Unfortunately the Rottweiler
is usually portrayed as the 'bully boy'..... or worse. How many
snarling, teeth-baring Rottweilers have you seen in movies? Now, how
many have you seen lolling on the sofa with the kids, or playing 'fetch'
in the back yard?
My Rotties are on the sofa, and playing fetch and I'd love to tell you about the REAL Rottweiler, so I hope you'll keep reading to learn more about this incredible, versatile breed.
Rottweilers are one of the oldest herding breeds, and their origins date back to Roman times. Used as cattle drovers and livestock guardians, they were also companions and protectors to merchants traveling in Europe.
From the beginning, the main characteristics of this breed were courage, intelligence, athleticism, strength and loyalty. And although the Rottweiler has experienced many up and down turns in popularity over the years, these characteristics are just as strong today as they were centuries ago.
Indiscriminate aggression shouldn't part of the Rottweiler temperament, and the original German breed standard (set by the Allegmeiner Deutscher Rottweiler Klub, or 'ADRK') describes the Rottweiler character this way.... 'Good natured, placid in basic disposition and fond of children. Very devoted, obedient, biddable and eager to work.... self-assured, steady and fearless...'.
The American Kennel Club puts it this way 'calm, confident and courageous... with a self-assured aloofness'.
Well-bred Rotties today fit this description perfectly. Unfortunately, as with all breeds, surges in popularity have led to poor breeding practices in many countries, at times producing nervous, fearful and aggressive dogs. In Germany, there are strict protocols and regulations in place for breeding, and the average quality of German Rottweilers is therefore much higher than it is in other countries.
Of course, there are some wonderful dogs produced around the world, by ethical responsible breeders, but if you're thinking of adding a Rottweiler to your family, you need to do a lot of very thorough research and find the right breeder and the right dog/s.
So, do Rottweilers make good family dogs? Yes, and no! All families are different, and Rottweilers aren't usually recommended for first time dog owners or for families with young children or frail, elderly members. This is because the Rottie is a big, strong, intelligent dog who, as a puppy and adolescent, has the tendency to be clumsy, boisterous and sometimes stubborn. As adults they are usually calm and have a fairly laid-back attitude, but it's important that family members are physically strong enough, and psychologically confident enough, to control a 120lb dog when necessary.
Rotties love to 'lean' (a throw-back to their days as cattle herders), and they can accidentally topple a small child. As puppies or adults, Rottweilers tend to think of themselves as lap-dogs, and will happily climb into any lap that's handy (of course you won't be able to see the TV, but they don't care!). They also have a wonderful habit of 'talking' to their human family members, and many people unfamiliar with the breed can confuse this 'grunting/grumbling' sound with growling. It's totally different, and I tend to think of as a similar sound to a cat's 'purring' - it means they're happy and content.
This breed is very intelligent and eager to please. I've owned and trained several breeds during my lifetime and can honestly say that Rottweiler puppies learn more quickly than many others. They love to be successful and lap up rewards and attention. But it's vital to only use positive, non-punitive training techniques with them as they're surprisingly sensitive and don't respond well to raised voices or punishment of any sort.
Many people make the mistake of thinking that such big dogs require loud voices and an overbearing attitude - totally wrong in my experience! Also, once your pup is adolescent or older, this sort of attitude is likely to trigger an inherently stubborn reaction in the dog, and training will become a struggle and much less enjoyable for everyone involved.
Just like any other breed, Rottweilers have their own health issues. Being large dogs, as puppies they are at risk of too-rapid growth and the subsequent joint/bone damage that occurs. Feeding a quality puppy food designed for large breed dogs and avoiding supplements is the best way to help a Rottie pup grow up strong and healthy.
Other health problems that can be seen in Rottweilers include panosteitis, hip and elbow dysplasia, congenital heart disease, kidney problems, allergies and some cancers. They are also very susceptible to the horrible Canine Parvovirus, and in addition to the normal three Parvo shots, they should be given a fourth Parvo vaccination at 16 weeks of age.
I love this breed, and would describe a Rottweiler as a teddy bear in a grizzly bears' coat! I hope that you've found this an interesting look at a dog breed that's widely misunderstood but is truly a 'diamond in the rough'.
My Rotties are on the sofa, and playing fetch and I'd love to tell you about the REAL Rottweiler, so I hope you'll keep reading to learn more about this incredible, versatile breed.
Rottweilers are one of the oldest herding breeds, and their origins date back to Roman times. Used as cattle drovers and livestock guardians, they were also companions and protectors to merchants traveling in Europe.
From the beginning, the main characteristics of this breed were courage, intelligence, athleticism, strength and loyalty. And although the Rottweiler has experienced many up and down turns in popularity over the years, these characteristics are just as strong today as they were centuries ago.
Indiscriminate aggression shouldn't part of the Rottweiler temperament, and the original German breed standard (set by the Allegmeiner Deutscher Rottweiler Klub, or 'ADRK') describes the Rottweiler character this way.... 'Good natured, placid in basic disposition and fond of children. Very devoted, obedient, biddable and eager to work.... self-assured, steady and fearless...'.
The American Kennel Club puts it this way 'calm, confident and courageous... with a self-assured aloofness'.
Well-bred Rotties today fit this description perfectly. Unfortunately, as with all breeds, surges in popularity have led to poor breeding practices in many countries, at times producing nervous, fearful and aggressive dogs. In Germany, there are strict protocols and regulations in place for breeding, and the average quality of German Rottweilers is therefore much higher than it is in other countries.
Of course, there are some wonderful dogs produced around the world, by ethical responsible breeders, but if you're thinking of adding a Rottweiler to your family, you need to do a lot of very thorough research and find the right breeder and the right dog/s.
So, do Rottweilers make good family dogs? Yes, and no! All families are different, and Rottweilers aren't usually recommended for first time dog owners or for families with young children or frail, elderly members. This is because the Rottie is a big, strong, intelligent dog who, as a puppy and adolescent, has the tendency to be clumsy, boisterous and sometimes stubborn. As adults they are usually calm and have a fairly laid-back attitude, but it's important that family members are physically strong enough, and psychologically confident enough, to control a 120lb dog when necessary.
Rotties love to 'lean' (a throw-back to their days as cattle herders), and they can accidentally topple a small child. As puppies or adults, Rottweilers tend to think of themselves as lap-dogs, and will happily climb into any lap that's handy (of course you won't be able to see the TV, but they don't care!). They also have a wonderful habit of 'talking' to their human family members, and many people unfamiliar with the breed can confuse this 'grunting/grumbling' sound with growling. It's totally different, and I tend to think of as a similar sound to a cat's 'purring' - it means they're happy and content.
This breed is very intelligent and eager to please. I've owned and trained several breeds during my lifetime and can honestly say that Rottweiler puppies learn more quickly than many others. They love to be successful and lap up rewards and attention. But it's vital to only use positive, non-punitive training techniques with them as they're surprisingly sensitive and don't respond well to raised voices or punishment of any sort.
Many people make the mistake of thinking that such big dogs require loud voices and an overbearing attitude - totally wrong in my experience! Also, once your pup is adolescent or older, this sort of attitude is likely to trigger an inherently stubborn reaction in the dog, and training will become a struggle and much less enjoyable for everyone involved.
Just like any other breed, Rottweilers have their own health issues. Being large dogs, as puppies they are at risk of too-rapid growth and the subsequent joint/bone damage that occurs. Feeding a quality puppy food designed for large breed dogs and avoiding supplements is the best way to help a Rottie pup grow up strong and healthy.
Other health problems that can be seen in Rottweilers include panosteitis, hip and elbow dysplasia, congenital heart disease, kidney problems, allergies and some cancers. They are also very susceptible to the horrible Canine Parvovirus, and in addition to the normal three Parvo shots, they should be given a fourth Parvo vaccination at 16 weeks of age.
I love this breed, and would describe a Rottweiler as a teddy bear in a grizzly bears' coat! I hope that you've found this an interesting look at a dog breed that's widely misunderstood but is truly a 'diamond in the rough'.
No comments:
Post a Comment