Looking to Add a Rottweiler to Your Family?
The American Rottweiler Club is here for you!
ARC is dedicated to educating new and seasoned Rottweiler owners and committed to helping you decide if being owned by a Rottweiler is right for you. You can download a list of ARC members who have agreed to answer questions about the breed and help you find a well-bred puppy.
The Rottweiler is a robust, powerful, and loyal dog with strong protective instincts. Rottweilers are outstanding companions and protectors. Because of the Rottweiler’s size, strength, and protectiveness, owning a Rottweiler carries a great deal of responsibility and commitment. Training and socialization are NOT optional, and due to the breed’s loyal nature, the Rottweiler is not the type of dog who does well being left alone most of the day. The perfect Rottweiler home completely integrates their dog within the family, from puppy-hood through senior years.
As a companion to your whole family, your Rottweiler will reflect the love and affection you show him. He will represent an emotional investment as well as a financial investment. Therefore, choose him carefully. Know as much as possible about the breed and his breeder before you buy. Deal only with a reputable breeder, and the easiest way to know if a breeder is reputable is to find one who is a member in good standing of the American Rottweiler Club. Much of the success you will have with your Rottweiler depends upon what happened to your dog before it comes to you. Its genetic background, early conditioning, and socialization are the results of the breeder’s efforts, and ARC members are pledged to high standards (laid out in the club’s Mandatory Practices) when choosing breeding partners, whelping and raising puppies, and placing them in the best possible homes.
If you are not sure you have time to properly socialize and raise a puppy, consider a re-homed adult or a rescue.
Is the Rottweiler a Good Dog For Me?
The presence of a Rottweiler commands attention. People are often drawn to them for their appearance, physical strength, intelligence and guarding skills. But momentarily petting and visiting with a Rottweiler is not the same as owning and living with one everyday.
Due to the attractive traits listed above, there are other aspects to the Rottweiler that go along with being responsible for one. They are large and very strong, thus socialization, good manners and obedience training is mandatory, starting as soon as they leave their mother. They are highly intelligent, and need intellectual as well as physical exercise. They are emotionally needy, preferring to be with their people at all times, and do not fare well when left alone for long periods at a time.
The Rottweiler was bred and used for working on a ranch or farm. They were with their family members at all times—herding cattle, safeguarding livestock, patrolling for predators, pulling carts, protecting the family from all types of dangers. They worked all day with their people—thus they were supervised, given tasks to do, and lived and thrived as constant companions. Putting a Rottweiler in a yard by itself with nothing to do goes against their very DNA, and the outcome is usually a hundred pounds of frustration and hyperactivity. As those of us in the breed say, “If you don’t give him a job, he’ll come up with one. And it won’t be one you like.”
While American Rottweiler Club members think the Rottweiler is the best of all dog breeds, we are also keenly aware that the breed may not be a good match for some people. They require an enormous commitment of time and sometimes money for training and/or medical expenses. Rather than impulsively decide to buy a puppy off the Internet, local newspaper or a neighbor, we hope you will navigate through our site and learn about our magnificent breed and their many inherent aspects. We are a large club, with members across the nation who are available to help and answer questions or concerns you may have.
Rottweiler Rescue
The American Rottweiler Club collaborated in 1997 with the Colonial Rottweiler Club and the Medallion Rottweiler Club to form the Rottweiler Rescue Foundation. RRF provides grants to organizations actively involved in rescuing Rottweilers. RRF also maintains a list of active rescue organizations. Rottweilers of all ages are often available for adoption through these rescue organizations.