Dog · Working
Rottweiler
A calm, confident guardian with a devoted heart and serious strength.
- Origin
- Germany
- Size
- Large
- Weight
- 35–60 kg
- Lifespan
- 9–10 years
- Apartment-friendly
- Not ideal
Rottweilers descend from droving dogs that drove cattle and guarded them on the way to market in the German town of Rottweil. They are powerful, confident, and deeply loyal to their family.
A well-bred, well-trained Rottweiler is calm and affectionate. Their size and protective instincts make early socialisation and consistent training essential.
With children: Good with proper training and supervision — loving with its family, but powerful.
The full profile
Temperament, exercise, grooming, training, feeding, health watch-list, and the ideal home.
💛 Temperament
Self-assured, steady, and protective. Rottweilers are often aloof with strangers but playful and affectionate at home.
🎾 Exercise
About an hour a day of walks and play, plus training games. Avoid forced, high-impact exercise while young dogs are still growing.
🪮 Grooming
Short, dense coat. Weekly brushing, and more during seasonal shedding.
🎓 Training
Intelligent and responsive to calm, consistent, reward-based training. Enrol in puppy and socialisation classes early.
🥣 Feeding
A large-breed puppy food to support controlled growth, then measured adult portions.
Health watch-list
Hip and elbow dysplasia
Choose puppies from health-screened parents and keep them lean.
Osteosarcoma
Bone cancer is more common in large breeds; see a vet about unexplained lameness.
Heart disease
Subaortic stenosis occurs; breeders may screen hearts.
Bloat
Deep-chested dogs are at risk. Feed smaller meals and avoid exercise right after eating.
The ideal home
Experienced owners with space, time for training, and a secure garden.
Is a Rottweiler right for you?
✅ Often a great fit for
- Experienced owners who will train consistently
- Homes with secure gardens
- Owners who want a loyal, protective companion
- People prepared to socialise a puppy thoroughly
⚠️ Think twice
- If you are a first-time owner unsure about training a large, strong dog
- If your home insurance or rental agreement restricts the breed
- If you cannot budget for large-breed feeding and vet costs
- If you cannot provide early, ongoing socialisation
History of the Rottweiler
Rottweilers descend from Roman drover dogs that moved cattle with the legions. They became established in the German town of Rottweil, where they drove cattle to market and guarded money pouches.
When railways replaced cattle drives, the breed nearly vanished. It was revived in the early 1900s as a police and guard dog.
Fun fact
Rottweilers were once known as "butcher's dogs" because they pulled carts of meat to market.
Breed profiles describe general tendencies — every animal is an individual. Health information here is general and not veterinary advice. Ask your veterinarian about screening, diet, and care for your own pet, and choose breeders or rescues who health-test and can answer your questions openly.