While Rottweilers have received a reputation for being difficult and dangerous, dog owners are proving that it’s not the least bit true. However, before you make the decision to adopt a Rottweiler, you may be wondering “are Rottweilers easy to train?“
Rottweilers tend to be very easy dogs to train. They are one of the most intelligent breeds and since they are trainable, they make excellent working and service dogs. However, if you want to have success with training a Rottweiler, it’s important that you’re consistent, patient, and start at a young age.
Are you interested to know what it’s like to train a Rottweiler? You’ve come to the right page. Today, we’re going to cover what dog owners should know when it comes to training a Rottweiler. Keep reading to find out more.
Are Rottweilers Easy To Train?
Despite their reputation of being difficult dogs, Rottweilers are actually very easy to train. They are incredibly smart and always eager to please, which makes training sessions a lot more successful for dog owners. A lot of people are initially turned off of the idea of getting a Rottweiler because they don’t want a dog that’s out of control, yet these dogs consistently prove they can be well trained.
However, there’s one challenge that many dog owners find with training a Rottweiler. This is because the dog is more intelligent than they realized. In a lot of cases, the Rottweiler is actually smarter than its trainer. If the person training the dog isn’t fully prepared, the Rottweiler could learn faster than them.
While Rottweilers are easy to train, there’s one very important rule of thumb with this breed. If you’re a first-time dog owner, you may want to reconsider your choices. Rottweilers aren’t recommended for first-time dog owners. This is because the dog can be hard to keep up with and may outsmart the owner during training.
When to Train a Rottweiler
We can’t stress the importance of adopting dogs from reputable breeders enough, especially when it comes to Rottweilers. These dogs need to have their training and socialization early on in life. In fact, it needs to start before you even bring the dog home.
While most dog owners don’t bring a Rottweiler home from the breeder until the puppy is at least 8 to 9 weeks old. Yet, the key age to start socializing with this breed is around 6 to 7 weeks. Make sure you become familiar with the breeder’s routine to know if they are taking steps to socialize the puppies.
When choosing the right breeder, you should ask questions about the process. Rottweilers need to be handled daily when they are puppies to ensure they are ready for socialization. When the puppies reach 6 to 7 weeks in age, the breeder should be encouraging visitors to get the dogs used to seeing different types of people.
Keep in mind that it’s also important that the breeder is screening their visitors. This will prevent a virus from coming in and affecting the puppies.
Training a Rottweiler Puppy At Home
Now, the breeder should start the early socialization process, but you will have to continue the work when you bring the Rottweiler puppy home. Just because the breeder started the socialization doesn’t mean it’s finished. You will have to continue socializing with the dog so it doesn’t become frightened by seeing new people and other dogs as it gets used to the new territory.
As the dog owner, you should make a list of goals for the puppy. What training do you want to accomplish between now and the time your Rottweiler is a year old. One of the great things about training a Rottweiler puppy is that their minds absorb so much information. This is why it’s a good idea to teach them commands.
Keep in mind, while a Rottweiler is highly intelligent, it also has a very short attention span. If you keep the training sessions going for too long, you may notice that the dog’s responses are becoming slower. For this reason, we recommend teaching the dog commands in 5-minute sessions. If they don’t learn the first time, pick it back up later.
What Commands Should I Teach a Rottweiler Puppy?
When you first bring a Rottweiler puppy home from the breeder, you can begin working on commands from day 1. Some of the commands you should add to the list to teach your Rottweiler at this age include:
- Sit
- Off/ Down
- Stop
- Down
- Stand
- Shake a paw
- Rollover
- Speak
Rottweilers are eager to please and respond well to treats. When training your puppy a new command, make sure you have treats on hand to reward them. When they successfully obey a command reward them so they associate it with being positive. This way they will keep obeying the command. They even respond well to happy praise and pats on the head.
Potty Training For Rottweilers
Another part of training that should start with the breeders is potty training. It’s recommended that the Rottweiler puppies start potty training around 5 weeks of age. If the breeder didn’t do this, don’t worry. Dog owners can still successfully potty train their Rottweiller puppy at 8 weeks of age.
The key is to choose a designated area where the dog can relieve itself. Your Rottweiler needs to learn that it can’t go wherever is convenient at the time. You will need to show your dog that it has many opportunities to go outside as needed. We suggest taking your Rottweiler outside often and continuing to go to a specific area where it can practice potty training.
One thing you need to avoid is allowing the dog to pee or poo on an old towel or blanket. It may seem like a good idea to buy dog pee pads for the dog to use during winter, however, this will create bad habits later on. If the Rottweiler is given the impression that it is okay to relive itself in the house, it will continue to do so.
Know When to Correct Rottweiler Bad Behavior
Rottweilers aren’t bad dogs, but they do have some instincts you will want to curb for good behavior. By nature, Rottweilers are herders and guarders. Even though you likely won’t train the dog to herd your family or act as a guard dog, it will still have the instincts to do so. Luckily, you will be able to curb these habits.
As you’re taking the Rottweiler for a walk, you may notice it trying to herd you. There are two ways that the dog may try to herd you, either by nipping at your pant leg or trying to chase you. For the most part, these habits are harmless and can be curbed by ignoring them. The dog will see that it’s not getting the reaction it wants and move on.
Rottweilers are also good guard dogs, becoming protective over people and objects they love. You may notice that the dog becomes protective or possessive over certain toys and growls when you try to retrieve the toy. In some cases, the dog may even pick up objects when going for a walk.
If your dog does this, we recommend adding the word “out” to the list of commands you teach the dog. The earlier in the dog’s life that you address bad habits, the easier it will be to correct them.
Why Rottweilers Are Easy To Train
The main reason why Rottweilers are easy to train is that they are highly intelligent and eager to please. This is why they are still one of the most popular breeds for use as work dogs. Rottweilers are great service dogs because they are highly obedient and very agile.
For many generations, these dogs have proven to be excellent companions in the workplace. They have served as military dogs, police dogs, and guide dogs. Since they are receptive to training, they can be trained for a number of different activities.
One trait of the Rottweiler that often gets overlooked is how loyal the dog is. When they are loyal to a person, they will do as their told to make that person happy. This trait inspires the dog to be more obedient when its owner is training it. They also respond well to praise and encouragement, which keeps them going.
Final Thoughts
Are Rottweilers easy to train? Rottweilers are a great breed that is very easy to train. While they have a reputation for being wild, these dogs have proven to be anything but. Rottweilers are very intelligent dogs that can learn new commands quickly. However, don’t drag that training session on for too long because these dogs do have short attention spans.
Rottweilers are very obedient dogs, which makes it easier for owners to teach them new commands and tricks. Since they respond well to praise, it’s easier to encourage the dog to obey. These dogs will keep you on your toes though because they are intelligent enough to learn faster than their owners.