Rottweilers are dangerous and aggressive! (Or not?)
I admit I used to be a little tenser when someone had a Rottweiler on a leash and crossed my path. After all, you always hear and read about Rottweilers attacking someone. But is there anything to it? Are Rottweilers that dangerous?
Are Rottweilers dangerous and aggressive? It depends. Rottweilers are affectionate, fond of children, obedient, and self-confident. A Rottweiler is not naturally aggressive and dangerous. However, in the wrong hands, The bad people can turn a Rottweiler into a dangerous dog by taking advantage of its strong protective instinct.
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Is the Rottweiler a fighting dog?
Before we get to the bottom of whether Rottweilers are aggressive and dangerous, we clarify whether Rottweiler fights dogs.
Rottweilers are NOT fighting dogs! The term fighting dog is a bit disturbing anyway because very few dogs that are considered fighting dogs were bred to fight.
The same goes for the Rottweiler. Rottweilers originally come from Germany, more specifically from the city of Rottweil.
There they were mainly used by the local butchers as a herding dogs for the sheep and cattle.
At the same time, the big, strong Rottweiler served as a protector and watched over the day’s takings. These were tied around his neck in a leather pouch. A better safe there is probably not 😉 .
Due to the strength and power combined with the excellent obedience, it was only a matter of time until the Rottweiler was also used as a police dog and is still used today.
So the Rottweiler is a big strong dog that is very good to train.
Education, of course, always goes both ways make. You can make the Rottweiler a family dog that loves children (which is its natural character), or you can train it for police service that will attack someone on command.
Now, if someone outside the police. Or protection service trains a Rottweiler accordingly. It can, of course, be dangerous. But is it then the dog who must be condemned or the owner?
You can do the same with a giant schnauzer that is not aggressive for no reason or a German shepherd.
Rottweiler, a banned dog (List dog)
List dogs in Germany (Europe) are classified as dangerous because of their breed. This is the general definition.
No breed is inherently dangerous—in my opinion. A dog needs a consistent but loving upbringing.
If you educate a dog with certain character traits such as pronounced guarding or protective instinct incorrectly or not, these dogs on the breed list can, of course, be dangerous. However, dogs that are not on the list can also be hazardous.
The Rottweiler is a listed dog in the following federal states, and special conditions are attached to its keeping:
- North Rhine-Westphalia
- Hamburg
- Hesse
- Bavaria
- Brandenburg
According to my research, the Rottweiler is not banned in the US. However, there may be specific keeping requirements in individual cities.
When Rottweilers are aggressive
Rottweilers are not aggressive per se. Primarily they are fond of children and affectionate but also obedient with protective solid, and guarding instincts.
According to the official breeding standard, Rottweilers have a balanced, calm nature and a high irritability threshold. Rottweilers that are aggressive or fearful are excluded from breeding!!!
So if you have a Rottweiler from an official breeder, you have, in the first place, a great dog with which you can and must do a lot because Rottweilers need a lot of exercises.
But there can be situations in which a Rottweiler is or becomes aggressive.
Wrong education makes Rottweiler dangerous
Deliberate training, that is, to train or sharpen a Rottweiler, inevitably leads to a dangerous dog, especially if this is done by people who only want to have a Rottweiler as a status symbol.
A too little exercise can make Rottweiler aggressive
Rottweilers are working dogs, and they have to do something. If you are looking for a dog for the couch, you are completely wrong with Rotti.
If your Rottweiler has too little exercise and activity, he is likely to develop aggression due to boredom.
Rottweiler is alone too long
Dogs are pack animals and prefer to be near their owners.
Even if you can leave a Rottweiler alone for a few hours, there is a possibility that your Rottweiler does not like to be alone.
Stress or separation anxiety because your Rottweiler has to stay alone for a long time can result in excessive barking or increased aggression, among other things.
Stress also causes a Rottweiler to shed more than usual.
Pain/illness can lead to aggressive behavior
If your Rotti is in pain due to an injury or illness, it can lead to aggression. If you feel that something is wrong, be sure to go to your vet.
Rottweilers are aggressive
Rottweiler, in the biting statistics
In Germany, various statistics show how often a dog breed has had a biting incident with a human or another dog.
One must regard the official bite statistics with caution. Because of their appearance and musculature, there are breeds of dogs that are more likely to attract a specific audience than others.
For example, we have a Cane Corso that makes people change sides of the street and a Broholmer that everyone wants to cuddle.
Both are 45 kg guard dogs that would turn in any burglar without hesitation. The Cane Corso only looks “meaner” but is the total cuddling machine that loves children (all of them) above everything.
In the bite statistics, the Rottweiler is listed at an average of 0.32% as a percentage of registered animals from 2010 to 2019.
The German Shepherd is close behind at 0.24%. If you count the German shepherd mixes, you even end up ahead of the Rottweiler.
However, the German Shepherd dog does not count on the list of dogs in Germany.
The breed lists are, in my opinion, complete nonsense, created by people who have no idea. A dog is not born aggressive and dangerous but made dangerous and aggressive by the owner – consciously or unconsciously.
When I walk with our dogs, I see some aggressive dogs, but usually, they are untrained little yappers from unreasonable dog owners.
When Malou, our Cane Corso, reacts to an aggressive Jack Russel, we have the dangerous dog.
Another fact about bite statistics: which incidents are more likely to be reported and which are not? When a Rottweiler or Pit Bull, thanks to the media, has a particular image, bites, or the Australian Shepherd from the neighbor?
Example from my direct environment: The Aussie from our neighbors is mega aggressive because he gets no outlet. He has already bitten two neighbor dogs and tried it with my wife (teeth she has felt in the cheek) and another neighbor on the lip.
No report! They are neighbors, and in the end, nothing bad happens. How many more cases like this might there be?
I bet a Rottweiler attack that would have been just as mild would have been reported.
Conclusion: Rottweilers the aggressive and dangerous dogs
Of course, you can make aggressive and dangerous dogs out of Rottweilers. But you can do the same from giant schnauzers. Rottweilers are not born aggressive and hazardous but affectionate, loyal, and fond of children with a solid protective and guarding instinct.
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