Is a Rottweiler Right for Me?

Owning any animal that can one day be over 100 pounds and has the potential to do harm is a big responsibility, and the Rottweiler is no exception. A Rottweiler is not the right choice for everyone. Please take a minute to know what you are getting into before you decide to purchase one. Rottweilers are medium to large dogs that require plenty of exercise and proper discipline.

          Owning a dog is a big commitment. A healthy large breed dog can live 10+ years. Make sure that you are willing to dedicate the next decade of your life to this dog. There is considerable expense involved as well. A good quality feed will run you about $35.00 a month. Your puppy will need to complete his immunizations, and then need yearly vet exams. If your home is not fenced and you do not plan on installing a fence or adding an underground containment system, you need to make the commitment to take daily walks of at least 20 minutes with your dog rain or shine in hot and freezing weather.
          There is nothing more cute than a little fuzzy rottweiler puppy. But he will not stay little very long at all. He will accomplish most of his physical growing in the first 24 months of life. Then he will be a very large dog that is not always cognizant of his size. He will try to crawl in your lap as though he were still a 15 pound puppy, and I have had my feet stepped on plenty enough times barefoot to tell you exactly what 128 pounds feels like!
          If you are wanting a calm, well behaved, house broken, and already trained dog, then you do not want a puppy. Your puppy will need to be trained daily for the first 3 years of life. A puppy is considered a "baby" for the first 8 months, then an "adolecent" until the age of three. Just like human babies, the first 2 years of your rottweilers life are the most important for physical and psychological development. Getting a rottweiler from a puppy has many rewards. You get to be there for all the "firsts", you will have a much stronger bond, and you will get to know your rottweiler as intimately as she will you. You will have the oppertunity to raise that dog the way you want, and train him to do what you want. But just like being a parent, you will be the single greatest factor on what kind of dog your puppy will grow up to be. There are no puppies ever born as killers, but every puppy born of every breed has that potential.
          At Guardian Rottweilers, we carefully research the pedigrees and temperaments of the dogs we breed. All our dogs and bitches are Alpha type personalities. This is the most stable, as they are confident and self assured. The worst state of mind for a dog is that of fear. Most dog bites for any breed occur out of fear rather than agression. A fearful dog is unpredictable and unstable.
Although proper training can correct most temperament and behavioral issues, the best remedy is always prevention. Proper training from day one is essential. The character qualities that we find most appealing in a Rottweiler--it's protective instinct, it's confidence, it's fearlessness, it's devotion--can also be the rottweiler's downfall. Just as you cannot hand a 3 year old car keys and tell him to drive, an untrained rottweiler can be just as destructive. If this is your first Rottweiler, TRAINING CLASSES FOR YOU AND THE DOG ARE ESSENTIAL.

DISTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR
          All dogs are pack animals. The rottweiler goes even a step further. What makes him such an unfailing companion and so unconditionally faithful can also cause SEPARATION ANXIETY. Once your rottweiler has decided that you are his pack leader, or even a member of his pack, that is where his heart is. In the wild, the wolf/dog pack is vary social. They do everything together and go everywhere together. Usually when a member separates, it is for something serious and often to die. So when you leave to go to the grocery store, all your rottie see is that you have abandoned him and life as he knows it is over. This can lead to anxiety so severe that the dogs gets diarrhea, or it can lead to destructive behavior out of fristration. This can range from chewing, to urinating uncharacteristically. This is called separation anxiety.  Because of how emotionally attached rottweilers usually become to their family, separation anxiety runs high in this breed. I reccomend crating dogs with separation anxiety until it is controlled. (See my Puppy Tips page for crate training.)
          Another common factor for destructive behavior is boredom.  Just like leaving a child alone without any constructive activities, a dog that does not get enough exercise will decide to entertain himself. This could mean finding out exactly what the inside of your sofa is made of or whether or not it really is possible to dig to China. If your dog is exhibiting destructive behavior is it more than likely due to separation anxiety or boredom, both which can be corrected with increased activity and giving your dog a job. Rottweilers are working dogs and need to feel like they have a purpose. Even if it is as simple as bringing you the paper or carrying his own food and water in a dog backpack when he goes on a walk.

DOMINANCE
          From the first day you bring your puppy home, you must make it clear that you are the Alpha dog in your pack. If you do not take this roll, your dog will. Small things that might not mean much to you are very improtant to your dog:
* When it is time to feed your dog, make him sit and behave before you put the bowl down for him. It must be clear that you are in charge of the feeding, not simply his servent bringing him food as he demands.
* Never allow your dog to walk thru a doorway or entrance ahead of you. You are the pack leader, not him. Also do not allow him to push past you on the stairway, etc. In the dog world, he has just disrespected you and you have allowed it.
* It is also suggested that they do not get the privilege of the best seats in the house (not sharing the couch with you, your bed, etc.). My male Diesel almost always sleeps with me, and my other dogs share beds with my children. But they have been taught theit place from day one. It is only at my invitation that they are aloud on the furniture, and any challange to my authority is unacceptable and not even permitted as a possibility. If you are having dominance issues, this is one of the privilages I would eliminate if you have not already done so.
          If you allow dominance issues to go unchecked while he is a cute little puppy, you will soon have an incorrigible dog that is mcuh harder to correct. Like with most bad habits, the early they are delt with the easier they are to break.
          I have links on my website that can direct you to more literature on trainig dominant dogs.

HERDING
          As you may know, for centuries, the Rottweilers main job was that of a cattle herding dog. Although the Rottweielr has had no need to perform these tasks for many generations, it is still hardwired into their genes. Many rottweilers have a high "prey drive" which is simply the desire to chase moving objects. Sometimes this is also referred to as "high ball drive." Another necessary trait was the ability to herd which was accomplished by "bumping" into the ones that got away, or herding them to a desired location. For some rottweilers more than others these character traits are stronger and must be corrected in order for them to be safe and gentle with small children or the elderly. A rottweiler puppy must often be taught proper etiquette from the begining.

AGGRESSION
          Just as dominance will vary from dog to dog and depend greatly on the owner, so will agression. Often agression is dominance that has gone unchecked, and now the dog believes that since he is incharge, it is up to him to discipline. This problem, just like dominance, is easily prevented through early obedience training.

GUARDING
          Rottweilers are often purchased for this specific task only for the owner to realize too late the responsibility both morally and legally. Again, just as with dominance and agression, the degree of protectiveness varies with each individual dog. Understand that your rottweiler migh not be able to distinguish between a boisterous bear hug and an actual attact.   And again, correct training and socialization is needed in the begining to help you puppy understand what is acceptable behavior. Although a rottweiler will rarely bite without provacation or warning, often being cornered by one can be a very unnerving experience. I already know that Diesel will not hesitate in the protection of his children, so because of this, I usually put him up when a repair man will be over and in the area where "his" children are playing. He is supposed to make an intruder feel uncomfortable, that is his job. But that does not mean I need to force the cable guy to have a 128 pound rottweiler follow him all over the house. Sometimes there is as much common sense involved as actual training.

PUPPY SELECTION
As I mentioned before, character traits vary from dog to dog, and what is an excellent temperament for a family with small children and cats will be different than the temperament the military would prefer. These dogs, however, might be siblings or even littermates. At Guardian Rottweilers, our puppies are handeled regulary by all our children and family members from the time they are three days old. They are further socialized with all our other pets to include all other adult rottweilers from the time they are four weeks. Because of our interaction with our puppies, we can start to see personalities, and try to help guide you to the perfect puppy for yuor situation. NO BREEDER CAN GUARANTEE WHAT A PUPPY WILL LOOK LIKE OR ACT LIKE AS AN ADULT. That having been said, we can start to see personality develop as early as four weeks. Although strong bloodlines and good breeding have an influence on your puppy, THE SINGLE GREATEST DETERMINING FACTOR IN HOW YOUR DOG WILL TURN OUT IS YOU. We carefully scrutinize our breedings and placement of our pups, but we can not take credit for all of our success stories. These dogs have all been raised with love, affection, patience, and most importantly, discipline. Or as Cesar says "exercise, discipline affection!"

          Owning a rottweiler carries a lot of responsibility and requires a big commitment of time and patience, but can bring rewards that can never be measured. I still firmly believe that a good rottweiler, well bred and raised properly, is the best companion available.  They love unconditionally and will lay down their life in protection of their family without hesitation.  At least 80% of our customers are previous rottweiler owners, because as one gentleman put "everything else is just a dog."

Guardian Rottweilers

Courageous Guardians. Loyal Companions.