A well-trained and socialized Rottweiler can provide the right owner with a great deal of exercise and loving companionship.  Rottweilers can also make ideal guard dogs, but this requires extensive training and socialization.  Early socialization with as many people, animals, and situations as possible is very important in order to produce a dog that is tolerant of strangers.  Typically, Rottweilers trained for protection are well mannered and not vicious.  They are usually quick to learn and have a strong desire to please their owners.  Rottweilers are intelligent dogs, and they are happiest when mentally stimulated.  Despite this, they can also be strong willed at times, and should be taught in a firm, consistent manner.  Rottweilers are playful animals, usually very excited at the first sign of fun.  They thrive on attention from their owners, and need their people in order to be happy.  If a Rottweiler has been neglected excessively, it will usually go to great lengths to get its owner’s attention. A poorly trained or insufficiently restrained Rottweiler can cause considerable physical harm in seconds.

The Rottweiler is not an excessively vocal breed.  Males are known to be silent watchers who notice everything, yet remain quite stoic.  Females may, however, become problem barkers in order to protect their dens.  If Rottweilers feel threatened, they tend to go very still before attacking, and there may be no warning growl.  This characteristic has given the breed a reputation for being unreliable.  An observant owner, however, is usually able to recognize when their Rottweiler perceives a threat.  When the dog barks, it is normally due to an annoyance with external factors, such as a car alarm, rather than an actual threat.

The Rottweiler is typically a dominant dog, and they can resort to aggressiveness in unfamiliar situations.  This, combined with the Rottweiler’s large size and incredible strength, makes it a breed that only experienced dog owners should consider.  Rottweiler owners who do not understand the breed’s nature can face significant problems in handling their dogs once they reach adulthood. 

Aggression in Rottweilers is associated with boredom, poor handling, lack of socialization, natural guarding tendencies, and abuse.  Owners are advised to neuter/spay their dogs to reduce aggressive tendencies.  Unneutered males may become aggressive and hard to manage, and they are predisposed to some cancers.  Unspayed females may become moody and difficult.  They too are predisposed to uterine problems and cancers.

The Rottweiler Welfare Association offers the following advice for would-be Rottweiler owners:

• Like all dogs, the Rottweiler needs to be trained properly and controlled at all times.
• No one should own a Rottweiler unless they are absolutely sure they can control it and are willing and able to devote the time and effort needed to teach the dog basic manners.
• The Rottweiler has a natural guarding instinct.  Do not do anything to enhance this instinct, such as rough play.
• A Rottweiler should never be in the sole charge of a person who is not capable of controlling it.
• Any person who owns a Rottweiler should be aware that it will be devoted to and feel protective towards its household.  This should be borne in mind when children are playing, people are arguing, or visitors come calling.
• Third party insurance should be taken out on any Rottweiler that you own.
• Some abandoned and rescued Rottweilers can make wonderful pets, while others may be very protective.