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If you own a Rottweiler or Rottie for short, you will know how loving and affectionate this dog breed can be. However, a lot of people do not understand Rotties and have some false preconceived notions about these lovely dogs.
What are some common Myths and Misconceptions about Rottweilers? A very popular one is that Rotties are aggressive and dangerous animals. Another one is that Rotties are not good with kids and don’t make good family dogs. We’ll tell you why these are misconceptions and reveal the true nature of Rotties in this article.
So, what are these myths about Rotties and what are the true facts about this dog breed? We’ll consider them next.
Rottweilers are Aggressive Dogs
This is one of the most common misconceptions about these dogs. This myth may have something to do with the breed’s size and looks, as Rotties are large animals that weigh as much as 80 to 135 pounds and are as tall as 22 inches to 27 inches at the shoulders.
This size gives the animal an imposing stature, but what many people do not know is that under that imposing stature is an amazing temperament. The correct and natural temperaments of this dog include intelligence, playfulness, goofiness, affection, loyalty, protectiveness, and confidence.
This is not to say a Rottie does not have some undesirable traits, though. The fact is that dogs are not perfect creatures and a Rottie is no different. Rottweilers have some undesirable traits like a tendency to be stubborn if not properly trained and prone to separation anxiety.
For a Rottie, and indeed, any other dog to grow up well rounded, the owner of the dog has to put in some effort into training and socializing the animal. This should be done right from when the animal is still very young as puppies are easier to train than adult dogs.
Giving your Rottie obedience training at a young age is the best way to get rid of stubbornness in the animal. Socialization is also a must if you want a dog that will not be unfriendly to other animals and strangers.
Now, like with any other dog breed, certain factors such as abuse, lack of training, lack of socialization and neglect can make a Rottie dangerous. This is why all Rottie owners are encouraged to do the needed things to make sure that their dogs are the well-rounded, loving, and affectionate animals that they are supposed to be.
Rottweilers are Difficult to Train
This is another common myth about Rottweilers. There are some factors that come into play in the training of dogs. One of them is that dogs are easier to train when they are still young and that is why it is advised that you begin to train your Rottie as soon as you get the animal.
Also, intelligent dog breeds are easier to train as they easily grasp commands. Rottweilers are one of the most intelligent dog breeds and so, it is not difficult to train these animals. The fact that this breed is widely used in the armed forces and for police work, as well as other works, goes to show just how intelligent and trainable Rotties can be.
Of course, if you want to get the best result training your Rottie, the best time to do it is when the dog is still very young as the tendency for the animal to have formed negative habits like stubbornness is very low at this age. Breeders will usually begin the training process while the Rottie is still with them.
According to the American Kennel Club, ‘the breed is intelligent, highly trainable and wants to please, although some may be stubborn. It is very important that discipline be consistent, fair, and firm, without being rough. Roughhousing with the Rottweiler may encourage aggression and should be avoided. Teaching them good behavior and socializing them early on will help bring out the best in your puppy.
It is expected that as soon as you take your dog home, you continue with the training and socialization until your dog has learnt them. Training a Rottie should take about six weeks to seven weeks.
Rottweilers are not good with Children and will Attack them
Some people think that Rottweilers are a terrible choice for families with kids who want a dog. These people probably think this because of the animal’s size and the fact that they already think that Rotties are aggressive and dangerous animals.
However, this is not true at all as Rottweilers make very good family dogs. This is due to the breed’s playful, affectionate, goofy, and protective nature. You can depend on your Rottie to keep you and your children entertained, as well as safe with its silly antics and very protective nature.
However, because of this breed’s large sizes and strength, it is not recommended that you leave a Rottweiler unattended with a very young child. This is not necessarily because the Rottie will intentionally hurt the child. However, the large size of the dog, coupled with its eagerness to play, may be too much for a little kid and the animal might end up playing too roughly with the kids.
Rotties are fine with older kids that know how to handle and play with a dog, though. Many kids love these animals and Rotties in turn, they will make awesome companions for the kids.
So, apart from giving your dog obedience training and socializing the animal, you should also teach your children how to treat a dog and if you have small kids, don’t leave them unsupervised with the animal.
Rotties are Best Kept Outside and they also do not do well with other animals in the house
Rotties are affectionate, social, and loyal dogs, meaning that there is hardly anything these animals enjoy more than spending time and playing with family members. This is why keeping your Rottie outside the house all alone is not a good idea at all. Doing this outside will quickly make the animal feel lonely and depressed.
Since Rotties are social dogs that thrive on human companionship and attention, this loneliness will quickly lead to separation anxiety and the dog might begin to manifest destructive behaviors. Also, although Rottweilers are not a dog breed that barks a lot, your dog might begin barking and whining unnecessarily.
As for the fact that Rotties cannot tolerate other animals in the house, this is also not true. Sure, Rottweilers can be dominant dogs, especially the male ones. This does not mean, however, that Rotties cannot live with other animals in the house.
Proper training and socialization will make a Rottweiler social enough to live with any other dogs, especially if they are neutered. For the best results, it is best to introduce the animals to each other at a young age.
While your pet is still a puppy, a good breeder will start socializing the animal even before the puppy is sold. This will usually involve getting the Rottie used to other dogs and people.
When you get the puppy, it is best for you to continue with the socialization by taking your dog to dog parks where the animal can make friends with and get used to other dogs and people. Doing this will make it easier for your dog to cohabit with other dogs and even other animals.
Rottweilers do not Shed
Some people think that owning a Rottie is a breeze when it comes to grooming as the animals do not shed. While Rotties are moderate shedders that do not require a lot of grooming like some other dogs like poodles, the truth is that these dogs still shed. This dog breed has a short, but dense double coat.
Therefore, you will still have to do some sort of grooming to keep your dog’s coat clean and healthy and get rid of shed hair. Rottweilers shed fur moderately all year round, but will usually shed more during fall and spring. Get ready to have to sweep up or vacuum more fur than usual during this period.
If you want to keep shedding to a minimum, then you should brush the dog’s coat. Grooming should be done two or three times weekly, but bathing should not be done too often as bathing your dog too often will dry out the animal’s skin and also worsen the animal’s shedding.
If your dog does not get too dirty, then bathing the animal once every seven to eight weeks with a good dog shampoo is enough to keep its coat shiny, healthy, and clean.
Are Rottweilers Dangerous?
Rotties are not any more dangerous than any other dog breed. For a dog to turn out well, the owner and breeder has to put in the right amount of effort into training and socializing the dog. This way, the animal will get used to people and other animals and will not be a problem to them.
Failure to socialize your dog can make the animal become fearful and may cause the animal to lash out at people and other animals based on fear. A Rottie that is not well-trained may also ignore your commands and may not stop unwelcome behaviors such as barking at innocent strangers at your command.
There are other factors that can cause a Rottweiler to become dangerous. A very common one is abuse. If your Rottie was abused a lot before you got the animal, then you may have a shy and terrified animal that will act out
Conclusion
Rottweilers are loving animals that do not deserve a lot of the misconceptions about them that are flying around. Sure, these animals are large and have intimidating looks, but underneath these big sizes are hearts of gold that makes them loyal and affectionate dogs to family members and people they know and are familiar with.
Also, Rotties make good guard dogs and will protect your home and family from intruders with their fierce looks and loud barks. If push comes to shove, and you or your family are in serious danger, you can expect your Rottie to step into the fray and use its strong bite force to try to get you out of the danger.
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