We know you’re smart, and so already know there’s more to Rottweilers than their stereotype a tough-as-nails guard dog. The breed has been around since the Roman Empire and has personality to spare. They can also be incredibly sweet:
Loyal and loving, brave and protective, this breed may just be what you’re looking for. What’s true, however, is that a good fit goes both ways. A Rottweiler requires a particular kind of owner.
Are you right for a Rottweiler? Let’s see if any of the following apply to you:
1. You’re calm, confident, and assertive.
You’re a take charge person who knows what you want out of life. While a strong, self-assured dog might sound like a helpful contrast to those with timid personalities, a Rottweiler needs to know their owner is the “alpha” from day one. They’ll challenge uncertainty and can outsmart lesser humans. They have a strong desire to understand chains of command and pecking order. Fortunately you’re not the shy type, and consistently demonstrate leadership in your household. You’re the leader of the pack.
2. You place a high value on training and discipline.
Even the cutest canine face can’t con you out of enforcing the rules. You keep your own daily regimen and are ready to adopt a new family member that needs structure from day one. You’re prepared to ignore whining, and can be all business until your Rottweiler is good and calm – and then you’ll lavish affection. Since you already love daily exercise and have a routine, you simply have to shift your time and activity to walks and games that also work out the energy of this muscular, powerful pooch.
3. You’re not a complete neat freak.
While you’re big on discipline, your demands don’t extend to an overly-immaculate house. You’re ready for a companion who wants to be in the home with you, a pack animal that needs their human close by, a happy playmate who can deal with being kenneled or crated sometimes but needs human contact to remain sociable and happy. The upsides of your furry friend outweigh the realities of shedding, that broad body brushing magazines off the coffee table, or that tenacious tail tipping something over. You’re understanding and are prepared to share your house with a rigorous Rottweiler.
4. You crave affection and proximity.
Your “love languages” are time and touch. A Rottweiler likes to be near their owner, with their head or paws in your lap. You’re not only comfortable with that closeness, but you appreciate it. As they follow you from room to room and even lean against your leg, it doesn’t get old. You’re fond of a dichotomous dog that, while imposing and powerful, really loves to snuggle!
5. You play the long game.
You don’t view friends aren’t short-term acquaintances; you’re in it for the long haul and your Rottweiler won’t be an exception. Since this dog will be fiercely faithful and bound to you, you’re willing to go the distance for them. Whether it’s a puppy or Rottweiler rescue, you’re ready for a long term relationship.
It’s no surprise that actor Will Smith resonates with Rottweilers, since he’s a leader of the pack in Hollywood and known for being a fun-loving charmer. If your alpha personality resonates with the personality traits above, you might be on your way to realizing a Rottweiler is the companion for you.
_
I adopted a beautiful pure bred australian Rottweiller in February this year. The poor boy had been kept in a cage his whole life (8months) and so when I first took him for walks the pads on paws would bleed. He didn’t have much front of back muscle, I suppose due to lack of exercise. Other than this, we know very little about his history. As soon as we got him out of the cage at the rescue centre, he dropped his heads into our lap for a cuddle and that was the end of it, we were in love. We called him Ted.
Around 6 weeks into adopting him we fostered an much older very poorly treated rottie. He had been a guard dog on a boat his whole life, was completely emaciated, had 12 teeth removed due to rot, terrible cherry eye and so could barely see and he also wasn’t strong enough to stand or walk for longer then a minute or so. Long story short(er) the old rottie decided he wanted a bone that Ted was eating and a fight ensued. It was the first aggression we had ever seen from Ted, and frankly we were shocked at the strength of the old rottie. After a few weeks of anti-biotics and anti-inflammatories, the vet x-rayed to find that Ted had suffered a large bite to his nose breaking several fragments of bone off and causing a severe infection. He had an operation to remove to bone and was left with a number of drains and lots of stitches to his nose and face. We also gave back the old rottie to a dog free home.
Since then, we have moved house with Ted (to a quiet tiny village, he didnt like the buses in the noisy city, they scared him) who is a big marshmellow of a dog – until someone tries to touch his head or face. He is now very scared of people going near his face and unfortunately his only response to it is now to bite. Its his way of warning people off but being a large dog, it leaves a mark. He has never bitten me or my partner and is incredibly loyal and loving, making this all the more hard. But we live in a very small village in Hong Kong where locals patience and knowledge of dogs is minimal at best and we just dont have the space for him to be left alone. There are always people coming by who insist on ignoring our pleas to leave him be. If you leave him alone, he comes to you in his own time and loves to give you a good lick, but the second he sees a hand coming to his face, he panics. Dont get me wrong, he has had many pats on head by strangers at the beach that he has not reacted to, but he has snapped at people a handful of times now and if he does it again, there is every chance he will be put down.
This is devastating as it will be due to pure ignorance and arrogance of people thinking they know a dog better then the instruction given from the dogs owner. He is a lovely boy who i would 100% keep if i lived in the UK or actually anywhere that would allow you to have a house and garden as opposed to a flat. But I am stuck in HK due to my job and if i think in Teds best interest, he would be so much better off with someone who is far more experienced with dogs, and has the space and training knowledge to help him get over his issue. He would be such an amazingly loyal companion who loves to bound in the open space of fields or beaches when given the chance.
Any suggestions or advice of what I can do for him, please get in contact! Clare_mi@hotmail.com