Bring up a Rottweiler in conversation and nearly everyone present will have the same mental image: a big, black, muscular dog used as a guard or police dog. Many people fear Rottweilers because they have a reputation as junkyard guard dogs or, sadly, fighting dogs. While the Rottie is certainly capable of being aggressive or dangerous, the breed is very loving. In the right environment, a Rottweiler can be a wonderful pet regardless of its mean facade.
Rottweilers, despite their many uses and classification in the AKC Working Group, were employed as herding dogs for many years. The benefit of a herding Rottweiler was that their strength made them more than capable of defending livestock as well as managing and directing it. A coyote wouldn't stand a chance against an alert and well-trained Rottweiler protecting its owner's property!
Since the days of being used as a herder, the Rottweiler has fallen victim to irresponsible and unethical ownership. It is a common practice to starve a strong breed to manipulate it into being an effective guard dog, but this ideology can often backfire backfire on the owner or "trainer." Rottweilers are also bred and inbred as fighting dogs, pitted against one another in battles to the death. These types of fights are horrific and blatantly illegal in most first world countries.
Rottweilers' images have also been damaged by the excess of inbreeding. Being very popular amongst responsible and irresponsible owners alike,
Rotties are often manufactured at puppy mills and sold to pet stores. Inbred dogs of any breed or classification are very likely to be prone to aggression. For this reason, you should never purchase a puppy, especially not a purebred puppy, from a pet store.
The negative uses of the Rottweiler are nothing more than an exploitation of its natural strength and loyalty by cruel and irresponsible owners. It is a fantastic guard dog for the ethical owner, and is a loving and wonderful pet when not protecting the home.
A Rottweiler is not the type of pet designed for an inexperienced owner or for someone without a lot of time, dedication, and patience to train their pet. Rottweilers are very intelligent, and thus very stubborn. Training needs to be firm but gentle; positive reinforcement is always best. If possible, it is best to start training as a puppy, though it is not unheard of to train an adult Rottweiler basic obedience skills.
While there is nothing wrong with using a Rottweiler as a guard dog, it is important to approach guard training a gentle hand, experience, and a "call-off" command that will make the dog stop whatever it is doing no matter what. Many owners choose to use a word in a foreign language for this command so that it can only be executed by the owner.
Despite their nasty reputation, Rottweilers are actually a gentle and loving breed, provided they have enough regular and vigorous exercise and the necessary training to be obedient. They are even good with young children and can make wonderful pets and guardians for a large family.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
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