but the Rescues try their best to save the dogs who are pushy, untrained or domineering, or who lost their homes due to chewing, digging or rough play.

If you think a Rottweiler is the right dog for you, please do careful research into the dog’s breeding. Are the parents both friendly? Call the breeder’s vet – are they both healthy and free of genetically transferable problems? How much does the breeder know about genetics and what precautions have been taken to ensure that the pup will be healthy and of good temperament? Get a temperament Evaluation done by an expert when the puppies are 7 weeks old to help you choose the right pup for you, and then start Puppy Kindergarten as soon as possible.

Alternatively, consider adopting an adult dog from a Rescue, and, as with any breed, never buy from a pet store. Most importantly, don’t let the glamour of walking down the street with a tank named “Hans” at your side blind you to the difficulties and challenges of owning a “good” Rotty, or the frustration and tragedy of owning a “bad” one.