breed


energy level:	high until age 2-3, mellows rapidly thereafter
With kids --	kids under 5: Possibly, if raised around children (but always under supervision)
kids 5 to10: yes, if raised around children	kids over 10: yes
ease of care:	Weekly
housetrainability:	Easy
trainability:	Very smart and independent, learn exercises very quickly but can get bored quickly. Rotttweilers LOVE to work and to have a job. Will not do repetitive exercises just for the sake of doing them (usually will only fetch once or twice). Make excellent obedience, herding, and tracking dogs. Usually love agility and flyball. A well-trained and -socialized Rottweiler is worth it's weight in gold. They can do just about any dog sport or activity and do it well.
lifespan:	8-10 years
size:	Females: 70-100 pounds; Males: 80-120
(check all that apply)
standoffish: check	affectionate: check
aggressive: depends on training and socialization	dominant: check
protective: check	eager: check
stubborn: check	flighty:
possessive:	singleminded:
other traits:	Rottweilers are extremely intelligent, dominant, and can possess high prey drive. Great care MUST be taken with temperament testing Rescue dogs, with absolutely no excuses allowed for aggressive behavior. Dogs with high prey drive should NEVER be placed with small children, but make excellent pets in homes that engage in dog sport activities. Rather than aggression, most Rottweiler behavior stems from dominance and drive. This can be turned into aggression in dogs with unstable temperaments or in dogs that have lived their lives outdoors on a chain (intelligence plus sensory deprivation equals insanity). Dominance can be mistaken for aggression when it is not properly channeled. This is NOT the dog for a novice owner, and even experienced dog owners should be confident and have strong personalities. Training and socialization are a MUST. Rottweilers are relatively quiet dogs and bark only to alert.
more kid-friendly info:	Rottweilers can be absolute wonderful dogs for children IF they know their pack order. TRAINING, SOCIALIZATION and proper owner attitude is essential. They are very tolerant of physical play. They are protective of children and can be extremely aware of their body strength and adjust it to a fine degree. On the flip side, there is nothing more dangerous than an untrained, unsocialized Rottweiler with children. Even if they are sweet, they can inadvertantly cause injury due to size, exhuberance, and lack of understanding of how fragile the child is.
limiting disorders:	hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, torn knee ligaments, poor immune system (especially when young), susceptible to a wide range of cancers, heart problems, eye problems
non-limiting disorders:
breed quirks:	Rottweilers shed ALOT. They love to shadow their people and will sometimes want to even go into the shower with you. Rottweilers are puppies until 2-3 years of age. They have puppy energy , enthusiasm, silliness, and training issues. After that, if properly trained and socialized, they mellow into very responsive and relaxed housedogs. Rottweilers are People Dogs, and will not socialize properly if they are left outdoors. Despite their size, they are truely at their best as a housedog. A daily walk is usually sufficient exercise for a mature Rottweiler. Most Rottweilers will bond more closely with one particular sex: ie.) females tend to like men... males tend to like women. Rottweilers can be dog aggressive, especially if unaltered. Very few Rottweiler homes have more than one bitch in residence. Rottweilers can be very 'predjudiced' against colors other than black or small dogs. Rottweilers were bred as herding and protection dogs. They can have extremely strong herding instinct.
other info	The 'perfect' Rottweiler is basically a calm, confident and courageous dog with a self-assured aloofness that does not lend itself to immediate and indiscriminate friendships. A Rottweiler is self-confident and responds quietly and with a wait-and-see attitude to influences in his environment. He has an inherent desire to protect home and family, and is an intelligent dog of extreme hardness and adaptability with a strong willingness to work, making him especially suited as a companion, guardian and general all-purpose dog.
Best all-round web resource: New England Rottweiler Rescue's "So, Now You Own a Rottweiler: a problem solving guide to responsible ownership" Can be found at: http://www.rottrescue.org/edpack.html
Never, ever buy a puppy from a Petshop or online. Why? go to www.nopuppymills.com and see for yourselves.