Teach your Rottweiler how to heel in this free dog obedience training video, with good animal behavior methods. Expert: Melanie McLeroy

Teach your Rottweiler how to obey the stay command in this free dog obedience training video, with basic methods for teaching good pet behavior. Expert: Melanie McLeroy

Teach your Rottweiler to sit on command in this free dog obedience training video, with basic tips and techniques for teaching good animal behavior. Expert: Melanie McLeroy

Teach your Rottweiler to roll over in this free dog obedience training video, with basic tips and techniques for teaching good animal behavior. Expert: Melanie McLeroy

Training your Rottweiler to go lay down on command with this free dog obedience training video of basic tips and techniques for teaching good animal behavior. Expert: Melanie McLeroy

Learn how to teach your Rottweiler to come in this free dog obedience training video, with tips and techniques for good pet behavior. Expert: Melanie McLeroy

Teach your Rottweiler to respond to her name in this free dog obedience training video, with basic tips and techniques for teaching good animal behavior. Expert: Melanie McLeroy

While NERR&R does not take dogs into its program that are aggressive to humans, there are several types of aggression in dogs. None are acceptable but some are more understandable than others, including aggression related to dominance, irritation, predatory, resource, and territory.

· Dominance aggression is not something you encounter if you have done your bonding and training exercises. If your dog respects your position as head of the pack-sees you as alpha dog-your dog will never challenge your right to lead. Aggression related to dominance is behavior you may see if you adopted a dog that is aggressive to other dogs. Such dogs do not want to relinquish status to another dog. These dogs can be either male or female. Common dominance behaviors are mounting a dog or person or placing a paw in your lap to gain attention. While the paw in the lap can also be a submissive posture, your dog should not progress to placing both paws in your lap, and should certainly not get into a position where the dog is standing over you in a truly dominant position.

Nudging or pushing for attention are both dominant gestures, since alphas demand attention from pack members whenever they wish. Failure to obey a known command on the first request, yawning, or grooming under these same circumstances indicate an unwillingness to submit. The dog should immediately be gently and firmly placed in the appropriate position. Reinforce and reward submissive posture from dominant dogs as often as you can.

Dominant dogs often resist being petted on their necks or heads, as this is reminiscent of another dog asserting dominance over him or her. Reward submissive behavior, doing so only after the grumbling has stopped and the dog is truly submissive. Make dominant dogs earn rewards of petting and feeding by having the dog work for them, by sitting or doing a simple trick.

If confronted by an aggravated dominant dog, avoid making eye contact and back slowly away. Call your local animal control officer and report the dog.

· Irritable aggression usually has roots in a health-related problem. If your dog suddenly becomes growly or obstinate, and these behaviors occur regularly under the same conditions, suspect an illness as being the source of the aggression. Make a veterinary appointment to determine the cause.

· Predatory aggression (prey drive) can be a serious behavioral problem if not redirected. The dog could injure itself (chasing cars) or someone else (chasing bikes or people). Fast moving objects seem to trigger this instinct in most dogs. It is your responsibility to recognize this behavior in your dog and prevent its expression by confining the dog in such a way as it cannot be harmed or do harm. If your dog chases cars, a fence will keep your away from the road. If your dog is inclined to chase running children or animals, the dog must be kept on lead or crated when small children are present. It is also wise to teach children to use “walking feet” when moving near dogs so not to elicit the dog’s prey drive. “Freeze tag”-standing motionless when a dog runs towards you and not looking at the dog-is something even small children understand.

· Resource aggression, the guarding of prized possessions, toys, or food, should not be confused with dominance aggression, because even submissive dogs will guard resources. Prevention is the best way to deal with guarding behavior: Remove favorite hiding places or make them inaccessible. Don’t give the dog items it may guard. Teach the dog that giving up a possession is rewarded with a game, a treat, or a different possession. To take a guarded object from your Rottweiler, don’t bend over the dog and reach for it; instead, call your dog to you and distract your dog with something equally wonderful–a game, petting, or a yummy food treat. After the dog is distracted and has forgotten about the object, pick it up and resolve to not let your dog have the item again. Continue to retrain the behavior out of your dog with fun relinquishing games like fetch.

One solution to food aggression is to approach your dog’s bowl while your dog is eating with something really tasty. Call your dog by name to get your dog’s attention, then give your dog a bit by hand, eventually adding the yummy treat to your dog’s food bowl. Soon your dog will be delighted to see someone approaching his or her food bowl.

· Territorial aggression usually manifests itself in a mature dog. Don’t encourage territorial behavior in a Rottweiler-your Rottie will guard when the need arises. Encouraging your dog will likely make your dog a nuisance at best, a danger at worst.

In all cases, aggression needs to be addressed by a professional trainer. Consult your veterinarian for a behaviorist in your area or call NERR&R for help. Following are 10 rules for dealing with aggression (K-9 Motivations, 1997):

1. Train your dog on a regular basis to establish your rank as alpha.
2. Give no freebies because NILIF (nothing in life is free). Make your dog win every reward or good thing by working for it. Your dog must complete a task before he or she gets any attention, treats, or food.
3. Limit petting to 15-second intervals that your dog must work to earn. Do not pet your dog mindlessly at his or her insistence.
4. Don’t let your dog walk ahead of you or anyone else. You go through all doors and upstairs ahead of your dog.
5. Only allow your dog one single toy. All others are yours and your dog may only play with them if you wish to share them, and then only after he or she earns the right.
6. Fetch is the only game you play with your dog. Don’t engage your dog in any contest of strength such as tug of war or wrestling.
7. Make your dog practice five long downs a week for the rest of his or her life. Start with three minutes and work up to 15.
8. Give your dog daily grooming sessions during which the dog must stand, sit, or lie still. Make the initial session short and lengthen them to 10 minutes. Remember, praise lavishly when your dog behaves.
9. Never walk around or step over your dog. Always make your dog move out of the way whenever he or she blocks your path.
10. Take things slowly and have patience. Never engage your dog in a battle of wills, and always end all lessons on a winning note.

Along with the mental well being of your Rottweiler, you are also responsible for your dog’s physical well being. It is your responsibility to your Rottweiler and to NERR&R to keep your dog in the best physical condition you can. This includes regular veterinary care, grooming, and feeding your dog the best food you can.

Feeding
The Raw Edge – Proponents of BARF (bones and raw foods or biologically appropriate raw foods) say it’s the best diet for your dog. There are several maxims to keep in mind in addition to the old proverb KISS (keep it simple stupid)

• The dog’s digestive system is short. Therefore, if you want your dog to access the nutrients of a particular plant food, break it down–process it or blend it.
• Variety is good because it ensures a wide and varied range of nutrients, just as if the dog were feeding in the wild.
• Fresh animal protein and fat is still the centerpiece of the dog’s diet.
• Fresh is superior to frozen which is superior to canned which is superior to powder (e.g., garlic).
• Fresh water, good nutrition, exercise, herbs to promote healing from the inside out, and patience are valuable.

Garlic

• aids digestion,
• is a potent immune system stimulant,
• is a potent anti-microbial (parasites),
• contains an amino acid derivative, allium. When garlic is consumed, an allinase enzyme that converts allium to allicin is released. Allicin has an antibiotic effect; its antibacterial action is equivalent to one percent that of penicillin.
• is also an anti-fungal agent effective against candidiasis, vaginal yeast infections, and most pathogenic fungi,
• is good for the heart and colon,
• is effective in the treatment of arthritis and circulation problems.

You might make a teaspoon of garlic-roughly a clove–a regular component of your dog’s daily diet. While fresh food-processed garlic is best, minced from a jar works well, too. Some people add yogurt to their dog’s diets to counterbalance the garlic’s anti-microbial effects on the digestive system’s good bacteria.

Kibble
Many commercially prepared dog foods are not acceptable foodstuffs for Rottweilers-or any dog, for that matter. Often pet foods are made from waste and byproducts from the human food industry. Because the pet food industry is under regulated and uses by products of human food, pet food often contains contaminants having little or no nutritional value and may be harmful to your dog.

Read the ingredient listing on the bag. A good kibble contains as its first ingredient a named meat, such as “lamb” or “chicken.” “Meat by-products” or “poultry by-products” aren’t equivalents. You want the named meat to be listed as “meal” (as in “lamb meal”) because meal has no water. Since ingredients are listed in order of their abundance, you don’t want to feed a food in which water is the most abundant ingredient, post processing.

The next ingredient of importance is the carbohydrate source. Corn, wheat, and rice are the major ones. Rice is preferable because it is easily digested and rarely allergenic. Corn is very difficult for dogs to digest because of their short digestive systems. Many dogs suffer from wheat allergies. Good kibble will not contain chemical preservative such a BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin; vitamin E or C, both natural preservatives, will be listed instead.

You can perform a simple test to determine the quality of the ingredients in the food you feed: Soak a cup of the food in two cups of water and cover the bowl. Check the food after six hours. If it has swollen more than half its dry size, it contains too much fiber and bulk (indigestible matter of no nutritional value) and may cause your dog to bloat.

Any hair and foreign bodies you find are by-products of processing; these too provide no nutritional value and can be harmful. You pay for these ingredients–they are part of the food you’ll be feeding your dog, yet they offer no nutritional value to your Rottweiler. Foods high in bulk with little nutritional value deprive dogs of amino acids and minerals. Your dog will have to consume more food to make up for this deprivation. Purchase quality kibble if you’re not feeding a natural diet. Doing so is less expensive in the long run because you feed less and your dog will likely have fewer health problems. And since you can feed less of a quality kibble, less going in means less coming out, too. Every year Whole Dog Journal lists what it considers the top 10 dog kibble brands.

General Health Care
While a recommended health care reading list is provided at the back of this manual, we offer basics in this section.

Regular veterinary check ups are mandatory under NERR&R contract. Immunizations and de-worming schedules will depend on your geographical location and veterinarian’s recommendation. Home health care should involve daily grooming and inspection for external parasites such as ticks and fleas, as well as cuts, abrasions, and lumps. Weekly ear cleaning, nail trimming, and dental inspection are also mandatory.

Beyond Basics
This section gives you a general idea of some ailments with which your Rottweiler may be afflicted and how to live with these chronic conditions.

· HD (hip dysplasia) is a painful arthritic condition caused by a deformation of the hip joint. IHD may be accidental, but is most often hereditary. Symptoms are characterized by pain and limping on one or both sides, difficulty sitting or standing from a down position, and an unsteady gait. Treatment may entail surgical removal of the femoral head, a shortening of ligaments or muscles to hold the femoral head in place, or reconstructive or replacement surgery.

· OCD (Osteochondrosis dissecans) usually affects growing puppies between four and 12 months old (Carlson, 1980) and typically affects the shoulder joint. Stress caused by over activity and weakness causes the cartilage to separate form the long bones, sometimes chipping into the joint requiring surgical removal. Treatment involves restricting activity or confinement.

· Ruptured cruciates involve the cruciate (cross) ligaments, which stabilize the knee joint become ruptured under great stress or over activity. Nearly always requiring surgical repair, symptoms of a ruptured cruciate include lameness in a hind limb, which is held abnormally straight with the toes pointed straight to the ground.

· Entropion and ectropion are deformities of the eyelid. In the former, eyelids roll inward; in the latter, lower eyelids roll out from the eye’s surface. Both conditions cause severe eye irritation. Corneal injuries are common in dogs with entropion and chronic conjunctivitis is a problem in dogs with ectropion. Surgery is usually recommended to remedy either condition.

· Underactive thyroid is a problem for many Rottweilers. The thyroid gland, located in the neck, affects the dog’s metabolism. Symptoms of an underactive thyroid include obesity, lethargy, thinning coat, drooping eyelids, irregular heat cycles, and mental dullness (Carlson, 1980). Fortunately, this condition is easily treated with a daily hormone tablet given for the rest of the dog’s life.

· Several types of heart conditions can affect Rottweilers and each must be diagnosed and treated by a veterinarian, preferably a cardiac specialist. Symptoms of heart disease include shortness of breath, retention of water (edema), coughing after exertion, and lethargy.

· Bloat–gastric dilation–is an often-fatal disorder of the digestive system characterized by expansion of the stomach with gas or frothy material (dilation). The stomach will not empty normally and it is difficult for food to advance into the intestines, or reverse its direction as vomit.

Dilation can be followed by a rotation of the stomach, called volvulus, which closes both entry to and exit from the stomach, so that relief to the distended state is impossible. This rotation compresses one of the major veins carrying blood to the heart. Since normal blood circulation is severely affected, shock and death can quickly follow.

Bloat primarily affects deep-chested, mature members of large breeds, but it also has been reported in smaller dogs. More cases are reported between April and August, when dogs are likely to be more active. Immediate veterinary care is necessary if you notice your dog’s abdomen swelling, or if he has abnormal pain in this area. Suggested precautions to decrease chances of bloat are:

• Keep your dog’s weigh under control-don’t allow your dog to become overweight.
• Feed several small meals throughout the day instead of one large meal
• If you have more than one dog, feed the dogs individually in a quiet place to help calm eager eaters who may swallow quantities of air as they eat their food.
• Do not feed your dog immediately before or after vigorous exercise.
• Do not vigorously exercise your dog after he or she has eaten a meal.
• Since sudden diet changes can trigger gastric upsets, change your dog’s diet gradually over a period of seven to 0 days. Begin with a small amount of the new food, gradually increasing the amount each day.
• Be alert to symptoms such as abdominal swelling and unproductive vomiting.
• Immediately consult your regular veterinarian if you suspect bloat.

Fun at Home
Teaching your dog to accompany you when you bike, to fetch, or carry the newspaper; swimming with your dog; becoming your walking companion; and playing hide and seek are among activities you and your dog can enjoy at home. Teach your dog some tricks-they are great icebreakers, give the dog a sense of accomplishment, and charm the wary. Activities are great bonding exercises offering you and your Rottweiler hours of entertainment.

Fun on the Go
Camping, hiking, swimming, and skiijoring are fun ways you and our dog can enjoy the outdoors together. Many parks and campgrounds allow dogs on lead. Remember to keep your Rottweiler under control at all times and clean up after your dog. Below are stories from several owners of rescued Rotties spend time with their dogs:

The Competitive Edge
There are many activities in which you and your dog can compete and earn titles.

· Canine Good Citizen – Started in 1989, CGC is a certification program sponsored by the American Kennel Club that is designed to reward dogs who have good manners at home and in their community. The Canine Good Citizen Program (www.akc.org/love/cgc/index.cfm) is a two-part program stressing responsible pet ownership for owners and basic good manners for dogs. All dogs who pass the CGC test receive a certificate from the AKC. As of January 1, 1999, they are automatically recorded in the AKC’s Canine Good Citizen Archive.

· Obedience – Dog and handler must complete a series of exercises both on and off lead. Each exercise is worth a set number of points. Judges may take deductions for mishandling or dog faults. Under three different judges, dog and handler must receive a score of 170 points or more (perfect score is 200) and earn at least 50 percent of each exercise’s points to earn a leg. The first title the American Kennel Club grants is the CD (companion dog), followed by CDX (companion dog excellent), and UD (utility dog). There are also obedience titles beyond these. Your local kennel club can help you get started in obedience and many of the sports described in this section, and the AKC’s site (www.akc.org) provides booklets detailing regulations of different activities and lists events and how to register for them.

· Agility – Agility is an increasingly popular dog sport in which dog and handler complete a course containing different obstacles in a set amount of time. Off leash, the dog must negotiate the obstacles without faulting (refusing, missing a contact, or going over time). Obstacles include different jumps, an A-frame, a dog walk, seesaw, pause table, open and closed tunnels, and weave poles. The AKC is among the groups holding agility trials.

· Flyball – Flyball is a fast, exciting sport for handlers, spectators, and dogs alike. A Flyball team consists of four dogs, their handlers, a box loader, two alternate dogs and handlers, and a pail of tennis balls. The goal is to be the first team over a set of four jumps, with the dog stepping on a pedal that tosses a tennis ball into the air. After catching ball, the dog returns to his or her handler who remains behind the start/finish line.

Two teams compete against each other in a timed race. If a dog misses a jump, drops a ball, or is aided in some way, the dog must re-run that race. The next dog may not cross the starting line until the preceding dog has crossed the finish line. There may be as many as 50 teams competing in a tournament with the fastest racing times being between 18.4 to 32.0 seconds. Teams are assigned to one of three divisions, according to their speed. Winners are declared in each of the three divisions. Flyball is a unique sport because it’s open to all dogs, with purebreds and mixed breeds competing on equal footing. The only prerequisite is that you and your dog love to play ball.

A set of lights indicates the start of the race. Judges and linesmen ensure all rules are enforced. Teams are timed, earning points towards their titles. The North American Flyball Association keeps track of all points and issues certificates.

· Herding – Despite no breeding toward maintaining the Rottweiler’s herding skills–once so prized by the Romans–many Rottweilers display talent for herding. Instinct tests sanctioned by the American Herding Breed Association and put on by local clubs give you an opportunity to see if your Rottie has the instinct to herd. Once your dog earns his or her Herding Instinct Certificate (HIC) and is trained in herding, the AKC sponsors trials where your dog can compete for titles.

· Tracking – Tracking is a sport in which a dog demonstrates ability to recognize and follow a human scent. In AKC tracking, as the dog moves from earning a TD (tracking dog), to a TDX (tracking dog excellent) and Variable Surface Tracking (VST), the level of difficulty increases–tracks become longer, are aged longer, the dog must find more articles, and the terrain becomes increasingly difficult. How the dog indicates articles is unimportant, just as long as the dog “tells” his or her handler an article has been found. The dog can nose articles, stop and look back at the handler, sit or down at the article, or retrieve it. The handler tells the judge at the beginning of the trial how the dog indicates article, and the indications must be the same for each article.

There are two ways in which a dog may follow scent, and different certifying agencies require different methods. In the sport of Schutzhund, the dog must find each individual footprint, keep his or her nose deep in the ground, and follow the track exactly and methodically. In AKC tracking, the dog is allowed to use air scent where the nose does not have to be to the ground, and the dog may veer off the track to some degree.

Tracking uses a dog’s natural abilities to follow scent and is a wonderful way to bond with your dog. It tests the dog’s endurance both mentally and physically. Unlike advanced obedience, agility, flyball, and other physically grueling sports, dogs with mild joint problems can safely and enjoyably compete.

· Carting and Weight Pulling – Carting is an activity our breed was historically bred to accomplish. Once “the poor man’s horse,” draft dogs were bred the world over to help move produce and supplies when horses either wouldn’t serve the purpose or the farmer couldn’t afford to maintain a horse. The typical draft dog has a calm, steady nature and a strong heart and build. Draft dogs are devoted to their owners. Today, training Rottweilers for carting and draft work or competition showcases their historical use and ensures the breed retains its calm nature, strong body and heart, and willingness to work with a handler. Carting demonstrates Rotties are true to their heritage, that form follows function, and that the Rottie is more than a dog with a pretty face.