Rottweilers are a dog that often comes with some assumptions and a bad reputation.
The first thing you need to know is that no dog is inherently bad, it’s just that some require more care and attention than others to train.
Rottweilers are a particularly loyal and loving type of companion that can bring a lot to your home and or family.
But with any dog comes a big commitment, so you might be wondering whether or not a Rottweiler is a difficult breed to train.
In this article, we’re going to be taking you through everything to do with what it’s like to train a Rottweiler. Are they an easy breed to train?
What are some of the difficulties you might come across when raising one from a puppy to adulthood?
We’re going to answer all these questions, and we’ve also made sure to include a short FAQ that will answer some additional questions about this breed.
What Is A Rottweiler?
A Rottweiler is a breed of domesticated dog that is often dubbed as medium-to-large in terms of size. They were originally used to herd livestock and pull carts, so they have a history as a working type of dog.
In the modern age, they are more commonly kept as loyal pets, or if they’re working they are used as police dogs or rescue dogs.
Rottweilers are some of the oldest dog breeds around, with their origins going all the way back to the Roman Empire.
Are Rottweilers Hard To Train?
Let’s answer this question right off the bat. Rottweilers are a very sharp and intelligent breed, and because of this, they have historically been chosen as working dogs in a variety of different roles.
The first thing that’s important to know about training different dog breeds is that every dog is different.
Depending on their environment and the resources you have available to you, any dog can either be difficult or easy to train. That said, some dog breeds are much easier than others.
If you’re considering getting a Rottweiler, you’ll be pleased to know that they are generally considered one of the easier breeds to train.
Because of their general intelligence levels, Rottweilers are quick to learn new things and will be very good with commands that involve them moving physically.
This is because of their history of being trained as working dogs.
There are however some difficulties with their natural stubbornness, though this is something that can depend on the personality of your dog and something we will cover in detail in a section below.
Positive Traits Of A Rottweiler
There are several positive traits that Rottweiler’s possess which make them easy to train. We’re going to break these down for you in the following section.
- Intelligence: we’ve already mentioned this, but Rottweilers are in the upper percentile when it comes to intelligent dogs. Obviously, the more intelligent your dog is, the faster it is going to learn things.
- Loyalty: Rottweilers are very loyal dogs which adds very much to how easy they are to train. Loyalty means that your dog will look to you for commands and encouragement, and makes them much more likely to want you to please them as their owner.
- Working History: you’ll find Rottweilers to be very obedient because of their working history. Because many Rottweilers have a history of guarding their owners or masters, they will be more likely to comply with commands.
Negative Traits of A Rottweiler
Whilst Rottweilers are very obedient dogs by nature, there are a few negative traits that they commonly possess that will make certain aspects of their training more difficult.
We’ve outlined these for you below so that you can plan ahead if you’re looking to get one.
- Stubbornness: Rottweilers have a stubborn side that can be a plus and a minus. Because of their intelligence, a Rottweiler might be more inclined to make up their own mind about certain actions – but that can cause them to sometimes act differently than what you might want them to as an owner.
- Size: Depending on the Rottweiler you have, they are likely to be medium-large or large in terms of size. This means that they can be very difficult to manage physically. If you find your Rottweiler being disobedient whilst on a lead, for example, this can be difficult to manage because of their sheer size and weight. Before committing to a Rottweiler, you’re going to need to make sure that you’re physically capable of controlling them if needs be.
- Need for Physical Activity: This is less of a negative and more of a feature of the breed, but because Rottweilers have a history of being a working dogs, they need a lot of physical activity to stay fit and mentally healthy. You’re going to have to make sure you’re the kind of person that will be able to keep up with them and give them the walks and stimulation that they will need.
Final Thoughts
So when it comes to working out whether or not a Rottweiler is easy to train, the most important thing to consider is how well the dog will fit with you.
They’re intelligent, loyal, and fast learners, but that’s not to say they’re the right dog for you. Rottweilers need a lot of physical activity and stimulation, and because of their size can be physically difficult to control.
However, if you’re looking for a great, loyal companion that will keep you active, then they’re a great choice of breed!
We hope that this guide has helped you to understand how easy it is to train a Rottweiler and that you now have a foundation of knowledge to figure out whether or not it’s the right breed for you.
As with any time you’re looking to get a new dog – make sure you do a lot of research before committing to having a new friend in your home!
Remember – a dog is a life-long commitment!
The result of that was Bunny - a 5 year old labrador who follows me around everywhere and is trained to detect when I’m about to have an anxiety attack. Through our three years together, Bunny can even sense when I’m feeling just a little bit anxious and work to calm me down.
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