Last Updated on April 24, 2024 by Dr. Julie
If you’re looking for a dog and you live in an apartment, you might be wondering are Rottweilers good apartment dogs – after all, you don’t want to buy a dog that’s not going to fit into enclosed living spaces. Rottweilers are large dogs, and people know that this could be a problem with apartments.
In today’s article, we’ll be taking a look at how Rottweilers fit into apartments.
Table of Contents
Are Rottweilers Good Apartment Dogs?
To simplify the answer as much as possible; a Rottweiler can be a good, disciplined dog if it lives in an apartment, but the dog will live a much healthier and happier life if they get to live in a yard.
To elaborate, let’s firstly take a look at the mentality and temperament of this dog. Rottweilers are amongst the top ten most intelligent dog breeds in the world. Additionally, they’re very trainable – this is important, as not all intelligent dogs like to be trained.
Rottweilers, however, love training, learning commands, and they really need mental input and mental challenge in order to keep their mind healthy. A Rottweiler without discipline training is like a bird that isn’t allowed to fly – they’ll start acting out because it feels like they have an itch that they can’t scratch.
Additionally, Rottweilers need plenty of training to learn to control their defensive side – Rottweilers who aren’t taught to be calm and composed might turn to aggression.
The point is – you can definitely teach a Rottweiler to live in an apartment. These dogs are so incredibly intelligent that this shouldn’t be a problem. This is much easier with a dog you got as a puppy, rather than teaching an adult Rottweiler to adapt to an apartment.
Learn more about: How to Potty Train a Rottweiler Puppy?
However, just because you can teach a dog to live in an apartment (and that will mostly depend on them not knowing that there’s a better option for them – this is why dogs that have lived in large open spaces usually can’t adapt to indoor living), doesn’t mean that it’s the right thing to do.
Size and Energy Levels
Rottweiler’s size and their energy levels are the two main reasons why they’ll be much happier in open spaces than in an apartment. They’re very large dogs, with males reaching 135 pounds (sometimes even more), and about 26 inches in height.
A dog this large needs large spaces to feel comfortable. Of course, the dog can get used to living in more confined spaces, but it won’t feel comfortable if it can’t run and if it has to constantly mind lamps and vases, making sure it doesn’t knock them over.
As a rule of thumb – smaller dogs will generally adapt to apartments much better, while larger dogs will adapt to open spaces better. It’s also true that most larger dogs prefer sleeping in a doggie house outside (even though there are breeds that can’t handle the open spaces), while smaller dogs usually prefer sleeping in a closed environment.
Secondly, when it comes to energy levels, we’re talking about hyper dogs. That’s the best way to define Rottweilers – their energy levels are always high, unless they’re ill or if they just ate. Your Rottie will need you to take them for a walk at least once a day, but they’d like it much more if that walk turned into a run or a bike ride.
However, even if you take them for a walk daily – they’ll still want to run around all day. These dogs lose physical activities, which is why they’re a great choice for athletic people. Also, this is why they do much better in yards and other open spaces than in apartments.
Even if you’re not taking them for a run or for a walk – they can run around the yard and stay active. If you live in an apartment, you don’t have that option.
Leaving Your Rottweiler Home Alone
This is another crucial element when it comes to deciding which dog to get. Obviously, you’re not going to be able to spend the entire day with your dog (even though we all wish we could). So, you’re going to have to leave your dog home alone for a while.
Now, if you leave a Rottweiler alone in a yard, it’s likely nothing will happen. They’ll just run around. However, if you leave them in a closed space where they feel a bit claustrophobic and have no entertainment, it’s entirely possible that they’ll act out, start biting the couch, and the carpet, and pee out of distress.
This is why larger dogs always do better in open spaces.
Read more about Rottweiler Courageous Temperament
FAQ
Can a Rottweiler be left alone for 8 hours?
Yes, Rottweilers don't have a problem being independent like that and taking care of themselves. However, if you leave them alone in an apartment, they might feel uncomfortable as there isn't enough room for them to move and run around. They'll feel much better in open yards.
Do Rottweilers need a lot of space?
Ideally - yes. Rottweilers are large dogs and larger dogs need more space than smaller dogs. A Rottie will adapt to indoor living if necessary, but they'll be much happier and mentally much healthier if they have an open space - preferably a large yard.
How many times a day should you walk a Rottweiler?
If possible, walk them twice a day. It'd be great if you took them for a run or a bike ride - these dogs are very athletic and they definitely enjoy working out, so it's absolutely necessary to walk them often. You should walk them for at least an hour a day.
To End
Rottweilers aren’t exactly what we’d call good apartment pets. Even though they’re disciplined and they won’t cause any trouble – they’re large dogs that need large spaces. If you can’t provide those large open spaces, they’re going to be unhappy and won’t feel comfortable.
If you live in an apartment and you want a dog, getting a smaller breed such as the Westie is much better.
