Rottweiler Puppy Information & Training

A Rottweiler puppy makes an outstanding human companion dog.

Rottweilers are highly intelligent, affectionate, loyal and despite popular opinion they can be a very sensitive breed. You'll find Rotties are most definitely "people" dogs who form a very close and special bond with their human family.

Having said the above it must also be stated that a Rottweiler puppy is not suited to every dog lover though.

Bringing a Rottweiler puppy into your life brings with it a whole range of added responsibilities. In the wrong hands a dog such as a Rottweiler becomes an extremely dangerous proposition. Rotties are powerful, slow maturing, headstrong and often prone to dominant behaviors. For this reason puppy selection, socialization and obedience training are absolutely essential to address correctly when bringing a Rottweiler puppy into your life. To be honest I believe that these ingredients are necessary for all dog breeds but I'd say it is especially important for Rottweilers due to their awesome strength and size.

The recent bad press and diminished reputation of the Rottweiler says more about the shameful and unscrupulous breeding practices and irresponsible or naive Rottie owners than it does about the breed itself.

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History Of The Rottweiler

Rottweilers descend from the ancient working mastiff breeds of southern German and Rome. Rotties were initially utilized to herd cattle, guard their owners, guard resources and later on as "butcher's dogs".

The Rottweiler has now spread far and wide to all parts of the globe. They are highly valued for their working capabilities and as pets. The temperament and intelligence of the Rottweiler has seen them successfully employed in various "jobs" such as - herding, military work, customs work, schutzhund, police work, as therapy dogs, tracking, carting, obedience and all kinds of protection duties.

Rottweiler Puppy Size & Appearance

A well bred Rottweiler is robust and athletic for its size. They are a unique combination of power, strength, agility and endurance. A fit, healthy and alert Rottweiler is a beautiful sight.

A male Rottweiler puppy will grow to be 24 to 27 inches tall at the shoulder and weighs in at 100 to 135 pounds of brute force. A Rottie bitch is a little smaller - 22 to 25 inches tall and weighing 80 to 100 pounds.

Rottweilers have a glossy black coat with tan markings that can be located anywhere on the body. They have a thick double coat - which does shed. Their outer-coat is straight, course and of medium length. It is advisable to give your Rottie a thorough brushing every few days in order to maintain a healthy coat and to minimize the shedding.

Rottweilers are distinctive (and much loved) for their beautiful warm dark brown eyes, deep powerful chest and large handsome head.

There is much written and debated regarding the difference between "German Rottweilers" and "American Rottweilers". The truth is that apart from being born in different locations they should be almost identical specimens. The real reason that you see Rottweilers of differing dimensions is because of poor breeding practices. The huge rise in popularity of the Rottweiler breed has unfortunately also seen a rise in unscrupulous breeders who breed purely for profit. These breeders have no consideration for the breed standard or with the wellbeing of the breed going forward. You can purchase wonderful Rottweiler puppies in Germany, The USA, The UK, Australia and everywhere in between.

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The All Important Rottweiler Temperament

At their best a Rottweiler puppy grows to be a calm, level headed, stable and self confident companion. They are courageous, highly intelligent, affectionate and ever willing training partners.

Due to unscrupulous Rottweiler puppy breeders it is a sad fact that the temperament of Rottweilers can vary greatly from one dog to the next. The temperament of your individual Rottie will be shaped by the breeder you purchase your puppy from, the puppy you select from the litter, the socialization you provide and the obedience training you undertake together.

Always purchase your Rottweiler puppy from a responsible and respected Rottweiler puppy breeder. One that carefully plans each litter of puppies from carefully selected breeding stock.

Some general points regarding the temperament and traits of a Rottweiler:

• Rottweilers thrive on human companionship. They bond very tightly with their human family and don't do well when left alone, isolated and bored for long periods. Rotties consider themselves to be one of the family - they love to be included in all family activities. Separation anxiety is a common problem experienced by Rottweilers.

• Rottweilers are a working breed. They require plenty of physical and mental stimulation to keep them content. Some nice long on leash walks and obedience training sessions are always appreciated by Rotties. This will help to prevent many destructive behaviors such as digging, chewing, whining and excessive barking.

• Many Rottweilers display dominant behavior towards other animals and people. This problem can be prevented or minimized through some proper puppy socialization and also obedience training. Start your training sessions early in order to establish a healthy and rewarding human-dog relationship. Be your Rotty's respected leader.

• Rottweiler puppies develop into excellent guard dogs. They are naturally territorial dogs who will be very protective of you, your family and belongings.

• Rottweiler puppies are notoriously slow to reach maturity. Typically this occurs at about the two years of age mark. My advice is to be prepared for many months of hyperactivity bursts, chewing, puppy mouthing and all kinds of other mischievous behavior!

Rottweiler Health Care

Rottweilers are generally a pretty hardy and robust breed but they are not immune to many common health problems. With proper research, puppy selection, care and nutrition you should have a happy and healthy Rottie for up to 11 years.

Some health issues to keep in mind with your Rottweiler puppy:

• An overweight Rottweiler is an unhealthy Rottweiler - or will be anyway. Obese Rotties are far more susceptible to a wide range of health problems than a fit and healthy Rottie. Be sure to provide plenty of exercise and proper nutrition to your dog. Read some more about the best dog food to feed your dog here - Rottweiler nutrition.

• Rottweilers are not an ideal choice of dog breed if you live in a very hot climate. Check with your local breeders or Rottweiler club if you believe this may be an issue for you.

• Other health problems associated with the Rottweiler are - hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, osteochondrosis dissecans, panosteitis, von willebrand's disease, gastric torsion (bloat), allergies (once again dog food nutrition is important), eye disease such as PRA and cataracts. Rottweilers are also susceptible to epilepsy, hypothyroidism and various cancers.

Rottweiler Puppy Training

As we've already established it is essential to train your Rottweiler puppy - for the benefit of your dog, your family and the community at large.

Time spent training your Rottie is time well spent. It is the best way to develop and strengthen a healthy and close bond with your dog. It also opens up the lines of communication between you and your dog and helps to establish acceptable guidelines and boundaries for your dog to follow.

Rottweilers excel at many training activities - plus they love it. They are a working breed so obedience training provides them with the perfect outlet or "job" for their vast intelligence and energy. This energy has to come out in some way so why not put it to good use in a positive and mutually rewarding manner?

Start your training sessions as soon as you possibly can - it's never to early to begin. Keep your obedience training sessions short, challenging, always consistent and use positive reinforcement. Many Rottweilers have been ruined by harsh or heavy "corrections" in the training process. They are sensitive animals who do not respond to and do not need any forceful training methods. Use your brain instead of your brawn.

Some common training issues that owners of a Rottweiler puppy will need to address:

• Rottweiler puppy house training is one of the first and biggest training or management issues to get right. The use of a crate is invaluable in the Rottweiler housebreaking process. As long as pick out and stick to a good house training schedule you'll find that your Rottweiler puppy catches on very quickly. Remember to make it crystal clear to your puppy exactly what you would like him/her to do and always be consistent and fair in the process.

• Rottweiler puppies can be extremely destructive little beasts if they are left alone, full of energy and bored for long periods. You'll find that this pent up energy will manifest itself through digging, chewing, whining and many other destructive behaviors. These problems can be minimized through on leash walks, obedience training and chew toy training.

• A Rottweiler puppy who pulls on the leash is a problem, a fully grown Rottie who pulls on his/her leash is a nightmare! This is one behavior that is best taught early and continually reinforced. The last thing you want is for your Rottweiler puppy to develop a leash pulling problem - prevention is better (and easier) than the cure.

• Dog to dog aggression is another behavioral problem that Rottie owners often report. This comes back to proper socialization and controlling your dog (and the environment) when on or off leash. Puppy kindergarten and Rottweiler obedience training classes are excellent places to provide some much needed interaction with other dogs and people. You can read more about the ins and outs of puppy socialization here - Rottweiler puppy socialization.

• Rottweiler puppies can be very energetic, frisky and mischievous little characters who take forever to "grow up". This puppyhood period is your opportunity to put your dog on the right path by providing leadership and direction. Doing so will help to establish desirable behavior habits and at the same time prevent problem behaviors from ever arising. Most important for Rottie owners is to never tolerate your puppy jumping up on you or other people and get stuck into chew toy training from an early age.

• Another essential obedience training command you will want to teach and reinforce in your Rottweiler puppy is the "come" or "recall" command. This is one of the most important commands you can teach any dog - for the safety of all concerned.

As I've mentioned previously (and is probably clear to you anyway) is that if you own a Rottweiler then puppy socialization and obedience training are not negotiable - they simply must be done.

I highly recommend puppy kindergarten and obedience training classes if you can afford them and there is a class in your area. If you plan to train your Rottweiler puppy at home I recommend clicker training methods or Adam Katz's Dogproblems.com dog training membership site. You can read my detailed review of Adam's dog training course here - Secrets Of A Professional Dog Trainer.

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You may also be interested in:

How To Select Your Puppy From The Litter

Preparing Your Home For A New Puppy

Choosing The Best Dog Food

How To Choose The Right Large Dog Bed

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