Do Rottweilers make good outside dogs?

by Mike
(Florida )

Hi,
I live on a farmers acre in south Florida with my wife, 2 year old twin sons, 12 year old daughter and two Labs. My labs are outside dogs and interact with my family primarily on weekends mostly. Do you think this would be a good environment for a 1 year old rott?

I went down to the local pound and they one there but I want to make sure the dog would be happy. I know they need a lot of interaction, will weekends be enough???





Hi Mike
Rottweilers really don't do well if they don't get enough human interaction and socialization, and I wouldn't personally recommend getting a Rottie if you are wanting to let him roam around (even in a safe, fenced area) for most of the time.

Also, if he is a rescue, there may be a lot of things that you don't know about him, and if you're not supervising and interacting with him continuously then behavior issues could arise that cause problems. If he was indoors and with you all the time, you would be able to see these immediately and work with him to overcome any problems, if he's outdoors all the time that isn't the case.

I hate to discourage anyone from adopting a Rottweiler as they often don't get lucky enough for a second chance at a happy homelife, but I am wary in this situation as I'm not sure that it's the best option for the dog, or for you.

You may want to discuss this in more detail with the people at the rescue organization as they should have the background info. on this dog and know him fairly well. You may even be able to take him home for a 'trial period' if both you and they think it may be feasible. However, you may want to rethink adding another dog, or look for a more independent and easy-going breed.

In the end it's going to be a personal decision made with as many facts as possible in front of you... I definitely wish you the very best of luck with whatever route you choose.