Rottweiler Facts

Introduction

Rottweilers are one of the most popular dogs in the world, but little common knowledge has lead to incorrect stereotypes, incorrect training and handling. Some are afraid of the Rottweiler, and see it as a vicious, unpredictable animal, while others raise and train their dog improperly, which can lead to social and physical problems.

I will try to provide factual information to the public on the topics of myths, training, and raising this canine.

Myths

One myth that surrounds the Rottweiler is their aggression, leading to fear and misunderstanding. Rottweilers are not naturally aggressive, but protective and can easily be trained to be guard dogs. The aggression is a learned trait to attack, bite or bark when unwelcome individuals enter the property. Rottweilers will instinctively protect their families and do not need encouragement to defend them.

A second myth is that Rottweilers are only outside dogs. This is false. Rottweilers need social contact and human companionship. If the dog is left outside, it will make its own rules due to lack of supervision and become territorial. In addition, due to its fur type this breed does not fare well in extremely hot or cold weather .

A third rumor that concerns adults is that Rottweilers are vicious towards small children. This breed is actually great with children of all ages, and herding instinct will prevent children from wandering off. Children are often not taught how to play with the dog, which may lead to the child hurting the dog and the dog biting the child. If a child steps on a small dog, the dog’s bite is less powerful. However if the child steps on a larger dog, the bite is more powerful. This is the same reaction, just a more severe result.

Health Care

Rottweilers are susceptible to many types of physical and genetic problems. This breed can suffer from hip dysplasia, tearing cruciate ligaments, heart problems and bloat. Most of these problems occur when the dog is young and has a poor immune system. Currently selective breeding prevents dogs with a genetic disposition to heart problems from mating and passing on the disease

To protect the dog, the owners should not over exercise the dog, arrange vaccinations to prevent viruses and disease, and crate the dog without water for an hour after eating to prevent bloat. A misconception is that raising a dog's water and feed dish will prevent bloat, but actually this could increase the chances of bloat occurring

Feeding

Young dogs require large amounts of high quality food; poor quality food can lead to health problems. Young males can require eight to ten cups of food per day, which approximately two to two and a half pounds of food. Rottweilers physically mature slowly and should be kept lean. If the dog’s waist is not visible or one cannot easily feel the ribs of the dog, it is overweight. Overfeeding will not cause them to fill out faster, but will make them more susceptible to hip dysplasia, shoulder ailments and torn knee ligaments. Rottweilers will not finish filling out until they are three to five years old.

Do not give this breed rawhide, sterilized bones, smoked bones, or cooked bones; these can cause intestinal impaction which can require surgery or cause death. Real raw beef, buffalo leg bones 8" or longer in length and cow hooves are safe but should have all exterior fat removed. Pig ears and cow ears have been linked to serious illness and health issues and may cause aggressive behavior in some dogs.

Grooming

Rottweilers need brushing daily or at minimum once a week with a rubber brush or a fine tooth comb to greatly reduce the amount of hair that is shed. The ears are sensitive and should be wiped out with a cotton ball dampened with alcohol, peroxide or a commercial ear cleaner once a week. This breed requires only fewer than two baths monthly and be sure the dog is dry before allowing him outside

If the dog is kept outside for any duration, experts recommend that the yard be fenced in, to prevent attacks from other dogs, being antagonized by other dogs or people, and preventing the dog from leaving the yard. A privacy fence is tall enough to prevent the dog from jumping over and the dog can not see out the fence and no person or dog can see into the yard.

Socializing

Rottweilers have a short life expectancy of nine to eleven years and are growing and maturing for the first two years. This breed is strong willed and will consistently need proper training and socialization. The dog requires large amounts of attention and socializing. Puppies should have a minimum of three hours of socializing every day in a variety of environments and meet many different types of people .

If a Rottweiler is raised from early on with other pets there should be few problems. Introducing a new pet when an adult Rottweiler in the household should be done slowly and with care. Dog-to-dog aggression is influenced by the early socialization of puppies, their bloodlines and sex. Males are less tolerant of other males than they are of females. Bitches may be intolerant of other dogs, but with perseverance and training, Rottweilers should be able to learn to co-exist peacefully with any pet.

Training

Rottweilers are intelligent and stubborn, making it vital to take your Rottweiler to Obedience Training. Two rules should be enforced from the first day. The first rule is no jumping on people. The second rule is no biting or nipping. Bite inhibition should be taught right away when the puppy is young and learned by the 5th or 6th week of age. The puppy should never be hit, especially in the head and face, because this can cause hand shyness and be a problem at the vet, training class or dog shows. From the beginning the puppy should be taught to allow all parts of the body to be examined and handled by both you and strangers, to prevent shyness during examinations. If inappropriate aggression is allowed in a puppy, problems will occur when the dog becomes an adult. Obedience needs to be practiced once or twice a day for 5-15 minutes, and should be fun.

Conclusion

Rottweilers are great companion and family dogs that can be trained in a variety of tasks and skills. This breed is intelligent, but requires consistent training as a puppy and young adult. This dog is easy to maintain with little grooming, but large amounts of food and exercise are necessary for a healthy pet.