Choosing a Rottweiler
Adult or puppy? Most like to get puppies because they are cute and the owners like to watch them grow. However, with puppies there are no guarantees. What you are basically looking at is a blank slate. Yes, the breeder may help you choose the right temperament, but the outcome of the pup still remains a big question mark and will depend on both nature and nurture.
With an adult dog, what you see is most likely what you get, if the dog is good with children, he will likely stay that way if they treat him right, if the dog is a little on the weak nerved side, he may never become a confident dog, but you may manage him if you have what it takes.
Most dogs in shelters are adolescents around 18 to 24 months old. This is often due to the owners not being able to deal such dogs during their teenager phases. A Rottweiler may be very testing during this time, but if you are consistent, you will eventually see the light at the end of the tunnel and your dog will likely shine.
Female or male? Some owners prefer females, others like males. It is ultimately a matter of choice. If this is your first Rottweiler your best bet may be a female, they are smaller and may be more docile. Males may be more stubborn and they can get quite testing during their adolescent stages, especially if left intact. They have raging hormones and may become stubborn and same sex aggressive as they reach social maturity. Owners must be able to stand their ground, but with firm and consistent training it may turn out to be no big deal.
Females however, are also prone to be same sex aggressive, this is something to consider if you are adding a Rottweiler to your household and you already have dogs. The same sex aggression seems to exacerbate if the dogs are very close in age. Male and female combinations are less likely to fight, but this is not always a general rule of thumb. Socialization and training may help partially curb aggression towards other dogs, but according to the American Kennel Club in describing the Rottweiler standard “An aggressive or belligerent attitude towards other dogs should not be faulted.’’