What to know about Rottweilers? Complete Guide in 2024

Rottweilers are dogs having large, robust, and stout appearances. They have a beautiful black and tan body coat. These dogs are the best companions and guardians for your home and family. If you are a new Rottweiler parent having no clue about what to know about Rottweilers pets. Just sit back and let us describe everything you need to know about the Rottweilers.

Rottweilers are a popular pet breed, considered medium to large. People sometimes mistake these dogs as evil villain dogs because of their large body size and musculature. However, a well-trained Rottweiler dog usually becomes very calm and caring around people.

What to know about Rottweilers? Everything you must know about Rottweilers

If you are a Rottweiler parent, clueless about What to know about Rottweilers? Here are a few things you must pay attention to.

1.       History and origin of Rottweilers

The gentle giant Rottweilers have a history in the far Roman empire. The exact origins of the Rottweiler dogs are unknown. However, they first appeared as companions in the Roman empire. The Romans used them to guard their herds and flocks, protect their houses, protect their properties, and fight against the enemies in battles.

They are the descendants of Asian mastiffs. In the start, people knew them as the butcher’s dogs because butchers used them to carry meat-laden carts. Besides guarding are carriages, they performed many other duties in ancient Rome.

They later bred these dogs in Germany and America. Because of the change in the region, there are slight variations in the body structure of these dogs. However, the nature of Rottweiler stayed the same. They have always been the best dogs in endurance and protection because of their compact bones.

2.       Nature and temperament of Rottweilers

Rottweilers are people-oriented dogs who have difficulty sharing their humans with other animals. Rottweiler puppies are naturally bright and trainable, yet they might be stubborn sometimes.

It is critical to teach them how to play with other dogs from a young age, as this will aid in the development of proper socialization skills and boundaries. If not appropriately tamed, they can become aggressive and intolerant of other dog breeds because of their territorial nature.

Rottweilers are well-known for their strength, protection, and loyalty, as well as their instinct for guarding. They need a calm, stable, and firm ‘pack leader,’ or they will take over for you. They require interaction with other pets, exercise, and mentally engaging in challenging activities. You can have a fantastic friend if you pet a Rottweiler.

3.       Jobs and Tasks of Rottweilers

When it comes to working, a Rottweiler always enjoys accomplishing the tasks. They can do more than only protect the house and family. Rottweilers may be service dogs, therapy dogs, obedience competitors, guide dogs, customs inspectors, drafting and hauling dogs, and, of course, loving friends since they are intelligent, tireless, and eager to please the surrounding people. They are also workable as police dogs since they are aggressive and good at detecting a crime scene.

4.       Learning efficiency

Rottweilers are, most of the time, a peaceful breed. They adore going for walks or doing anything with their owners. They have a naturally robust, muscular frame. Very few people know that the Rottweilers also enjoy swimming.

Because Rottweilers become bored more often, make sure you have plenty of activities for them to do. You can train them while having fun activities or games with your pet. Playing with your pet is crucial to developing a healthy bond with them.

The Rottweilers are efficient learners, and they learn new commands at any age. The Rottweilers are one of the top ten most intelligent dog breeds. However, training a dog may require patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement.

5.       Rottweilers as Therapy dogs

Characteristics like confidence, composure, and bravery distinguish this strong breed. Rottweilers are sometimes aloof, making it difficult to form a quick relationship or genuine companionship with them. They observe their environment before they respond to maintain a calm and composed stance.

Rottweilers are tough workers that inherited their strength from their Roman legions’ forebears. A Rottweiler is a good guardian and playmate in a family setting. Rottweilers, unlike other dogs, have great observational abilities. As a result, the breed has served in the military as police dogs.

The list of What to know about Rottweilers includes the fact that they are difficult to bond with. But once attached to the owner, the Rottweilers become very possessive and caring. Good training makes them a perfect therapy dog for people suffering from depression and loneliness.

Requirements of Rottweilers

The first step of being a good pet parent is to understand the needs of your pet. We are here to tell you what a Rottweiler needs.

1.       Grooming and health needs

The undercoat of a Rottweiler on the neck and thighs is prone to shedding. You must brush your pet to remove shed hair and bathe them regularly. They lose their hair coat twice a year, in the spring and fall. Otherwise, the whole year they shed minimally, and a regular combing is enough for grooming.

The dog’s nails grow quickly, so they need regular nail trimming as well. Some people stop nail trimming because they see bleeding. However, the bleeding is not normal and only occurs if you cut the nail too short. The bleeding is due to damage to the blood vessels present next to the nail tissue. However, it is necessary to trim the nails of your Rottweiler once in 2 months.

Rottweilers can develop many medical conditions like hip dysplasia, obesity, cataract, and cancer. Therefore, they should regularly get hip and elbow examinations, heart exams, and ophthalmologist evaluations.

2.       Nutrition and food needs

A mature Rottweiler should weigh between 110 and 120 pounds. Keeping the Rottweilers’ macho traits in mind, feed them high-quality carbs, healthy fats, and proteins. They can be very sensitive if they develop food allergies. Therefore, one fact in the list of what to know about Rottweilers is to know about the health status of your pet Rottweiler.

A Rottweiler puppy has a lot of energy since it is more active than an adult. You may supplement its diet with chicken, veggies, steak, and meaty bones. Giving your Rottweiler puppy fish oil is also highly important to its growth.

You can feed an adult Rottweiler high-grade commercial food with nutrition. It should have enough animal proteins and grain sources. It’s a good idea to use snacks as a training aid but eating too many of them can lead to obesity.

Rottweilers have a sensitive digestive system. Therefore, they can suffer from food allergies and digestive disorders. To prevent digestive diseases like ulcers and vomiting, make sure you give bland anti-allergenic diets to these dogs.

The average weight of Rottweilers

The Rottweilers gain one pound in weight every week until they reach the age of 12 weeks. The average weight gain is 4-5 pounds every month after three months of age. They gain 12-15 pounds more than the first year until the age of two.

People often bring Rottweiler puppies when they have grown substantially and resemble large fur balls. This appearance is usually at 2-3 months when they typically weigh 10 to 15 pounds. Rottweilers reach their maximum withers height and average adult body weight between 9- and 12-months age.

How to Raise Rottweilers?

Most people think Rottweilers are tiresome to train because of their large body size and fierce look. However, Rottweilers are among the easiest dog breeds to train. Here are some training suggestions for you to apply when training your Rottweiler.

1. Start training at a young age:

This rule is effective for Rottweilers and all other dog breeds. Rottweilers are clever dogs, and they can pick instructions at any age. Yet it is better to train them at a younger age.

Use positive reinforcement, rewarding, and punishing techniques to train your dog.

2. Kennel trains the dog:

When people bring their pets home, they want to snuggle them and make them sleep in the bed. However, the most crucial step is to litter train the dog. Rottweilers are willful, and they require more attention than other breeds.

Make sure you set a schedule for your pet and take them to litter for training. Taking little puppies to litter every 2 to 3 hours can train them well. If the puppy makes a mistake, punish them right away to develop learning.

3. Use signals and commands:

Dogs are very good at learning, but make sure you give the right signals. Rottweilers are very smart, and they even pick hand signals and gestures. Therefore, use hand signals besides verbal commands to train the Rottweilers.

These signals are also helpful to handle the Rottweilers in public. These dogs can become a little aggressive around other dog. However, a calming verbal or gesture sign from the owner can reduce anxiety in the dogs.

4. Remove biting behavior:

The most important training for Rottweilers is to reduce their habit of biting. Dogs rarely bite to harm their owner. However, they love to play this game of biting. But this playful biting can panic the strangers. So, make sure you give chew toys to your dog instead of encouraging the biting behavior.

5. Socialize them:

The Rottweilers have a poor reputation for socializing. Therefore, if you are a Rottweiler dog parent, you must make them a good dog citizen. This socialization will help improve their breed impression as well.

Take your Rottweiler out more often and let them play with other dogs. These outings will help them learn how to behave in public. At the start, they might become aggressive or territorial. However, with patience and proper commands, they learn to behave nicely around other dogs.

Rottweiler puppies

The Rottweilers are medium to large-sized dog breed. Adult males are 24-27 inches tall and weigh 95-135 pounds, while females are 22-25 inches tall and weigh 80-100 pounds.

Rottweilers, as adults, are huge and sturdy dogs. However, the puppies have a short black coat with rust marks all over their bottom.

We constructed them for endurance rather than speed because of their large bones and compact bodies. Roman people even used them for weight-bearing. Their rust-brown markings are more noticeable as pups and fade slowly as they develop.

Are there other personality features of Rottweilers?

Rottweilers are heavy droolers, particularly larger males. Although they aren’t heavy shedders, but their saliva has numerous allergens. Therefore, they might not be the best option for you if you are hypersensitive to dogs.

You might ponder that a Rottweiler’s watchdog trait means the breed is disposed to barking. In contrast, Rottweilers are not big barkers. These dogs are calm and only bark to inform you of danger if needed.

How good are Rottweilers with children and other pets?

Regardless of early socialization, the Rottweiler is naturally robust and confident. Make sure to watch them closely around smaller canines, primarily those that tend to annoy or provoke larger dog breeds. Similarly, be careful about leaving your dog unattended around other pets that aren’t canines.

You must also deliberate your Rottweiler around small kids. Children might be uninformed of how to behave near dogs; therefore, avoid leaving your Rottweiler dog alone with them.

Rottweilers are lapdogs:

The Rottweilers are smart and clever dogs. Despite their large body size, they love to play on laps. They are not very impulsive and take their time to observe before reacting to a situation. Willful is the right word to describe the nature of the Rottweilers.

These are dogs need to be trained and socialized before you keep them in a house setting. They are very active, but sometimes they love to become sluggish and stay on laps. No matter how big their size is, they will always love your attention and petting.

Buying a Rottweiler puppy

Selecting to adopt or go for a breeder for your new Rottweiler dog is a personal decision that needs research. Gratefully, there are several resources to help you find a Rottweiler breeder or a rescue that provides healthy, ethically sourced Rottweiler pups.

Understanding what you’re in for once you get a Rottweiler puppy is a significant step in being a good pet owner. Whether you find a reputable breeder or want to adopt one, it’s up to you to be ready for a robust and sociable addition to your family.

Adopting Rottweiler puppies

As stated by the AKC, most breed rescues highlight that their several rescue dogs hail from individual owner capitulation, with the common reasons being a variation in lifestyle or the dog not being suitable for them. Meaning that there may be countless dogs and puppies out there that are seeking a new home.

The main difference among a breeder as well as a rescue is that a rescue might not always have young pups to pick from. The advantage is that most are authorized to adopt canines that have been microchipped. This means you might end up with a pooch that’s already been tamed and doesn’t require these common medical processes. 

You might also get a Rottweiler mix that has all the characteristics you need from the breed; however, with a bit extra thrown in. The AKC has an outstanding list of Rottweiler rescues on their site; thus, you can find rescue there.

Finding a Rottweiler puppy breeder

The primary step is to do your thorough research. Unhappily, numerous puppy mills are posing as trustworthy breeders along with numerous online scams. Be conscious, and contact different online forums for conversations about getting your family member.

Be assured to ask questions, take measures to meet the breeding dogs, and follow your gut. If something looks wrong at a Rottweiler breeder you visit, or the Rottweiler puppy looks too good to be true, there is something wrong. The AKC also gives resources for finding a reputable breeder, with fairly strict strategies on who they let contribute.

Frequently asked questions

1. How can I discipline my Rottweiler male dog?

The Rottweiler males can get aggressive sometimes. The best way to train and discipline them is by using techniques like rewarding and reprimanding. Do not tolerate bad behavior from your dog and punish it instantly so that he can learn what is wrong. Discourage any biting and barking behaviors in them.

2. Are there any vices in Rottweilers?

Rottweilers can become very territorial and aggressive. To prevent aggressive behaviors like biting and barking, they need proper socialization and training. Take your dog out in public parks regularly. Make them play with other pets to improve their tolerance.

3. How can I avoid diseases in my Rottweiler dog?

To avoid any disease in pets, make sure you study their requirements and give them suitable foods. The Rottweilers are prone to many diseases like skin allergies, food allergies, and obesity. The best way to prevent these problems is regular physical activity and a balanced diet. Don’t give too many carbs and fats to your dog. Instead, give foods rich in healthy proteins that promote growth in them.

Conclusion

Having a clear idea of What to know about Rottweilers can help you develop an impeccable bond with your pet. This relationship must promote excellent behavior, open communication, and a lot of fun by using the basic tactics for teaching, punishing, and rewarding a Rottweiler.

You can make them the best happiest pets in the world by loving and training them. You can also monitor their weight gain by keeping the average weight of Rottweilers in mind.