While many people falsely believe that Rottweilers are ferocious dogs, the fact is that while dominant and aggressive Rottweilers can be extremely loyal, loving, protective and caring. Also called the Rottweiler Metzgerhund or the Butchers dog, this breed is sturdy and has a lot of strength and doggedness. They generally prefer colder climates those that have been bred in warmer climates tend to lose their waterproof undercoat over generations. Rottweiler puppies are adorable, but when they grow up they make great protection dogs.

Feeding and Grooming

As with most medium sized to large dogs, adult Rottweilers need only one large meal in a day. However being an athletic work dog, a Rottweiler needs a balanced diet that can be provided by fresh home food that includes meat, vegetables and whole grain. These fresh foods contain antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and probiotics that ensure the overall health of the breed.

With a small and hard outer coat, minimal grooming is required for the Rottweiler even when it is shedding. Daily brushing with a bristle brush and occasional wiping with a wet towel is all that is required. A bath can be given once every month. Cleaning the ears about twice a week should help in keeping them free from infections. Leaving a Rottweiler out in cold or moderate weather is perfectly fine since it also allows for more exercise. In hot climates however, your Rottweiler is likely to feel uncomfortable. While grooming levels required for the Rottweiler are low, it needs more than adequate amount of training and exercise to control its aggressive and dominant temperament.

Exercise

Since the Rottweiler is a working dog breed and an aggressive dominant one at that, the level of exercise required for this breed is fairly high. Simple walks in the park may not suffice and you may need active periods of games, ball catching and other exercise regimes to keep the temperament under control. Having a yard in your house can help lessen the load on you to some extent. Mental forms of exercise are also required for a Rottweiler. Obedience training can fulfill this need adequately.

Special care and health concerns

A Rottweiler’s life span ranges from 8 to 11 years. Some of the major issues that this breed can face are cardiac health disorders and elbow dysplasia. Sometimes cataract and epilepsy have also been observed.

- SAS – A heart related disorder, the Sub-Aortic Stenosis (also called SAS) is a congenital disease that has been observed in many Rottweilers. The issue is further complicated due to the fact that the disease does not show any specific symptoms and therefore is extremely difficult to detect.

- Gastric problems – Rottweilers tend to suffer from gastric problems like inflammation of the small or large intestines. These result in spasms, vomiting, diarrhea and pain. Your Rottweiler pet is unlikely to take in adequate amounts of nutrition during these times of pain.

- Addison’s disease – Rottweilers are prone to both kinds of Addison’s disease – Primary and Secondary. These are caused due to inadequate secretion of hormones by the adrenal glands and show symptoms like laziness, vomiting and poor appetite.

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