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This
article, written many years ago by Pam Green for the Bouvier des
Flandres breed, has become a notorious classic in Bouvier circles.
It has been adapted with permission for use in the education of
prospective Rottweiler owners. Permission is freely given to all who
wish to reprint and distribute it in hopes of saving innocent
Rottweilers from neglect and abandonment by those who should never
have acquired them in the first place.
Interested
in buying a Rottweiler? You must be or you wouldn't be reading this.
You've already heard how wonderful Rottweilers are. Well, I think
you should also hear, before it's too late, that Rottweilers ARE NOT
THE PERFECT BREED FOR EVERYONE. As a breed they have a few features
that some people find charming, but that some people find mildly
unpleasant and some people find downright intolerable. There are
different breeds for different needs. There are over 200 purebred
breeds of dogs in the world. Each breed was created with some
specific purposes in mind. There are lap dogs, hound dogs, herding
dogs, huntings dogs, and many varied combinations of these and other
functions. Before you decide on one specific breed, investigate it's
history, temperament, and uses to make sure that they mesh well with
your own lifestyle. Just because a breed is currently popular does
not mean it's the right one for you, and the choice of a dog should
be made with the intention of caring for that dog throughout it's
lifetime. DON'T BUY
A ROTTWEILERIF YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO THE BREED *CHIEFLY* BECAUSE OF
IT'S REPUTATION AS A PROTECTIVE DOG. While a Rottweiler is a large,
impressive breed, true protection is only obtained through a
lifetime of training. Even if you do not choose to train in
protection, a Rottweiler requires many hours of obedience training
and socialization, and can be expected at some point in his/her life
to challenge it's owner. Some Rottweilers are also slow to bark,
coming into their voice at two to three years of age - do not expect
your Rottweiler puppy to instinctively warn you of approaching
stranger. There are many other breeds whose "watch dog"
capabilities far exceed that of the Rottweiler. If all you are
seeking is a dog that will bark at strangers approaching your home,
you may want to look at the Labrador, the Standard Poodle, or some
terrier breeds. DON'T BUY
A ROTTWEILERIF YOU ARE UNWILLING TO SHARE YOUR HOUSE AND YOUR LIFE
WITH YOUR DOG. Rottweilers were bred to share in many aspects of a
family's daily life, as protective guardians, willing workers, and
happy playmates. They thrive on companionship and they want to be
wherever you are. They are happiest living with you in your house
and going with you when you go out. While they usually tolerate
being kenneled for periods of time, or crated inside the house by
themselves, they need human contact and socialization in order to
remain well-rounded. A Rottweiler who does not receive adequate
socialization and attention is likely to grow up to be unsociable
(fearful and/or unprovokedly aggressive),unruly, and unhappy. He may
well develop pastimes, such as digging or barking, that will
displease you and/or your neighbors. An adult so exiled will be
miserable too. If you don't strongly prefer to have your dog's
companionship as much as possible, enjoying having him sleep in your
bedroom at night and sharing many of your activities by day, you
should choose a breed less oriented to human companionship. Likewise
if your job or other obligations prevent you from spending much time
with your dog. No dog is really happy without companionship but the
pack hounds are more tolerant of being kenneled or yarded so long as
it is in gr oups of 2
or more. A better choice would be a cat, as they are solitary by
nature. DON'T BUY
A ROTTWEILERIF YOU DON'T INTEND TO EDUCATE (TRAIN) YOUR DOG. Basic
obedience and household rules training is NOT optional for the
Rottweiler. As an absolute minimum, you must teach him to reliably
respond to commands to come, to lie down, to stay, and to walk at
your side, on or off leash and regardless of temptations. You must
also teach him to respect your household rules: e.g. is he allowed
to get on the furniture? is he allowed to beg at the table? What you
allow or forbid is unimportant; but it is *critical* that you, not
the dog, make these choices and that you enforce your rules
consistently. You must commit yourself to attending an 8 to 10 week
series of weekly lessons at a local obedience club or professional
trainer and to doing one or two short (5 to 20 minutes) homework
sessions per day. As commands are learned, they must be integrated
into your daily life by being used whenever appropriate and enforced
consistently. Young Rottweiler puppies are relatively easy to train:
they are eager to please, intelligent, and calm-natured, with a
relatively good attention span. Once a Rottweiler has learned
something, he tends to retain it well. Your cute, sweet little
Rottweiler puppy will grow up to be a large, powerful dog with a
highly self-assertive personality and the determination to finish
whatever he starts. If he has grown up respecting you and your
rules, then all his physical and mental strength will work for you.
But if he has grown up without rules and guidance from you, surely
he will make his own rules and his physical and mental powers will
often act in opposition to your needs and desires. For example: he
may tow you down the street as if competing in a sled-dog race; he
may grab food off the table; he may forbid your guests entry to his
home. This training cannot be delegated to someone else, e.g. by
sending the dog away to "boarding school", because the
relationship of respect and obedience is personal between the dog
and the individual who does the training. This is true of all dogs
to greater or lesser degree, but definitely to a very great degree
in Rottweilers. While you definitely many want the help of an
experienced trainer to teach you how to train your dog, you yourself
must actually train your Rottweiler. As each lesson is well learned,
then the rest of the household (except very young children) must
also work with the dog, insisting he obey them as well. Many of
the Rottweilers that are rescued from Pounds and Shelters show
clearly that they have received little or no basic training, neither
in obedience nor in household deportment; yet these same dogs
respond well to such training by the rescuer or the adopter. It
seems likely that a failure to train the dog is a significant cause
of Rottweiler abandonment. If you
don't intend to educate your dog, preferably during puppyhood, you
would be better off with a breed that is both small and socially
submissive, e.g. a Shetland Sheepdog. Such a dog does require
training, but a little bit goes further than with a Rott. In the
opposite direction, if your goals in obedience training are oriented
towards success at high level competition (HIT, OTCh, and Gaines),
please realize that while some Rottweilers can and do accomplish
these goals, they are few and far between. The Rott is not among the
half dozen breeds best suited to such highly polished performance. DON'T BUY
A ROTTWEILERIF YOU LACK LEADERSHIP (SELF-ASSERTIVE) PERSONALITY.
Dogs do not believe in social equality. They live in a social
hierarchy led by a pack-leader (Alpha). The alpha dog is generally
benevolent, affectionate, and non-bullying towards his subordinates;
but there is never any doubt in his mind or in theirs that the alpha
is the boss and makes the rules. Whatever the breed, if you do not
assume the leadership, the dog will do so sooner or later and with
more or less unpleasant consequences for the abdicating owner. Like
the untrained dog, the pack-leader dog makes his own rules and
enforces them against other members of the household by means of a
dominant physical posture and a hard-eyed stare, followed by a
snarl, then a knockdown blow or a bite. Breeds differ in tendencies
towards social dominance; and individuals within a breed differ
considerably. Rottweilers as a breed tend to be of a socially
dominant personality. You really cannot afford to let a Rottweiler
become your boss. You do not have to have the personality or
mannerisms of a Marine boot camp Sergeant, but you do have to have
the calm, quiet self-assurance and self-assertion of the successful
parent ("Because I'm your mother, that's why.") or
successful grade-school teacher. If you think you might have
difficulty asserting yourself calmly and confidently to exercise
leadership, then choose a breed known for its socially subordinate
disposition, such as a Golden Retriever or a Shetland Sheepdog, and
be sure to ask the breeder to select one of the more submissive pups
in the litter for you. Leadership
and training are inextricably intertwined: leadership personality
enables you to train your dog, and being trained by you reinforces
your dog's perception of you as the alpha. DON'T BUY
A ROTTWEILERIF YOU DON'T VALUE CONSTANT COMPANIONSHIP AND SOMETIMES
PHYSICAL AFFECTION. A Rottweiler becomes deeply attached and devoted
to his own family, and will show this affection in a variety of
ways. Some Rottweilers are noticeably reserved, however most are
more outgoing, and a few may be exuberantly demonstrative of their
affections. They like to be near you, usually in the same room, an
almost always with a head or paw in your lap. They will follow you
from room to room, and if you are standing still, will lean against
your leg. They have been known to upend morning coffee cups by
deciding that it's time your hand touched their heads. They are
emotionally sensitive to their favorite people: when you are joyful,
proud, angry, or grief-stricken, your Rott will immediately perceive
it and may respond to your mood. As puppies, of course, they will be
more dependent, clownish, and given to testing the limits of their
surrounding. A number
of breeds retain into adulthood a less puppyish and playful
disposition, e.g. Sheepdogs, Mastiffs and others. Quite a few are
far more dramatically demonstrative and/or more clingingly
dependent, e.g. the Golden Retriever. DON'T BUY
A ROTTWEILER IF YOU ARE FASTIDIOUS ABOUT THE NEATNESS OF YOUR HOME.
The Rottweiler's short coarse coat and undercoat do shed. Generally
shedding is confined to once or twice per year, but Rottweiler
females may "blow coat" during their heat cycles, and some
Rotties shed more than others. I don't mean to imply that you must
be a slob or slattern to live happily with a Rott, but you do have
to have the attitude that your dog's company means more to you than
does neatness and you do have to be comfortable with a less than
immaculate house. While all
dogs, like all children, create a greater or lesser degree of
household mess, many other breeds of dog are less troublesome than
the Rottweiler in this respect. The Basenji is perhaps the cleanest,
due to its cat-like habits. DON'T BUY
A ROTTWEILER IF YOU DISLIKE DAILY PHYSICAL EXERCISE. Rottweilers
need exercise to maintain the health of heart and lungs and to
maintain muscle tone. Because of his mellow, laid-back, often lazy,
disposition, your Rottweiler will not give himself enough exercise
unless you accompany him or play with him. An adult Rottweiler
should have a morning outing of a mile or more, as you walk briskly,
jog, or bicycle beside him, and a similar evening outing. For
puppies, shorter and slower walks, several times a day are preferred
for exercise and housebreaking. All dogs
need daily exercise of greater or lesser length and vigor. If
providing this exercise is beyond you, physically or
temperamentally, then choose one of the many small and energetic
breeds that can exercise itself within your fenced yard. Most of the
Toys and Terriers fit this description, but don't be surprised if a
Terrier is inclined to dig in the earth since digging out critters
is the job that they were bred to do. DON'T BUY
A ROTTWEILER IF YOU BELIEVE THAT DOGS SHOULD RUN "FREE".
Whether you live in town or country, no dog can safely be left to
run "free" outside your fenced property and without your
direct supervision and control. The price of such
"freedom" is inevitably injury or death: from dogfights,
from automobiles, from the Pound or from justifiably irate
neighbors. Even though Rotts are home-loving and less inclined to
roam than most breeds, an unfenced Rott is destined for disaster.
Like other breeds developed for livestock herding, most Rotts have
inherited a substantial amount of "herding instinct",
which is a strengthened and slightly modified instinct to chase and
capture suitable large prey. The unfenced country-living Rott will
sooner or later discover the neighbor's livestock (sheep, cattle,
horses, poultry) and respond to his genetic urge to chase and harass
such stock. State law almost always gives the livestock owner the
legal right to kill any dog chasing or "worrying" his
stock, and almost all livestock owners are quick to act on this! The
unfenced city Rott is likely to exercise his inherited herding
instinct on joggers, bicyclists, and automobiles. A thoroughly
obedience-trained Rottweiler can enjoy the limited and supervised
freedom of off-leash walks with you in appropriately chosen
environments. If you
don't want the responsibility of confining and supervising your pet,
then no breed of dog is suitable for you. A neutered cat will
survive such irresponsibly given "freedom" somewhat longer
than a dog, but will eventually come to grief. DON'T BUY
A ROTTWEILER IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY, FEED, AND PROVIDE
HEALTHCARE FOR ONE. Rottweilers are not a cheap breed to buy, as
running careful breeding program with due regard for temperament,
trainability, and physical soundness (hips especially) cannot be
done cheaply. The time the breeder should put into each puppy's
"pre-school" and socialization is also costly. The
"bargain" puppy from a "back-yard breeder" who
unselectively mates any two Rotts who happen to be of opposite sex
may well prove to be extremely costly in terms of bad temperament,
bad health, and lack of essential socialization. In contrast, the
occasional adult or older pup is available at modest price from a
disenchanted owner or from a breeder, shelter, or rescuer to whom
the dog was abandoned; most of these "used" Rottweilers,
after evaluation by an experienced handler and vet check, are
capable of becoming a marvelous dog for you if you can provide
training, leadership, and understanding. Whatever the initial cost
of your Rottweiler, the upkeep will not be cheap. Being large dogs,
Rotts eat relatively large meals. (Need I add that what goes in one
end must eventually come out the other?) Large dogs tend to have
larger veterinary bills, as the amount of anesthesia and of most
medications is proportional to body weight. Spaying or neutering,
which costs more for larger dogs, is an essential expense for
virtually all pet Rottweilers, as it "takes the worry out of
being close", prevents serious health problems in later life,
and makes the dog a more pleasant companion. Rottweilers
are subject to quite a few genetically derived health disorders,
however, two conditions in particular are extremely prevalent and
can be costly to treat: hip dysplasia and parvovirus. Your best
insurance against dysplasia is to buy only from a litter bred from
OFA or foreign hip certified parents and [if possible],
grandparents. Yes, this generally means paying more. While susceptibility
to parvovirus may have a genetic predisposition, there are no
predictive tests allowing selective breeding against it. Your best
prevention is to follow the vaccination schedule recommended by your
breeder in concordance with their veterinarian. As far as other
genetically derived health disorders, such as entropian, elbow
dysplasia, cataracts, von Willebrand's disease (a bleeding
disorder), and heart disorders, ALWAYS buy from a breeder who gives
you a written contract guaranteeing against these disorders.
Finally, the modest fee for participation in a series of basic
obedience training classes is an essential investment in harmonious
living with your dog; such fees are the same for all breeds, though
conceivably you will need to travel a bit further from home to find
a training class teacher who is competent with the more formidable
breeds, such as Rottweiler. The modest annual outlays for
immunizations and for local licensing are generally the same for all
breeds, though some counties have a lower license fee for
spayed/neutered dogs. All dogs,
of whatever breed and however cheaply acquired, require significant
upkeep costs, and all are subject to highly expensive veterinary
emergencies. Likewise all cats. DON'T BUY
A ROTTWEILER IF YOU WANT THE "LATEST, GREATEST FEROCIOUS KILLER
ATTACK DOG". Although the Rottweiler's capability as a personal
protection dog and as a police dog have been justifiably well
publicized, and occasionally dramatically over-stated, the
Rottweiler is not any more capable in these respects than are half a
dozen other protection breeds. Nor are all Rottweilers equally
capable: some are highly so and some moderately so, but many have
insufficient natural capacity for such work. Due to his laid-back
disposition, the Rottweiler is, if anything, a bit slower to respond
aggressively to a threat than are most other protection breeds. For
the same reason, however, the Rottie is perhaps somewhat more
amenable to control by the handler and somewhat more willing to
follow commands to refrain from biting or to stop biting when told
to do so. Whatever the breed, before the dog can be safely
protection trained, he must have great respect for the leadership of
his handler and must be solidly trained in basic obedience to that
handler. Equally essential, he must have a rock-solidly stable
temperament and he must also have been "socialized" out in
the world enough to know that most people are friendly and harmless,
so that he can later learn to distinguish the bad guys from the good
guys. Even with such a dog, safe protection training demands several
hundred hours of dedicated work by the handler, much of it under the
direct supervision of a profoundly expert trainer. Please don't buy
any dog for protection training unless you are absolutely committed
to the extreme amount of work that will be required of you
personally. Also talk to your lawyer and your insurance agent first.
In
contrast to the protection-trained dog, trained to bite on direct
command or in reaction to direct physical assault on his master, the
"deterrent dog" dissuades the vast majority of aspiring
burglars, rapists, and assailants by his presence, his appearance,
and his demeanor. Seeing such dog, the potential wrong-doer simply
decides to look for a safer victim elsewhere. For this job, all that
is needed is a dog that is large and that appears to be well-trained
and unafraid. The Rottweiler can serve this role admirably, with the
added assets of generally dark color and "bestial"
appearance adding to the impression of formidability and
fearsomeness. If the dog has been taught to bark a few times on
command, eg "Fang, watch him!" rather than "Fifi,
speak for a cookie", this skill can be useful to augment the
deterrent effect. Other
breeds of dog which are equally suitable for protection or for
deterrence include the Doberman, German Shepherd, Briard, Belgian
Sheepdog, Bouvier des Flandres, Belgian Tervuren, and Belgian
Malinois. Of these the first 2 are also recognized by the general
public as "police dogs". The Malamute, though not suitable
for protection, is quite effective for deterrence due to his highly
wolf-like appearance. DON'T BUY
A ROTTWEILER IF YOU WANT A TOTALLY UNAGGRESSIVE AND UNPROTECTIVE
DOG. Most Rottweilers have an assertive and confident personality.
When confronted with a threat, a proper Rottweiler will be somewhat
more ready to fight than to flee. Thus he may respond aggressively
in situations where many other breeds back down. Most Rottweilers
have some inclination to act aggressively to repel intruders on
their territory (i.e. your home) and to counter-act assaults upon
their pack mates (you and your family). Without training and
leadership from you to guide him, the dog cannot judge correctly
whom to repel and whom to tolerate. Without training and leadership,
sooner or later he may injure an innocent person who will
successfully sue you for more than you own. With good training and
leadership from you, he can be profoundly valuable as a defender of
your home and family. (See also remarks on stability and
socialization above.) If you
feel no need of an assertive dog or if you have the slightest doubts
of your ability and willingness to supply the essential
socialization, training and leadership, then please choose one of
the many breeds noted for thoroughly unaggressive temperament, such
as a Sheltie or a Golden Retriever. DON'T BUY
A ROTTWEILER IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO COMMIT YOURSELF FOR THE DOG'S
ENTIRE LIFETIME. No dog deserves to be cast out because his owners
want to move to a no-pet apartment or because he is no longer a cute
puppy or didn't grow up to be a beauty contest winner or because his
owners through lack of leadership and training have allowed him to
become an unruly juvenile delinquent with a repertoire of
undesirable behaviors. The prospects of a responsible and
affectionate second home for a "used" dog are never very
bright, but they are especially dim for a large, poorly mannered
dog. A Rottweiler dumped into a Pound or Shelter has almost no
chance of survival -- unless he has the great good fortune to be
spotted by someone dedicated to Rottweiler Rescue. The prospects for
adoption for a youngish, well-trained, and well-groomed Rottweiler
whose owner seeks the assistance of the nearest Rottweiler Club or
Rescue group are fairly good; but an older Rott has diminishing
prospects. Be sure to contact your local Rottweiler club or Rescue
group if you are diagnosed with a chronic illness or have other
equally valid reason for seeking an adoptive home. Be sure to
contact your local Rottweiler club if you are beginning to have
difficulties in training your Rottweiler, so these can be resolved.
Be sure to make arrangements in your will or with your family to
ensure continued care or adoptive home for your Rottweiler if you
should pre-decease him. The life
span of a Rottweiler is from 9 to 12 years. If that seems too long a
time for you to give an unequivocal loyalty to your Rottweiler, then
please do not get one! Indeed, as most dogs have a life expectancy
that is as long or longer, please do not get any dog! In
Conclusion If all
the preceding "bad news" about Rottweilers hasn't turned
you away from the breed, then by all means DO GET A Rottweiler! They
are every bit as wonderful as you have heard! If buying
a puppy, be sure to shop carefully for a *responsible* and
*knowledgeable* breeder who places high priority on breeding for
sound temperament and trainability and good health in all matings.
Such a breeder will interrogate and educate potential buyers
carefully. Such a breeder will continue to be available for advice
and consultation for the rest of the puppy's life and will insist on
receiving the dog back if ever you are unable to keep it. However
as an alternative to buying a Rottweiler puppy, you may want to give
some serious consideration to adopting a rescued Rottweiler. Despite
the responsibility of their previous owner, rescued Rottweilers who
have been evaluated by experienced Rottweiler handlers/breeders and
vet checked have proven to be readily rehabilitated so as to become
superb family companions for responsible and affectionate adopters.
Many rescuers are skilled trainers who evaluate temperament and
provide remedial training before offering dogs for placement, and
who offer continued advisory support afterwards. Contact local
Rottweiler breeders, Rottweiler club members, the local humane
society, or your local all breed kennel club to learn who is doing
Rescue work. An After
word This
article was originally written by Pam Green, a caring and involved
Bouvier des Flandres owner, and has been adapted in order to assist
in Rottweiler education by Liz Bauer in 1994 with assistance from
Lucy Newton of Cornell University. Pam first
wrote this article nearly 14 years ago. Since then it has become a
classic of Bouvier literature, reprinted many times. Pam has spent
nearly 8 years in Bouvier Rescue, personally rescuing,
rehabilitating, and placing 3 or 4 per year and assisting in the
placement of others. Liz has
been involved with Rottweilers since the early 1980's, purchasing
her first Rottweiler in 1991, and breeding her first solo litter in
1997. She became involved in Rottweiler Rescue in 1986, retired from
active rescue in 1996 and currently assists with the evaluation and
placement of over 50 Rottweilers per year in association with Joan
Sweeney of Wisconsin Rottweiler Rescue. Liz can be contacted at
harkon@inxpress.net Lucy has
owned rottweilers since the early 1990's and is involved with Search
and Rescue in the Ithaca, New York area. She can be reached at lan5@cornell.edu
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