Last Updated on April 24, 2024 by Dr. Julie
There are many things that make Rottweilers such desirable dogs, and the famous Rottweiler courageous temperament is definitely part of that. These dogs are very well known for their natural herding abilities and their natural protective instincts, which makes them popular as both guard dogs and as family dogs. In today’s article, we’ll be taking a look at exactly what that instinct entails.
Table of Contents
Natural Protective Instincts
Rottweilers are arguably the most protective dog breed known to man – these dogs were bred exclusively for one thing; protecting their owner. They were historically used as war dogs by the Romans, after which they were adopted as butchers’ dogs in Germany.
In that job, their responsibility was to protect meat carts that the butchers pushed around and sold meat from.
They were so good at their jobs that the Doberman, another extremely popular protective breed, was actually made partly from the Rottweiler.
Rottweilers have a natural herding instinct, meaning that they’re naturally protective over what they see as their herd or their family. So, not only are they good at protecting their family – but they’re also good at protecting sheep herds, and they were sometimes used as herding dogs. This was more rare, as dogs such as the German Shepherd are more specialized as herding dogs.
What Rottweilers excel at, though, is keeping their owners safe. Many owners put their Rotties through specialized protection training to maximize their protective potential. However, even with very little training, your Rottie will definitely develop protective instincts over you and it will be protective over you.
When it comes to what do Rottweilers protect exactly, they pretty much protect everything. Primarily, they protect themselves. Then, they protect their owners – if anyone or anything suspicious approaches, they’ll react. They’re also territorial, so they’ll protect their territory too.
Learn more about: How to Train Rottweiler to Attack?
If you’re keeping a Rottweiler in a yard, they’ll probably see that yard as their territory and they won’t let anyone approach it except for the people they know. This makes them a great tool when it comes to home protection – which is what some security companies use them for.
Controlling Protective Instincts
The myth that Rottweilers are natural dogs is very prominent, and even though it’s mostly untrue, there are a few isolated incidents that only prove that Rottweilers absolutely need training.
Their protective instincts need to be honed and your Rottie needs to learn to compose itself. Rottweilers that aren’t disciplined often cause trouble. They see everything and everyone as a potential danger and they bark and react aggressively to everything.
A well-disciplined usually won’t react to another dog barking at them when you take them for a walk. However, an ill-disciplined Rottweiler will not only start barking first, but they’ll often try to charge at the other dog. This is, in 99% of cases, the fault of the owner.
A responsible owner will take good care of their dog’s training and they’ll be able to keep their dog composed. There are, unfortunately, owners out there that don’t work with their dogs at all. This often ends up with a dog that’s tolerant exclusively towards the owner (and even that relationship is shaky – the dog will tolerate the owner because of two reasons; a) the owner’s a food source, and b) the owner is often violent towards the dog).
Animal abuse is, unfortunately, a reality in today’s world – and many owners “discipline” their dogs through violence. This, however, only teaches the dog to be violent.
To conclude – Rottweilers that aren’t trained to be composed and disciplined often start trouble. That trouble, at best, is confined to them tearing down furniture and acting out. However, it can escalate to dangerous levels, including violence and attacks. This is rare, however, as most owners are responsible enough to train their dogs, which is a great thing, as Rottweilers absolutely need training!
How Courageous Are Rottweilers?
There’s no real answer to this question, as every dog is individual, but it’s true that Rottweilers are so protective that they’re ready to fight to the death in order to protect their family. If you’re looking for a family dog that’s also going to protect the family – then Rottweilers and German Shepherds are definitely the top two choices.
Of course, every dog has their limits, but Rottweilers were bred for hundreds of years to fend off predators, such as wolves and foxes, and also fight off potential human threats. This makes them the ultimate protective dog.
Read more about German Rottweiler Temperament
FAQ
Why are Rottweilers fearless?
It's because of their natural protective instincts. Rottweilers come from a, more-or-less ancient breed of war dogs. They were bred for almost two thousands years now with a single purpose in mind - protection. Their protective instincts are completely genetic and they couldn't ignore them even if they wanted to - and that causes them to stay strong in the face of danger.
Do Rottweilers have a good temperament?
Yes - Rottweilers are calm, composed and well-disciplined dogs if trained properly. The training doesn't have to be intense - you don't need to have a training session every day with your dog to teach them to stay disciplined. When done properly, twice or thrice a week, Rottweilers grow into very composed dogs.
Is the Rottweiler intelligent?
Rottweiler are amongst the top ten most intelligent dogs in the world. They're incredibly smart and willing to learn. Not only are they willing to learn, they actually need to be trained in order to stimulate their minds.
Are Rottweilers aggressive to owners?
The only Rottweilers that are aggressive towards the owners are dogs with no discipline training - which is usually the fault of the owner. An untrained Rottweiler that's also uncared for, can easily turn to violence as a reaction to lack of love.
To Sum Up
Rottweilers are a very protective breed and they’re a favorite choice of anyone who wants a protective dog. On top of that, they’re very loving and intelligent – which makes them a great choice for families.
Their protective instincts, in theory, don’t know any boundaries and they’re usually completely fearless.