The Rottweiler

A lot of dog in many ways

This time we dedicate this space to a powerful breed both in body and character. Unfortunately it has become a controversial breed due to unfortunate accidents and also for having been used in many dog movies like a "devil dog". It is true that this dog is a guard and defense dog that should be in the hands of an owner who knows what kind of dog he has and how to treat it properly. It is absolutely not certain this is a dog that is dangerous in itself. It can be dangerous when not controlled in an authoritarian manner, a trait he shares with many powerful breeds. They are generally very confident dogs. His eyes, fixed and pervasive, show that this dog is not impressed easily.

In this breed the same thing happened as with all very popular breeds: it gets bred in an uncontrolled manner, which necessarily leads to genetic defects. Moreover, as a guard and defense dog that also has been used as a cattledog it has its instincts of defense and dominance well-developed.
His herding work is driving cattle (cows). The cow is a strong animal, capable of giving hard blows with its feet. The Rottweiler is therefore very tough, it will not let off by the first kick of a cow. He has been selected to withstand the pain and continue working. Apart from this resistance to pain he needs to have a strong character to help dominating a herd of cows.

The most common genetic physical defects are dysplasia of hip and elbow, and intestinal problems. Young dogs are very vulnerable to the Corona-virus and Entropion. The most common mental defect is dominance aggression towards the owner and asocial behavior toward other dogs. These defects usually occur much more frequently in males.

When deciding on a puppy the character of the parents should be taken into account. In breeds of this group (guard and defense dogs) it is common practice amongst breeders to breed different character lines. Dogs are raised rather to serve for deterring by their simple presence, without a predisposition to act. These dogs are the best ones to have as a family dog. Other lines are used to do guard and defense work, but, in collaboration with a guide. This type of dog should be in the hands of an experienced owner who can manage a dog with a tendency to act. Finally, other dogs are bred for working alone, guarding and defending properties to repell intruders on their own. These dogs should not be in the hands of people who do not know what they have on hand. Unfortunately, it often happens that Rottweilers unfit to live in society as people's pets are bred and sold in an unresponsable manner.

I do not want to scare anyone with these comments, but I believe it is good to know that this is also part of the reality of this breed, and many other (German Shepherd, Dobermann, ...) Most of the above is directed primarily to people who are considering the acquisition of a Rottweiler. Those that already have got one should rather take notice of the advice related to the need to teach and control them well.