Rottweiler

All you need to know about the Rottweiler

The Rottweiler is a short-haired pup who might seem intimidating at first but will make an amazingly loyal pet! These dogs were originally bred for physically demanding jobs, such as driving cattle or pulling carts.

They were also one of the first dog breeds used for police and military work! Nowadays, they take on the role of family protectors and loyal friends. Rottweilers are strong and intense. They need experienced care and effective training.

If you do end up getting one as your pet, expect to get an intelligent and faithful friend that will love you deeply! Proper training and socialization are key with these dogs, so novice pet owners should pay special attention to everything involving Rottweilers.

Don’t be intimidated by our intro! If you read on, you will learn the most important facts about this breed. These will help you become the perfect owner for a Rottweiler!

Fast Facts 

Group: Working

Weight: 95-130 Pounds (male) 85-120 Pounds (female)

Height: 24-27 Inches (male) 22-25 Inches (female)

Hair Length: Short

Shedding: Moderate

Lifespan: 10-12 years

The Appearance of the Rottweiler

The first thing you notice when looking at a Rottweiler is how powerful and robust it looks. These dogs are quite large and have a broad chest with some heavy muscles. They have tremendous amounts of stamina, and their look fits that!

Still, despite giving off an aura of strength and endurance, these dogs have a loving, adorable face that can melt your heart in a second! 

Rottweilers have a thick, short, and smooth coat. It is shiny and requires minimum maintenance. An undercoat appears only on the neck and thighs. The tail of a Rottweiler is usually docked close to the body.

Their skull is broad and quite big. The jaws are strong and wide, both the upper and the lower jaw.

Many will consider them intimidating at first. This is especially true of male Rottweilers, who are larger and brawnier than females. Still, you will quickly see how adorable these pups can be.

What colors does a Rottweiler come in?

<answear>According to the breed standard, Rottweilers have very distinctive colors and markings. They are always black with tan markings on the muzzle, throat, chest, and legs. The markings also appear over the eyes and underneath the base of the tail.

The markings can also be rust or mahogany and should not take up more than ten percent of the full-body color of the dog. These markings need to follow a particular set of rules for the dog to be ready for showing. Still, this should not concern the majority of pet owners. Their dogs can freely have markings that take up a larger percentage of their bodies.

Well, that was quite simple! It seems as if Rottweilers are one of the easiest breeds to learn about when it comes to the looks department. What about their personality?

All about the Rottweiler personality

Rottweilers are confident and quiet calm dogs. They are courageous, self-assured, and won’t make friends with anyone easily.

When faced with a new situation, Rottweilers will generally have a wait-and-see approach. These pups like to take their time to determine how to react when meeting new people. This makes them excellent guard dogs!

When surrounded by their family, the Rottweiler temperament changes quite a bit, and you can expect your dog to loosen up completely. They will be extremely affectionate and follow you around the house, demanding attention.

Rottweilers do have an inherent desire to protect their families, but they won’t behave aggressively. You don’t have to be worried about your pet attacking anyone without reason.

These dogs have an excellent work ethic and are intelligent and adaptable. You can bring them anywhere without fear.

You need to earn the respect of your Rottweiler to achieve the best possible relationship with it! Set boundaries and always teach your pup consequences for bad behavior. This takes time and will require you to be patient. In the end, it will be worth it, though.

The temperament of your Rottweiler will be affected by several factors, including socialization. You can also try to meet the parents of the puppy you are adopting. If you do that, you can know what to expect when it comes to the personality of your pet.

Early socialization will be extremely helpful for developing a nice personality. Through socializing, your Rottweiler will get used to being around other dogs and people. Invite other people over while it’s small and take it on strolls in busy parks!

Is a Rottweiler easy to train?

You won’t have a problem with the training of your Rottweiler if you start early. The basic training classes, including puppy socialization and leadership, should begin early.

These pups love pleasing their owners and are highly trainable. They are known to be stubborn occasionally when things don’t go their way, but it should not be a huge issue. Your discipline should be firm and consistent but never rough.

It should learn a lot simply by living inside your home since it’s an intelligent dog breed. All of these combined will help your Rottweiler develop excellent manners.

Rottweilers are often described as “people” dogs. They do not like being isolated from humans and various experiences. They need to be a part of a world filled with other people and animals.

If you behave roughly towards a Rottweiler, it may encourage aggressive behavior in them. You want to avoid this at all costs. Shower your dog with love, but show a stricter side when necessary.

If you follow this, training your Rottweiler should be easy. These dogs excel in many sports and various roles, so no one should have problems teaching them how to be loving pets.

It seems as if Rottweilers truly make for wonderful pets! Their personality is wonderful and they are a joy to train. Hopefully, grooming is a non-issue as well!

How much Grooming does a Rottweiler need?

Rottweilers have a short coat, meaning you won’t need to dedicate an obscene amount of time for grooming. 

You want to brush your Rottweiler weekly to remove any dead hair and better distribute skin oils. During shedding season twice a year, you may want to brush your pet more frequently. By doing so you will keep the loose hair under control.

Since Rottweilers do shed and have higher pet dander and saliva levels, they are not considered hypoallergenic dogs. It is advised that people suffering from dog allergies avoid them as pets.

Rottweilers should be bathed as needed. Since they are not small dogs, you can do so outside. Just make sure that it is not too cold. 

Brush the teeth of your Rottweiler at least two times a week to prevent bacteria and tartar from building up inside. You should accustom your Rottweiler to this while it’s still a puppy.

Make sure it gets used to you touching its feet and examining it. That way, you won’t have any problems with grooming once it’s grown up. Grooming should be presented as a positive experience!

The Living Environment of the Rottweiler

Having a fenced yard would be extremely helpful if you have a Rottweiler. If you have one, your dog can get at least some of the daily exercise by playing there. However, it is far from mandatory.

Taking your pet on a long walk every day will give it enough exercise and make it feel satisfied and happy. Rottweilers must have something to do. They enjoy activities such as swimming, jogging, or hiking.

If you live close to nature, that would be ideal for a Rottweiler. Having access to nature would mean that your pet could enjoy these activities more often.

These dogs are actually emotional and can suffer from separation anxiety. This is why you should not leave them alone for longer periods of time. If left alone for a while, they can become aggressive. This happens when they are bored, so you need to provide them with enough attention.

Leaving your Rottweiler alone for four to six hours should be okay, but anything more than that can become an issue.

The Health and Nutrition of the Rottweiler

Although relatively healthy, Rottweilers can be prone to several health issues. The first one is naturally hip dysplasia, one of the most common health conditions in larger dog breeds.

They can also be prone to certain cancers, heart disease, and eye problems. They are also more susceptible to becoming infected with parvovirus, a highly contagious and deadly disease. 

It affects puppies and young dogs and can be extremely dangerous. Make sure to visit the veterinarian regularly. If you do that, you will always get the necessary advice and stay ahead of any issues that may plague your pet. 

Exercise is important for Rottweilers because they can gain weight easily. You should make sure that your dog moves around a lot and goes out for walks at least once per day. 

When it comes to feeding your Rottweiler, you should always pick the highest quality dog food. Consulting with your veterinarian is also advised since it will help you make the correct pick. 

The amount of food your dog will eat depends on a lot of factors. These include the size, age, build, and metabolism of your pup, as well as its activity level. Still, with Rottweilers being larger dogs, you will probably feed your pet between 4 to 10 cups of dry food daily. This food should be divided into two meals, and you should always make sure to measure it correctly.

Where does the Rottweiler come from?

The ancestors of the Rottweiler used to be working dogs in ancient Rome. They were known as excellent herders, did amazingly well in pulling carts, and were strong protectors of livestock and people. 

After ancient Rome fell, these pups continued working the same jobs in Rottweil in Germany. There, people called them “Rottweiler Metzgerhund”, which translates to “Butcher’s dog of Rottweil”. They were named this because they were working by pulling carts with meat.

These dogs were known as hard workers, so they became a popular pick for police dogs. They were also used during World War I as messengers and rescue dogs. They are still being used to provide search and rescue services, although they are mostly known as pets nowadays.

There are a few different types of Rottweilers, including the German, Roman, and American Rottweiler. They are all quite similar, although the Roman is usually a bit larger on average.

Rottweiler Mixes you would like to know about*

Dog crossbreeds or mixes are sometimes called designer dogs. The name fits since you are “designing” a new dog by mating two purebred dogs. It has become popular in recent times, and more and more breeds have several noteworthy crosses we could write about.

The thing with mixed puppies is that it is hard to know which characteristics they will inherit from their parents. You should research as much info as possible on the parent breeds to understand what you can expect. This way, you will find a mix that has all of the characteristics you want and love.

Read on to see the most popular Rottweiler mixes:

• Labrottie - Rottweiler & Labrador mix
• Rotthuahua - Rottweiler & Chihuahua mix
• Weiler Dane - Rottweiler & Great Dane mix
• Aussierottie - Rottweiler & Australian Shepherd mix
• German Rottie - Rottweiler & German Shepherd mix
• Rottgi - Rottweiler & Pembroke Welsh Corgi mix
• Pitweiler - Rottweiler & Pit Bull Terrier mix
• Mastweiler - Rottweiler & Mastiff mix
• Rottsky - Rottweiler & Siberian Husky mix
• Rotterman - Rottweiler & Doberman mix

*Not all breed mixes are equal in quality! Pets4you.com neither condones nor endorses any example of unethical and unhealthy crossbreeding. We encourage everyone to research in detail before they choose to get a crossbreed.