Adopting a Rottweiler: What Every Potential Rottie Owner Needs to Know

The Rottweiler breed gets a lot of attention and not always in a good manner. 

Rottweiler pups are like intelligent but headstrong teenagers who demand tons of attention, patience and exciting new activities or they will throw a temper tantrum.

Okay! Let’s be honest here. This article is going to go differently than you anticipated. We are NOT going to berate rotties because we absolutely love the tan and brown, smoosh-faced doggos. 

They are fiercely loyal, confident, friendly, family-oriented dogs that are also absolutely gorgeous. 

The Ultimate Truth About The Rottweiler Breed in 11 Points

We will begin with the 11 biggest cons of adopting a Rottweiler –

1. You will no longer be the recipient of compliments. Your rottie will bag them all. 
2. You will never have to worry about finding your soulmate. You will have your rottie giving you those puppy-dog eyes whenever you sneak a peek at them. 
3. You will get used to being happy and cheerful ALL THE TIME. Your cheek muscles will hurt from smiling. 
4. You will have to get a bigger bed and get rid of your pillows since you will have a cuddle bundle right at home. 
5. Your friends will become your Rottweiler’s friends and you will have to get used to it!
6. You will no longer be the smartest or most intelligent member of your family! Your rottie will snatch that title from you. 
7. You will discontinue your gym membership because your pup will make sure you get all the cardio you need twice a day!
8. You will unlearn everything you have learned about personal space and boundaries. Bathroom? You will find a companion to give you courage as the lizard stares at you from the corner of the room. Bedroom? You can now confidently watch The Nun 2 with your rottie bodyguard. 
9. They will absolutely floor you and your family – with obedience. A well-trained Rottweiler won’t move a muscle unless they are given permission. 
10. You will become sneakier in the kitchen. People don’t say it enough, but rotties can be foodies and they will rightfully demand a bite of every food item you eat. 
11. You will ultimately stop going out for social gatherings and parties because the party will happen at your place. Rottweilers are energetic and active dogs who will play as much as you want them to. 

So, now you know the truth about Rottweilers. 

The 10 Traits that Define The Rottweiler Breed

Let’s dive a little deeper into what defines a Rottweiler in terms of their personality traits, health, diet, exercise and grooming needs. 

1. The ideal body weight and size of Rottweilers in India

Rottweilers are considered medium or medium-large dogs. The ideal height of a male Rottweiler should be between 24 and 27 inches and the height of a female Rottweiler is between 22 and 25 inches. 

Male and female Rottweilers should ideally weigh around 45-55 kg and 36-45 kg. The weight of your Rottweiler will depend upon its height, muscle composition and overall bone structure. 

Gauging the ideal weight of a purebred Rottweiler is not as easy as just matching height to weight on a chart. Speak to a veterinarian about how much your dog should ideally weigh. It’s important to avoid overfeeding Rottweilers. Obesity can cause multiple health problems in the breed.

2. Diet of a Rottweiler

Rottweilers require special high-protein and low-fat diets formulated for the breed. Rottweilers are from the Roman Era when they were used as herding and guard dogs! 

Now, they have the appetite and tastebuds of their regal ancestors, but the activity level of a human teenager. Hence, you need to select a good-quality breed-specific food for your pup. 

Feed them as per the recommendations of the vet. And, yes, treats do contribute to added calories no matter how effective your dog’s cute puppy eyes are. 

3. Friendliness of Rottweilers

We are aware of the bad rep the breed receives on different platforms. However, Rottweilers were bred specifically for their loyalty, confidence and guarding instincts. 

When these personality traits are channelled in the right direction, you can have the perfect four-pawed best friend. 

They have the ability to be the Joey to your Chandler! But you need to train them and socialise them properly from a very young age. 

Do not expect them to be super friendly towards strangers. Although, some Rottweilers do not care about the source of the cuddle as long as it keeps coming. 

4. Affection Level of Rotties

Contrary to popular belief Rottweilers can be extremely affectionate towards their family. They remain aloof towards strangers or new family members. 

Since they are extremely protective towards their family, you need to make sure they get used to meeting new people and other dogs almost every day since their early puppyhood. 

Sadly, with their owners, they often have zero boundaries. Your rottie might consider themselves a lapdog even when they reach their full size. So, better get a bigger couch, because you won’t be Netflixing alone for long!

5. Friendliness Towards other Dogs

Rottweilers typically have the single-child syndrome. They like to be pampered and they will want you to treat them with undivided attention, love and care. 

In short, despite their intimidating looks, they are giant babies. And just like babies, they do not like to share with their parents or humans. It is not a caveat. It’s a trait. You can definitely work on that by introducing them to other puppies once their vaccinations are complete. 

They have the playfulness and energy levels of a toddler. So, that gives you the perfect chance to teach them how to share toys, communicate with other dogs and stay away from aggressive behaviour. 

6. Grooming Necessities of Rottweilers

Good news! You don’t have to spend your retirement funds on your Rottweiler’s grooming. They have super short coats. They don’t shed heavily. They are not prone to tangling or matting of fur. 

You should brush them regularly with a regular dog hair brush and bathe them too.

Focus more on their teeth since they have a punched face. Rottweilers suffer from significant dental issues including tartar and plaque, and gingivitis in their adulthood. Make it a habit to brush their teeth regularly. 

Take them for professional dental grooming at least once in 2 months. 

7. Watchdog Qualities of the Rottweiler Breed

Rottweilers exist today because Romans needed them to guard their cattle and supplies. If they were a movie character, they would probably be Samwise if you consider yourself Frodo. 

They will guard whatever is precious to them with their life!

They are excellent watchdogs even though they have gotten used to the luxuries of city life. Most importantly, once you do have a Rottweiler, you won’t even have to worry about burglars. 

Unwanted visitors will anyway avoid your house because of the (mis)reputation of the breed!

8. The energy level of the Rottweiler Breed

Rottweilers are like squirrels who broke into the Red Bull factory. And yes, they are just as adorable as well. However, they are not the easiest to manage when their zoomies begin. 

Hence, the idea is to take your Rottweiler pup out for frequent walks and trots. Make sure they get at least two long walks per day when it’s not too hot. 

If you do not allow your dog to expend their energy, they are going to use it to redecorate your apartment or house. You HAVE to take them outside every day. If you can run with them, there’s nothing like it. You can also train them to trot beside you while you are cycling or hire a dog walker. 

The golden rule of keeping a Rottweiler in an apartment or house is – exercise, exercise and more exercise! On the brighter side, you will also complete your 10,000 steps target each day. 

9. Trainability of the Rottweiler Breed

We always insist that first-time dog owners should not adopt Rottweilers because the combination of intelligence, high energy level and stubbornness is quite challenging. 

Rottweilers do not respond well to negative reinforcements. Shouting at a Rottweiler or showing anger is not the way to train them properly. 

Focus on behavioural training. Remember what they were bred to do, capitalise on their unique personality traits and praise them verbally for good behaviour. Lots of cuddles since early puppyhood and verbal positive reinforcement go a long way to creating a lovable Rottweiler adult!

If you are having trouble training your Rottweiler puppy or adult, speak to a canine behavioural trainer who does not use negative reinforcements. 

10. Common health issues of Rottweilers in India

Sadly, due to excessive inbreeding hundreds of years ago, Rottweilers are still facing several health issues. Some of the common health problems Rottweilers develop include –

• Torn ligament of the knee
• Hip dysplasia 
• Elbow dysplasia
• Heart issues 
• Polyneuropathy
• Skin problems (hot spots)
• Cancers (osteosarcoma and lymphoma) 

So when adopting a Rottweiler, get their parents’ medical history. Make sure they don’t have any history of cancers, luxating patella and dysplasia in the last 2 generations. 

After getting your pup, take them straight to a reputable pet clinic near you. The veterinarian might conduct a physical examination and recommend a few tests to ensure the good health of your pup. At the same time, if there’s any susceptibility towards inheritable disorders, you will get the time and resources to either prevent it or delay its onset. 

Should You Get a Rottweiler?

If you want to work out more and have the experience of training guarding dogs, you should definitely go for one. 

Before bringing a rottie puppy home, look for good dog behaviourists and trainers near you. Keep the contact information of a 24/7 veterinary clinic near you. A good veterinarian has knowledge of all health problems common to Rottweilers.