One breed that continues to impress dog owners is the Rottweiler. These strong dogs have a lot of great qualities, but one question a lot of people have before adopting one is “are Rottweilers smart?“
Rottweilers are very smart dogs that can learn at a quick pace. These dogs have extraordinary instincts and very good senses when it comes to reading people and other animals. It’s easy to see why Rottweilers are persistently ranked as one of the smartest dog breeds in the world.
Are you interested in learning more about a Rottweiler’s intelligence? You’ve come to the right page. Today, we’re going to discuss just how smart a Rottweiler really is. Keep reading to learn more.
Are Rottweilers Smart?
One of the most intelligent breeds is the Rottweiler. These smart dogs continue to impress people with how intelligent they are. Whether it comes to learning a new command or judging their natural instincts, Rottweilers can find many ways to show off their intelligence.
A lot of people wonder what makes a Rottweiler so smart. While you won’t catch your Rottweiler solving equations or learning a new language, it will still be able to impress you with its learning capabilities. There are 4 different aspects of intelligence when it comes to dogs, and Rottweilers perform well on all of them.
- Instinctive
- Adaptive
- Obedience
- Operational
Let’s take a look at how well the Rottweiler performs in each category.
Rottweiler’s Instinctive Intelligence
Looking back on the breed’s history, people can see that Rottweilers were commonly used as guard dogs and police dogs. That is because this breed has very good instincts and those instincts can be put to good use. Once a Rottweiler becomes familiar with its environment and the people in it, the dog begins to view the place and people as its territory.
A Rottweiler’s instinct is to always guard the people it is loyal to. It’s not just the guarding instinct that impresses dog owners. Rotties respond very well to training. These dogs begin to develop instincts based on things they have been trained for. That is why we can’t stress enough how important it is to fully train a Rottweiler dog.
Rottweiler’s Adaptive Intelligence
One of the biggest problems people face with domesticated pets is that they aren’t adaptable. Certain breeds don’t respond well to new situations. Rottweilers aren’t one of them. These dogs are highly adaptable, making it easier to introduce them to new environments and new situations.
Of course, you will always have to have patience when introducing your Rottweiler to a new environment. However, you can expect the dog to handle itself well in new surroundings. It won’t show signs of fear, aggression, or neediness if you were to take it for a visit to a friend’s house. This is another one of the reasons Rottweilers can make excellent working dogs.
Rottweiler’s Obedience Intelligence
Rottweilers are some of the most obedient dogs you will ever meet. These dogs are highly responsive to training and can pick up on a new command or cue word in under 5 repetitions. That’s incredibly fast. To give you a better example of how fast it is, most dogs will learn a new command in an average of 25 to 40 repetitions.
It’s not uncommon for a Rottweiler to learn a new command on the first try either. This is why these dogs can be trained for various different commands and tricks. Rottweilers only need a few minutes of training as well. They may be smart, but they also have short attention spans. If you keep the training going for too long, you could actually slow down the dog’s learning process.
Rottweiler’s Operational Intelligence
While Rottweilers are an intelligent breed, it’s important to remember you need to judge each one on an individual basis. Some Rotties may take a little bit more work than others. However, when it comes to operational intelligence, you can always tell by how Rottweiler responds to commands and gesture’s that you’re teaching it.
For the most part, Rottweillers will show great operational intelligence to show how well they have learned from obedience training. This is another reason why Rottweilers are often used as working dogs. They respond very well to what they have been taught and show it through their gestures.
This is a prime reason why Rottweilers are often used in the workforce as police dogs, for herding, or to help with search and rescue.
How Smart Is a Rottweiler?
So, you may not be able to get your dog to do an IQ test, but there is a system known as Corden’s Intelligence Tests that measures the intelligence of different breeds. There are 138 dogs that are currently on this list, and Rottweilers were ranked as the 9th most intelligent breed.
When dogs are being tested for Corden’s, there are two things they are ranked on. This test consists of how many repetitions it takes a dog to learn a new command and how often it can perform it on the first attempt. As you can tell from the Rottweiler’s obedience intelligence, they are capable of scoring very well on this test.
As we mentioned earlier, a Rottweiler usually learns a new command in less than 5 repetitions. In some cases, if the command is more complicated, it may take a few more tries. However, these dogs can usually lock it down in only a few minutes.
When it comes to obeying, Rottweilers also scored very impressively. Rotties have a 95 % success rate of obeying a command they are familiar with on the first try. Not only are these dogs smart, but they are also eager to impress. That makes them great dogs for training.
Will Rottweilers Get Bored As Housepets?
It’s great to know that the dog you’re planning on adopting is going to be smart, but this may leave some pet owners worrying. Is a Rottweiler too smart to be kept as a house pet? Of course not, but let’s take a look at some things you should know about owning such a smart pet.
Rottweilers Are Affectionate
Rottweilers are very happy to be a part of a family home. These dogs are very loyal and can form great bonds with the people they live with, making them excellent companion dogs. One thing you will notice about your Rottweiler is that it’s very affectionate. This is the dog’s way of showing you it’s happy to be part of your home.
Rottweilers Need Mental Activity
One thing every dog owner should know about owning a Rottweiler is that these dogs need mental activity to stay happy. Try to find toys and activities that encourage the dog to focus and use its mind. You can even create obstacles in your backyard to keep the dog entertained, such as to treat hunts. As long as the Rottweiler has something to focus on, it won’t be bored.
Rottweilers Are Great Guard Dogs
You won’t need a security alarm when you have a Rottweiler. These dogs have incredible senses and can tell when a visitor has arrived often before they are in sight. Since these dogs are always on alert, an intruder won’t stand a chance of being able to sneak in. Rottweilers are also very big with a mean bark, which comes to their advantage for scaring off possible intruders.
Rottweilers Are Calm Pets
Many Rottweilers get along fantastically in a family home because they are such a calm and easy-going breed. Once a dog owner knows what their Rottie needs to stay happy, it’s very easy to keep on top of. When the dog is well taken care of, it will be calm and well-mannered in the house. You won’t have to worry about the dog becoming bored and destructive.
Rottweilers Aim To Please
Rottweilers are a breed that wants to please their owners. If the dog has learned a new command or cue and you responded positively, the Rottie will continue obeying the command to keep you happy. This is why we recommend using treats and praise when training your dog. A Rottweiler is always eager to receive both of those things, which helps them associate training with positive outcomes.
Final Thoughts
Are Rottweilers smart? Rottweilers are the 9th smartest breed according to Coren’s Intelligence Tests. These dogs are very quick learners that are known for learning a new command in under 5 tries. They are also good at obeying the command on the first try, leaving their owners to feel good about what they have taught the dog. Training sessions always go well, as long as they’re kept short.
Rottweilers also have very good instincts, that can also be brought out with good training. They have no trouble when it comes to performance, which is why Rottweilers are often chosen as a working dog for various fields. Even though these dogs are very smart, they are more than happy to be part of the family as house pets. Rottweilers love being around people and can easily be house-trained.