Rottweiler: temperament, size, care and health

About the Rottweiler

The Rottweiler is a large, heavily muscled dog with a broad head, a deep chest and a short black coat marked with rust or mahogany on the cheeks, chest, legs and above the eyes. Adults stand roughly 22 to 27 inches at the shoulder, with males noticeably larger and thicker than females.

The breed was developed to drive and guard livestock and to pull carts, and it has been used since as a police, search and service dog. People keep Rottweilers today for their loyalty to a household, their steadiness at home and their ability to take on real work, from obedience and tracking to carting.

Temperament and family life

A well-raised Rottweiler is typically self-assured and calm indoors, with a watchful streak toward people it does not know. It tends to bond closely with its own family and often follows them from room to room. It is not usually a dog that greets every visitor with enthusiasm, and early, steady exposure to many people, places and sounds matters a great deal in shaping an adult that is discerning rather than suspicious.

With children in its own home, a Rottweiler is often gentle and tolerant, but its size alone means that supervision is necessary with small children and with visiting children. Some individuals are dominant with other dogs of the same sex, and herding-style behavior such as leaning or nudging can be a lot of dog for a toddler.

Exercise and training

Rottweilers need daily brisk walks plus real mental work. A bored adult will find its own jobs, which often means chewing, digging or guarding the property against the mail carrier. Structured activities such as obedience, tracking, carting or drafting give the breed a purpose and tire the mind as well as the body.

The breed is intelligent and generally keen to work with a handler it respects. Training works best when it is consistent, fair and started in puppyhood, with a calm tone and clear rules. Harsh methods tend to backfire with a dog this strong. Because a poorly socialized Rottweiler is hard to manage, puppy classes and continued outings through adolescence are strongly advised.

Grooming and shedding

The coat is short and straight with a dense undercoat, so grooming is simple. A weekly brushing with a rubber curry or firm brush removes loose hair, and bathing is needed only when the dog is dirty. Shedding is steady through the year with a heavier blow in spring and autumn, and the short black hairs show up on light furniture and clothing.

Trim the nails regularly, since long nails strain the feet of a heavy dog. Check the ears and the skin folds around the lips and neck for dirt and moisture, and keep the teeth brushed.

Health

Rottweilers are prone to hip and elbow dysplasia, and responsible breeders have hips and elbows evaluated through recognized orthopedic registries. The breed has a higher-than-average risk of osteosarcoma, a bone cancer, and is also affected by cranial cruciate ligament tears, bloat in deep-chested dogs, and some heart conditions such as subaortic stenosis, for which cardiac screening is available. Keeping the dog lean protects its joints. Lifespan is often around 9 to 10 years, shorter than that of many smaller breeds. This is general information, and a veterinarian is the person to ask about any particular dog.

History

The Rottweiler is generally traced to the German town of Rottweil, where large dogs drove cattle to market and guarded the money of the butchers who bought them. The arrival of railways reduced the need for droving and the breed nearly vanished, until interest in police work in the early twentieth century revived it. The breed spread worldwide in the decades that followed.

Is the Rottweiler right for you?

The breed suits an experienced, active owner who has time for training, a secure fence and the confidence to be a calm leader. It is a poor match for someone who wants a dog that is friendly with everyone without effort, or for a household unable to supervise a strong animal around visitors. Those who like the look but want a somewhat more relaxed guardian may compare the Bullmastiff, while people drawn to a lighter, faster working dog often look at the Doberman Pinscher. The Cane Corso is another big protective breed with similar demands.