Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Dogs

PawTracks may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Our Rottweiler training guide will ensure you raise a cuddler

Vera Lawlor
By

Just like children, dogs need training and structure in their lives. This is especially true of large, powerful breeds like Rottweilers, fondly called Rotties. Leadership, puppy socialization, basic training classes, and living in an owner’s home are all key to raising a well-mannered Rottie, say experts at the American Kennel Club (AKC). By assuming the role of a calm, assertive leader in your Rottie’s life he will grow into a well-adjusted cuddle bug.

Are Rottweilers easy to train?

According to experts at the ARC, Rotties are an intelligent, highly trainable breed that love to learn new skills. In canine psychologist Stanley Coren’s book The Intelligence of Dogs, Rottweilers are listed among the top 10 smartest working dogs.

Walking a Rottweiler puppy on a leash.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

How to train a Rottweiler puppy

Training and socialization go hand-in-hand when raising a Rottie. Socialization begins with a reputable breeder who handles the puppies daily and introduces them to a variety of people. Interacting with littermates is an important part of early socialization. Puppies shouldn’t be taken from their litters before seven weeks of age says longtime Rottweiler breeder Teresa Bradley in an AKC article.

Recommended Videos

Follow these training tips when your puppy arrives:

  • Enroll your newcomer in puppy socialization classes with a positive motivation trainer. According to the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB), dogs should be enrolled in puppy classes as early as 7 to 8 weeks of age. Your puppy should have a minimum of one set of vaccines and a first deworming at least seven days before the first class.
  • At home, work on basic obedience commands such as “sit,” “down,” “stay,” “come,” “heel,” and “off.” Puppies have a short attention span, so keep the training sessions to about five minutes and repeat a few times a day.
  • Establish house rules. If you don’t want your dog on the furniture, teach the “off” command and reward him for obeying. Avoid begging at the table by teaching a “go to your place” command and directing your puppy to his bed or crate. Provide a chew toy to keep him busy while the family eats.

Puppy socialization outside the classroom

The first three months of a puppy’s life is the period when sociability outweighs fear, so it’s the perfect time to introduce your dog to as many new people, places, and experiences as possible. Improperly socialized dogs may develop behavioral problems later in life, such as fear, avoidance, and/or aggression say AVSAB experts. It’s important not to push your puppy past his comfort zone when socializing. Be patient and don’t rush the process. Following are a few ways to socialize your puppy.

Invite friends to your home

Once your pup has settled into her new home, invite friends of different genders and ages to your home. Let your puppy go to the guests, and when she does, ask them to reward her with a treat. You can also practice this with people who ask to pet your puppy while out on a walk.

Visit public places

Choose pet-friendly places where your puppy will meet people but you won’t be likely to run into too many other dogs. For example, The Home Depot and Lowes or your local mall.

Take your pup along for the ride

Include your puppy on short trips to pick up the kids or when going to the drive-thru. This will get him used to traveling in the car and to the sights and sounds in the neighborhood.

How do you discipline a Rottweiler?

Rotties can have stubborn streaks and it’s important that discipline is fair and firm without being rough say ARC experts. According to the club, “Physical mastery is less important than sensitive and positive training methods, time, and patience.”

So if, for example, your Rottie is biting at pant legs — a herding instinct that comes naturally to this breed — redirect her to positive behavior such as playing with a tug toy. For puppies who display guarding behavior with toys, Bradley suggests practicing taking the toy away using a word such as “out” and then giving it back again. Consistent training early on typically results in problems being resolved by the time a Rottie reaches four months old says the breeder.

Woman playing with Rottweiler.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

It’s true that raising a Rottweiler is a big responsibility and requires a large investment of time. But there’s no doubt that all of your hard work will pay off. A well-socialized and properly trained Rottie will grow into a confident dog who is a model citizen in public and a loving, affectionate family member at home.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Vera Lawlor
Vera Lawlor
Contributor
Vera was the pet columnist for 201 Family magazine and has contributed pet and animal welfare articles to Bone-A-Fide Mutts…
This is the ultimate week-by-week puppy training schedule every new pet parent needs
A puppy training schedule to follow
Woman feeds a puppy as the pup gives her his paw

When you first bring home a new puppy, you’ll have so many firsts to look forward to. Some milestones — the first accident, for example — aren’t quite as cute as the others, so that’s why you’ll want to start training with your pup as soon as possible. Understanding puppy training stages will help you break down all your goals into realistic steps, making you and your new best friend more likely to succeed.
Remember, training your pup is just one important aspect of their well-being. Ensure you’re taking care of their diet, health, and happiness, too. Good luck and keep reading to learn about a puppy training schedule.

Here's your ideal puppy training schedule for puppies 8 weeks of age and younger
It’s important to establish a routine as soon as you bring your puppy home. Not only will this ensure that you and your pup have every need met, but it also will let your new dog become more familiar with their environment. As dog trainer Ken McCann said in his YouTube video guide for puppy training, “You’ll be setting them up for success,” especially in potty training. Make sure to supervise while they're outside, too.
Here's another idea: Luring your new pup to you with a delicious treat is a great first step toward bonding and training. At this point, they're working purely on instinct, but they're learning the reward value of treats as well as a praise word — something like “yes” or “good” to let them know they're doing well. Make sure to use this word as you continue training!
This also gets your pup used to working for a treat, which builds motivation and confidence. Negative reinforcement won’t teach anything but a feeling of unease at this age, so it’s a good idea to focus on rewards instead (and always). Now that they know that following you gets that reward, they'll soon be ready to move on to the next stage.

Read more
Understanding husky language: Posture, tail wagging, ears, and other body clues
Here's how to understand what your husky is communicating
A husky jumps happily through the snow

Famous for their energy, tantrums, and professional opera skills, Siberian huskies are truly something else. Honestly, they can be hard to keep up with. Understanding husky language is a lot more straightforward. From playful postures to misleading tail wags, we’ll review them all. Before you know it, it’ll feel as if you’re reading your dog’s mind.
It’s important to remember to look over their whole body — and not one feature alone — when determining their mood or desires. The same behavior can have multiple meanings, so you’ll need to know how to read their body language from nose to tail. Ready to dive in?

Are huskies aggressive? What kind of behavior can I expect when bringing home a husky?
While huskies are well known for their expressive facial markings, they’re typically not as angry as they look. These sled dogs are incredibly social and unlikely to show unprovoked aggression, though combative behaviors can occur with dogs of any breed. Fear is a leading cause of aggression that can affect any breed with equal likelihood, though an individual dog’s personality will give you a better idea of what to expect.
The American Kennel Club notes that huskies are especially playful, open to strangers, and highly adaptable, so you’re bound to have a pup who’s more excited to say hello than to fight. You can thank this breed’s history as team sled dogs for its agreeableness in a variety of homes and situations. They’re even known to be friendly and gentle with children, though some huskies don’t know their own size (or strength) and can easily knock over smaller kids. It happens!

Read more
Video: Genius dog figures out a way to beat the summer heat
Plus the best ways to keep your dog cool in the hot summer months
A dog sits on a couch under a fan

As the blistering heat continues this summer, people and pets are turning to all sorts of cooling methods to keep the days bearable. You may have discovered a few hacks for maintaining a reasonable temperature (more on those later), but this little guy has another idea for how to cool down a dog: a good old-fashioned fan. Watch as the dog genius in this video decides to take matters into his own paws to get the exact temperature he needs.

The TikTok starts out with a pup laying in his crate with the text "Smart dog gets too hot so he adjusts the fan." He easily pushes the door open and walks over to a fan previously off-screen. Fido jumps up and uses his paws to push the cooling device a little bit, thereby making sure the air blows directly on his little home. Of course, he returns to his crate, now with the cooling breeze, and closes the door behind him (like a little gentleman). That's why the caption states: He understood the assignment. Comments agreed with Mr. O remarking, "Too cute." It's certainly one of the cutest — and cleverest — things we've seen in a while.

Read more