Specific resources and precautions you MUST TAKE to have a happy, healthy, productive Rottweiler Dog
#1 Proper Training
I sometimes get e-mails from people who are struggling with their rottweiler puppy - from nipping to growling to going to the bathroom indoors.
While most are simply issues of obedience and training persistence, there are a few the worry me - greatly.
It's not that the dogs are hopeless - it's that I sense a lack of commitment on the part of the owner. They aren't committed to laying down the groundwork of training when their dog is a puppy. They seem to think that as the dog gets bigger, things will get better.
Guess what folks - it ain't gonna happen.
While training older Rottweilers is certainly doable, if you want to save yourself a lot of time, money and stress (and have an absolute angel dog into the bargain), you must properly train the dog STARTING from when he or she is a puppy.
It's a LOT easier to teach them to heal when they are 6 months old and 40 pounds than it is to teach them to heal when they're 2 years old and 120 pounds. At that point, he or she is pretty much going to go where they want - and you're going with them!
So if you're just starting out with your puppy - you MUST start training them right away so they won't seriously challenge you when they are older (and larger!).
Find a good puppy training class. You can usually find them for $150-250 to teach you the basics.
It will teach you everything you need to know to train your dog properly and probably holds more information than you'll learn in a puppy class (plus, it's cheaper).
Benefits of Training:
If you do your homework now and train your dog when he or she is younger, it will be easier, cheaper and you'll get to enjoy an amazing, close relationship with your dog, especially when he's older. (When my Rottweiler hit 2 years old, it was like a complete transformation occurred. Now people never stop remarking at how well-behaved and gentle he is).
If you DON'T train your dog when he's younger, you stand to run into a myriad of problems, none of which are good. Nothing ticks me off more than when a Rottwiler owner says (usually in a newspaper story about how terrible Rottweilers are) 'I'm scared of my own dog'.
Um - hello - if you're scared of your own dog now then YOU didn't do your homework back then. You didn't train them properly and now you either have to START training them or take them to someone who can train them - and show you how to train them too (and a dog trainer will cost you a lot more than a simple puppy class!)
#2 Toys, Toys, Toys
Rottweilers are extremely intelligent dogs - and they LOVE mental stimulation. If you want your dog to be too busy to chew on your shoes (or in our case the couch) - keep him busy with lots of toys. This also provides you loads of entertainment just by watching him (or her!).
You don't have to spend a lot of money on toys.
Some rottis love large boxes (if you don't mind cleaning them up afterwards). Our rotti will spend at least half an hour with an empty peanut butter jar. Others like stuffed animals.
You can get large stuffed animals very cheaply at garage sales or second hand shops. One thing we do on a regular basis is hit the liquidation stores after a holiday like Valentine's day or Easter - TONS of stuffed animals dirt cheap.
One way to keep your dog busy (and happily challenged) is to put a treat in his Kong and then watch him try to get it out. You can put cookies inside, cheese or a banana slice.
A Kong is a great multi-purpose toy that you can use over and over again without spending a lot.
Toys are a must-have for your Rottweiler since they tend to get bored fairly easily. And you'll also have a much happier dog on your hands!
#3 Pet Insurance
Large dogs mean large vet bills. If you're going to have a rottweiler - depending on how coordinated or orally-fixated he is - you're going to have vet bills.
Any dog can get into trouble and I'd recommend pet insurance for ANY dog owner. It's just good sense. Pet insurance plans range from $15 a month to $50 depending on the type of dog, type of coverage, age, etc.
And pet insurance will probably pay for itself and then some.
We have friends that were playing frisbee with their chocolate lab in the park. The dog went to jump for the frisbee and came down on the wrong part of his leg. A ripped tendon and $3000 later the dog was on the mend.
Did I mention these people had no pet insurance? Thank heaven for Visa or that poor dog would have probably been put to sleep.
Now a happier example: An older man told me the story of his female rottweiler. When she was 14 months old she went running through the bushes one day, hit a groundhog hole and went down with a scream. He picked her up (he was a very large man!) and took her to the vet for immediate surgery.
Thank goodness he'd had the foresight to get pet insurance because it cost $4000 to fix his dog's hip.
Thankfully, his 'baby' recovered and had now reached the ripe old age of 5. He swore by pet insurance since he doubted he could have paid the vet bills himself.
Bottom line: Pet insurance is a smart investment for your Rottweiler. It will probably save you money in the long run.
We got our pet insurance over the Internet from Quickcare - it was really easy to do. We just filled out some forms and they sent us the insurance policy in the mail. If you want, you can even get a free quote from them to give you an idea of how much it will cost you.
#4 Lots of Exercise & Outside Time
Just as Rottweilers need lots of mental stimulation, they also needs lots of exercise and outside time. Just think about this - your Rotti, when fully grown is approximately 100 pounds of pure muscle. He was bred to herd cattle. You can't keep him chained to a fence all day and NOT expect him to lose his mind.
Now not all Rottis need hour long walks (and you do have to be careful in the summer because they get hot FAST). But a back yard where he/she can roam free is one way to keep your dog extremely happy.
Another way to give them this outside time is to take them to leash free zones and let them roam around or socialize with other dogs.
Most well-adjusted dogs just like to be around other dogs. It makes them happy (and tires them out - which is great for you!). Check with your city as to where these leash free dog parks are located.
One final benefit: When your Rottweiler is well exercised, he will be a LOT more obedient (he's too tired to act out!). Trust me - this works!
So there you have it - 4 Rottweiler essentials to raise a happy, healthy dog! Enjoy and good luck!
