Rottweilers: the most honest dog breed review you'll ever find about Rottweiler temperament, personality, and behavior.

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Rottweiler Temperament
What's Good About 'Em,
What's Bad About 'Em

By Michele Welton. Copyright © 2000-2010

The AKC Standard describes the Rottweiler as "a calm, confident, and courageous dog with a self-assured aloofness that does not lend itself to immediate and indiscriminate friendships."

Steadfast and usually serious, the Rottweiler tends to respond quietly and with a wait-and-see attitude to influences in his environment.

This muscular dog needs some space and exercise: brisk daily walks, interactive romping sessions, and regular opportunities to stretch out and run. Mental exercise (advanced obedience, agility, retrieving a ball, Schutzhund) is even more important and appreciated.

Rottweilers must be thoroughly socialized at an early age so that their territorial instincts are controlled rather than indiscriminate.

They can be aggressive with other dogs of the same sex, and some individuals are predatory with cats.

Rottweilers are inclined to test for position in the family pecking order, but they will respect an assertive owner who knows how to lead a strong-minded dog.

Overall, the Rottweiler is a splendid, capable companion in the right hands, but without ongoing companionship, socialization, obedience training, and supervision, he is too much dog.

If you want a dog who...

• Is large, stocky, muscular, and powerful
• Is calm, steady-tempered, confident, and courageous
• Is versatile -- when well-trained, can learn and do almost anything
• Makes a fine watchdog and guardian

A Rottweiler may be right for you.

If you don't want to deal with...

• An extremely careful search to avoid the aggressive Rottweilers
• A bulky dog who takes up a lot of space in your house and car
• A heavy dog who wants to sit on your feet, lie on your lap, and lean his weight against your leg
• Rowdiness and exuberant jumping, especially when young
• Destructiveness when bored or not exercised enough
• Providing enough socialization so their protectiveness doesn't become aggression
• Aggression toward other animals -- chasing instincts
• Strong-willed mind of his own, requiring a confident owner who can take charge
• Slobbering and drooling
• Gassiness (flatulence)
• Shedding
• Legal liabilities (public perception, future breed bans, insurance problems, increased chance of lawsuits)
• A multitude of serious health problems and a shortish lifespan

A Rottweiler may not be right for you.

If I were considering buying or adopting a Rottweiler

My major concerns would be:

1. Unstable temperaments. Rottweilers are a dime a dozen, and most of them are bred and offered for sale by people who don't have the slightest idea of how to breed good-tempered dogs. Obedience instructors and behavioral consultants see LOTS of Rottweilers who are dangerously sharp, aggressive, or fearful.

2. Providing the proper balance of exercise. Young Rottweilers need enough exercise to keep them lean and healthy, but not so much that their soft growing bones, joints, and ligaments become over-stressed and damaged. Adult Rottweilers need more exercise to keep them in shape, but not in hot or humid weather for fear of overheating.

   Since you have to minimize their exercise, young Rottweilers can be very rambunctious. They will romp with uncoordinated gawkiness all over your house. You need to substitute extra quantities of companionship and supervision. Otherwise, left alone, young Rottweilers become bored and destructive -- and their powerful jaws can literally destroy your living room.

   If you simply want a pet for your family, and don't have the time or inclination to take your dog running or hiking or biking or swimming, or to get involved in advanced obedience, or agility (obstacle course), or schutzhund (protection), or tracking, or pulling a cart or sled, or a similar canine activity, I do not recommend this breed.

3. Providing enough socialization. Most Rottweilers have protective instincts toward strangers. They need extensive exposure to friendly people so they learn to recognize the normal behaviors of "good guys." Then they can recognize the difference when someone acts abnormally. Without careful socialization, they may be suspicious of everyone, which could lead to biting. Some Rottweilers go in the opposite direction -- without enough socialization, they become fearful of strangers, which can lead to defensive biting.

   If you have small children, I do not recommend a Rottweiler. Young Rottweilers (up to about three years old) can be bulls in a china shop. When they romp and jump, they do so with great vigor, and things can go flying, including people. In addition, Rottweilers may try to protect their own children from other children, which could lead to tragedy if kids are simply roughhousing and your Rottweiler decides to stop it. With such a massive dog, I wouldn't take the risk.

4. Animal aggression. Many Rottweilers will not tolerate another dog of the same sex, and some won't tolerate the opposite sex either. Some Rottweilers have strong instincts to chase and seize cats and other fleeing creatures. If anything goes wrong in the breeding, socializing, training, handling, or management of this breed, it is capable of seriously injuring or killing other animals.

5. The strong temperament. Rottweilers are not Golden Retrievers. The best Rottweilers are versatile working dogs, capable of learning a great deal, but they are not pushovers to raise and train. Some Rottweilers are willful, obstinate, and dominant (they want to be the boss) and will make you prove that you can make them do things. You must show them, through absolute consistency, that you mean what you say.

   To teach your Rottweiler to listen to you, "Respect Training" is mandatory. My Rottweiler Training Page discusses the program you need.

6. Shedding. Rottweilers shed more than you might think. Their short, coarse hairs come off on your hands when you pet them, and stick tenaciously to your carpeting, upholstery, and clothing.

7. Slobbering. Some Rottweilers, especially large males with loose jowls, tend to slobber or drool, especially after eating and drinking.

8. Gassiness (flatulence) that can send you running for cover. Fortunately, Rottweilers who are fed a natural diet of real meat and other fresh foods have much less trouble with gassiness. See my Rottweiler Health Page for more information.

9. Serious health problems. The Rottweiler is one of the riskiest of all breeds in the health department. Their lifespan has become short -- an alarming number of Rottweilers are crippled by bone and joint diseases and/or succumb to cancer or heart disease in middle age.

   To keep this breed healthy, I strongly recommend following all of the advice on my Rottweiler Health Page.

10. Legal liabilities. Rottweilers may be targeted for "banning" in certain areas, or refusal of homeowner insurance policies. Your friends and neighbors may be uncomfortable around this breed. In this day and age, the legal liabilities of owning any breed that looks intimidating and has a history as a guard dog should be seriously considered. People are quicker to sue if such a dog does anything even remotely questionable.

    Frankly, most Rottweilers are "too much dog" for the average household. Very few people really have the knowledge or skills necessary to manage this breed or to provide the activities that keep him satisfied.

To learn more about training Rottweilers to be calm and well-behaved, consider my dog training book,
Teach Your Dog 100 English Words.

It's a unique Vocabulary and Respect Training Program that will make your Rottweiler the smartest, most well-behaved companion you've ever had.

Teaches your dog to listen to you, to pay attention to you, and to do whatever you ask him to do.



My dog buying guide, How To Buy a Good Dog, will teach you everything you need to know about finding a healthy Rottweiler puppy. Health problems have become so widespread in dogs today that this book is required reading for ANYONE who is thinking of getting a purebred, crossbred, or mixed breed dog.

If you'd like to consult with me personally about whether the Rottweiler might be a good dog breed for your family, I offer a Dog Breed Consulting Service.

Once you have your Rottweiler home, you need to KEEP him healthy -- or if he's having any current health problems, you need to get him back on the road to good health.

My dog health care book, 11 Things You Must Do Right To Keep Your Dog Healthy and Happy is the book you need.

Raise your dog the right way and you will be helping him live a longer, healthier life while avoiding health problems and unnecessary veterinary expenses.

Please consider adopting an ADULT Rottweiler...

When you're acquiring a Rottweiler PUPPY, you're acquiring potential -- what he one day will be. So "typical breed characteristics" are very important.

But when you acquire an adult dog, you're acquiring what he already IS and you can decide whether he is the right dog for you based on that reality. There are plenty of adult Rottweilers who have already proven themselves NOT to have negative characteristics that are "typical" for their breed. If you find such an adult dog, don't let "typical breed negatives" worry you. Just be happy that you found an atypical individual -- and enjoy!

Save a life. Adopt a dog.

Adopting a Dog From a Dog Breed Rescue Group

Adopting a Dog From the Animal Shelter