Contrary to what some believe, Rottweilers aren’t dumb.
In fact, Rotties are #9 on the list of the world’s most intelligent dog breeds. True, their size and stubbornness can sometimes make them a bit more challenging to train than other breeds. But with patience and proper techniques, a Rottweiler can become a truly rewarding companion.
In today’s article, we’ll be delving into the nitty-gritty of Rottweiler intelligence. So let’s get to it!
The 3 Branches of Canine Intelligence
Before we discuss what makes Rottweilers such smart dogs, it’s important to understand what dog experts mean by “dog intelligence.”
According to esteemed canine researcher Stanley Coren, Ph.D., there are three dimensions of dog intelligence: instinctive, obedience and work, and adaptive. It’s possible for dogs to score high in one or two dimensions. The smartest dogs score high in all three.
Instinctive intelligence
Instinctive intelligence refers to how well a dog performs the tasks they were bred for. For instance, Border Collies were bred to be herders. A Border Collie that can encourage fifty sheep (or other animals) to move as a single, orderly unit is smarter than one that scatters them to the winds.
Obedience and work intelligence
How quickly does a dog learn new tricks? How well do they obey commands? If a few training sessions is all it takes for your pooch to understand what you want them to do, then you’re the owner of an intelligent dog. If a fur parent needs to repeat such sessions thirty times before their pooch finally gets it… well, their pet likely isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed.
Adaptive intelligence
The average dog learns new things through training. However, a dog breed with high adaptive intelligence is capable of learning through experience and problem solving. For instance, a smart dog can internalize the relationship between a door handle and a door so that they learn to use that handle to open that door.
Only the smartest dog breeds have high adaptive intelligence. If your pet scores high in this dimension, they’ll likely have amazing scores in instinctive intelligence and obedience and work intelligence, as well. Unfortunately, the reverse isn’t always true; scoring high in the other two intelligence types doesn’t guarantee high adaptive intelligence.
Rottweilers: Obedience Intelligence
By measuring the obedience and work intelligence of over a hundred dog breeds, researchers were able to determine how smart Rottweilers are.
Testing
Coren and 199 judges examined 138 domestic dog breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) and Canadian Kennel Club (CKC).
The researchers tested and ranked the intelligence of these breeds according to the following factors:
- How many times training needed to be repeated before a dog breed internalized a new command. The fewer the repetitions, the smarter the dog.
- The percentage that a dog breed obeyed a learned command on their first attempt. The more dogs of a specific breed did as commanded on their first try, the higher the breed’s success rate and thus the smarter the breed.
The Rottweiler test results…
Rottweiler dogs did exceptionally on these tests, so much so that Coren and company ranked them #9 among the world’s most intelligent dog breeds.
Here are the top 10 most intelligent breeds, starting with the smartest:
- Border Collie
- Poodle
- German Shepherd
- Golden Retriever
- Doberman Pinscher
- Shetland Sheepdog
- Labrador Retriever
- Papillon
- Rottweiler
- Australian Cattle Dog
But what, precisely, does it mean for the Rottweiler dog to be the 9th most intelligent breed of dog?
It means Rottweiler owners only need to repeat a new command 5 times or less for their pet to learn it. For example, a Rottweiler will know how to perform the “roll over” trick after the third time you’ve taught them the trick. Rotties can learn so quickly that they can master new tricks within a couple of minutes.
In contrast, a majority of other breeds need between 25 and 40 repetitions before they can learn and obey an unfamiliar command.
Rottweilers also have a 95% chance of successfully obeying a known command on their very first try. This means they have a higher rate of remembering and obeying commands they were previously taught.
In contrast, many breeds have only a 50% chance of successfully obeying a known command on their first attempt.
So, are Rottweilers smart dogs? According to Coren’s intelligence tests, indeed they are! And it’s because of their intelligence that Rottweiler dogs often participate in search and rescue efforts, police work, and other types of mentally demanding tasks.
Of course, it’s important to remember that every Rottweiler is a unique individual. So while these dogs are generally highly intelligent animals, not all Rottweilers can learn a new trick within 5 repetitions.
Rottweilers and the average dog…
So we’ve established that Rottweilers are smarter than average dogs.
The inability to quickly learn and obey commands aren’t necessarily signs the average dog has the IQ of a rock, however. Some dogs are extremely willful and independent; they don’t like being told what to do and would rather behave in a way that’s most natural or comfortable for them.
Siberian Huskies, for example, are harder to train than other dogs thanks to their fiercely independent streak. However, they’re capable of feats requiring high intelligence – such as escaping enclosures and finding their way into places they’re not meant to enter.
Also, there’s nothing wrong with being of average intelligence. Fido doesn’t need to be on the list of the 10 most intelligent breeds to be a loving companion and the best family pet you can open your home to.
It all depends on what you want in a pet. If you want one that can do dozens of tricks and that will obey you every time you tell them to do something, then you’re better off getting a Rottweiler.
Rottweilers: Instinctive and Adaptive Intelligence
Rottweilers are smart dogs when it comes to obedience and work intelligence. But what about their instinctive and adaptive intelligence?
The instinct to protect family
As stated previously, instinctive intelligence is a dog’s ability to perform the tasks its breed was created to do.
Rottweilers were bred to herd and protect cattle. Today, they make loyal, protective, and ferocious guard dogs. If your family’s safety is your top priority, you can’t go wrong with a Rottweiler in your yard.
Part of what makes Rottweilers such great guard dogs is their past as herders. Herding dogs were bred to be extremely protective of their flock. Back then, if a wolf or human tried to make off with a sheep, the herding dog fought them off tooth and nail.
Because Rotties have herding in their blood, they boast an innate ability to sense danger. They also know what to do to defend others from threats. So if someone with malevolent intentions approaches your home, your Rottweiler will bark at and chase them away before they can harm your family. If a stranger assaults you, the loyal Rottweiler won’t hesitate to use their teeth to save you.
The AKC lists Rottweilers among the best guard dogs for good reason: these dogs come with the instinct to protect their pack, allowing them to pinpoint threats and defend their family should the need arise. And it’s all thanks to the Rottweiler’s instinctive intelligence!
Adapting to new situations
So Rottweilers can learn new commands from their owners quickly. But can they learn new things without the help of a human trainer? In other words, do Rottweilers have high adaptive intelligence?
As of now, we lack an objective measure of adaptive intelligence. However, Rottweiler owners and canine experts are a constant source of stories about how their Rotties learned new behaviors simply by observing people or other family pets.
For example, some Rottweilers learn new tricks by watching their owners teach other pets tricks. Many Rottweilers know that when you bring out the leash and doggie bag, they’re about to be taken for a walk. They can also figure out how to use a latch to open a crate after seeing an owner do it.
Such stories suggest Rottweilers have an impressive degree of adaptive intelligence.
Are Rottweilers Easy to Train?
Yes, the Rottweiler breed is easy to train, especially when compared with other dog breeds. Below, we examine the reasons why.
Rottweilers are smart
As discussed above, Rottweiler intelligence is nothing to scoff at. And their intelligence is likely the main reason behind their trainability.
For a dog to learn a new command, they must possess the ability to understand what you’re asking them to do. The fact that Rottweilers are fast learners goes to show they can accurately comprehend what you’re teaching them. So instead of being confused by your lessons, Rotties learn from them.
Learning and obedience don’t always go hand-in-hand, however. Not all Rottweilers will immediately obey you just because they’ve figured out what you want them to do. Maybe your Rottie likes lording it over others and they see following your commands as beneath them. In such cases, you need to be more assertive with your pooch lest they walk all over you. At any rate, stubborn dogs that refuse to obey their humans are probably the reason the myth of Rotties being dumb exists.
Rottweilers are loyal
In addition to being among the world’s smartest dogs, Rotties are also extremely loyal.
Loyalty manifests in many behaviors. For instance, it can be observed in how Rottweilers protect their human and canine family members from potential threats. But we can also see the Rottweiler’s loyalty in their tireless efforts to please us.
If your Rottweiler knows performing a trick such as “play dead” will get you to smile, they’ll play dead. And because they want you to be happy as soon as possible, they’ll perform the trick as soon as possible. This explains why Rottweilers are fast learners and why they enjoy a phenomenal success rate in regards to obeying a command on their first attempt.
Rottweilers enjoy positive reinforcement
Like many dog breeds, Rottweilers love receiving praise and other rewards for their behavior. Once they form a link between obeying you and positive reinforcement, they’ll do the former to obtain the latter.
It’s for this reason positive reinforcement is such an effective training tool for Rotties and other dogs. It’s also why negative reinforcement doesn’t work well with this breed. When training Rottweilers, it’s best to stick with positive encouragement, as the opposite can lead to behavioral problems.
Obedience is in the Rottweiler’s blood
Rottweilers have been working alongside humans since Roman times.
As mentioned previously, Rottweilers were bred to be herders. However, the dog’s intelligence made them an ideal pick for other jobs, and before long people were using Rotties for a bunch of other tasks.
Today, Rottweilers work as guide dogs, therapy dogs, sled dogs, truffle sniffers, and customs inspectors. They search and rescue, hunt and flush game, provide assistance to humans with mobility or psychiatric issues, and serve in the military and law enforcement. They even still work as herding dogs.
Of course, not all Rottweilers are involved in such serious business. Some play dog sports, competing in races and agility courses. Others participate in dog shows or serve as mascots for their organizations or groups. And then you have the family dog that will guard you and yours with their life.
The fact that Rottweilers work so well with humans proves they’re exceptionally obedient animals – even more so than average dogs. This is why they’re extremely easy to train like all intelligent breeds.
Potential Challenges of Training Rottweiler Dogs
If the Rottweiler is such a smart dog breed, why do some people find it hard to train them?
As we said earlier, every Rottweiler is unique. While the breed as a whole is extremely intelligent and thus highly trainable, individual dogs may have characteristics that don’t align with what we expect of them.
The difficulties some dog owners face when training Rotties can be attributed to the following factors:
Stubbornness
Some Rottweilers tend to have a stubborn side. However, this is a trait shared by many of the smartest dog breeds. They’re so clever that they know what they want and when – and if getting what they want means disobeying you, then so be it!
Thankfully, the Rottie’s desire to please always wins out in the end. So, to ensure your training session goes smoothly, learn what makes your Rottweiler tick. Rottweilers love positive encouragement, so use rewards during every lesson until obeying your command becomes second nature to them.
You can use several other techniques to ensure your Rottweiler listens to you during training. We’ll discuss these further below.
Size and weight
The Rottweiler is a medium-large doggo. While smaller than large dog breeds, their muscular and powerful physique can make them difficult to handle during training.
According to the AKC, an adult male Rottweiler can have a shoulder height of up to 27 inches and weigh as much as 135 pounds. This means an individual Rottie can be heavier and stronger than their owner! If your pet would rather lie down, run around, or make general mischief than pay attention to your lessons, you’re going to have a lot of trouble reining them in.
Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do about a dog’s size and weight unless you’re keen on bulking up yourself. However, hiring a professional trainer and/or learning proper dog-training techniques can help greatly.
Rottweiler Training Tips
Rotties aren’t the best dogs for beginners. To become the ideal companion, they’ll need a human who has experience handling intelligent, confident breeds and who is willing to dedicate a significant amount of time and effort to ensure their pet enjoys their best life. If you’re not that kind of human, there are plenty of other breeds – from large to small dogs – that will benefit from your care.
With that in mind, here are some training tips that can help you train your Rottweiler!
Start early
Every dog benefits from receiving proper training at a young age, so it’s best to start instructing your Rottweiler when they’re still a puppy.
Remember to always use positive reinforcement. Negative reinforcement during puppyhood can make a dog more prone to anxiety later in life. Appropriate training develops the canine-human bond and provides the Rottweiler puppy with structure, both of which can shape your pooch into a well-behaved, highly trainable adult canine.
Of course, many dogs are already adults when they join their human families. Thankfully, it’s never too late to train a pet. It’s just that starting training early is one of the best ways to prevent problematic behaviors in adult dogs. Not to mention it’s easier to train a tiny Rottweiler puppy than a large, muscular, full-grown Rottie.
If you’d like to know more about how to train a young puppy, check out our comprehensive puppy training guide!
Potty train your dog asap
The importance of potty training (a.k.a. house training) applies not just to Rotties but every dog breed.
Potty training should start the moment you get your Rottweiler puppy. After they eat or drink, take them outside to the yard so they can do their business. Bring them back inside the house once they’re done.
Make sure your puppy relieves themselves in the yard before bed, then crate them for the rest of the night. Don’t let them out even if they whimper!
The first thing you should do every morning is to let your puppy out of the crate and into the yard so they can go to the bathroom.
Do this every day so they learn that 1) the right place to go potty is outside the house, and 2) the crate is their shelter. Don’t worry about your Rottweiler puppy peeing or pooping in their crate; dogs are naturally clean creatures and will avoid soiling their den as much as possible.
If you’d like to know more potty training tricks, don’t hesitate to ask a vet or a professional trainer. You can also go online and look for potty training videos.
Again, while it’s best to potty train a dog as early as possible, even adult dogs can be potty trained properly.
Be consistent
Consistency is key when training your Rottweiler.
Always use the same words and gestures for a command until said command has been mastered. Also, don’t use those words and gestures for other commands. Any mix-ups can confuse your dog.
Only reward desired behaviors and always reprimand undesirable ones. Be extremely cautious about your actions and take care not to inadvertently reward unacceptable behaviors. For example, you could “accidentally” reward bad behavior such as chewing a shoe if you laugh or smile at your dog every time you catch them in the act.
Use positive reinforcement
Like other dogs, Rottweilers don’t like being harshly punished or shouted at. In fact, constant negative reinforcement can make a pet fearful and maybe even aggressive as a consequence.
For this reason, only use positive reinforcement when training your Rottie. This means a combination of giving your pooch treats, praising them using a happy voice and tone, and doing something that makes them feel good, such as scratching them behind the ears or rubbing their belly.
Over time, your pooch will learn to associate obeying your command with positive experiences so that they’ll grow more receptive to doing as you request.
Use gestures
Most breeds respond well not only to verbal commands but also to hand gestures.
Gestures can help your pet remember commands as well as understand what you’re asking them to do.
For example, when training your pooch to sit, instead of just saying “Sit!” you can also point at the ground. Then, hold their collar with one hand and use your other hand to gently push down on their rear until they’re seated. Lastly, repeat the word and the hand signal so that your Rottie associates them with the act of sitting down. Repeat these steps until your fur baby masters the command.
Another important command is “Come!” During training, the verbal command can be paired with the sound of your snapping fingers. Once your voice and the snap catch their attention, offer them treats so that they’ll approach you. Give them the treat once they obey. Keep repeating these steps, each time reducing the number of treats until your Rottweiler learns to come to you even when you have no treats to give.
As stated above, be consistent. Don’t mix up your gestures; every command should have a gesture that’s unique to it.
Reprimand bad behaviors
Don’t tolerate bad behaviors. While it’s wrong to physically hurt or frighten your dog every time they do something unacceptable, there are other ways you can show them your disapproval.
For instance, if your Rottie playfully bites you or someone else, you can raise your voice (don’t yell!) and utter a stern “No biting!” This should surprise them and get them to stop. If they don’t, pair the command with a light tap on the nose. Keep repeating the command and the tapping until they understand that biting a person is wrong. Also, give your Rottie chew toys so they don’t nibble on people, furniture, or shoes.
Keep training your dog
The training shouldn’t end once your Rottweiler masters all basic commands.
Keep teaching them new tricks. Like all intelligent breeds, Rotties need mental stimulation to stay happy. Training challenges your dog’s intelligence, nourishes their mind, and prevents them from acting out due to boredom.
You should also consider getting a professional dog trainer. Trainers can teach your pooch advanced commands, weed out any lingering behavioral issues, and even help you become a better trainer and dog parent.
Why not enroll them in an obedience class, as well? Classes can be particularly helpful as they can teach your pooch to overcome the urge to play with other dogs so they can focus on their lessons. Eventually, your Rottie should be able to perform commands accurately even when they’re surrounded by distractions and temptations.
Other Considerations
Like any other breed, the Rottweiler has needs that must be met for them to be happy and well-behaved.
Be their leader
Rotties need your firm, consistent leadership to become well-behaved dogs. So always be assertive with your pooch and never give in to their demands. If you let them get away with bad behavior occasionally, they’ll see that as a license to misbehave.
Socialization
Because the Rottweiler is driven by instinct to protect family, an untrained Rottie can become aggressive toward any stranger. To ensure your pooch doesn’t wreck any human or animal that comes within a few feet of them, they need to undergo socialization while they’re still a puppy.
Once a vet says you can take your Rottie puppy for walks, bring them to places where they can interact with other dogs and people, such as a dog park, a pet-friendly beach, or even a pet-owning friend’s home.
An adult of this breed can still benefit from socialization, but it’ll be more challenging. To ensure no harm comes to your pet or others, seek an animal behaviorist or professional dog trainer’s aid when socializing an adult Rottie.
Keep your dog busy
As Rotties are bred to work, it’s important to provide them with tasks to accomplish lest they find some destructive way to release all their pent-up energy.
Your pet doesn’t have to become a police dog or guide dog to be happy. In many cases, a house with a big yard is good enough. All that space lets your Rottie run around and watch the neighborhood, therefore allowing them to perform their natural function as a guard dog. If you live in a tiny apartment, consider getting some other breed of dog. Many different dog breeds adapt well to apartment living; the Rottie isn’t one of them.
Regular training is a must, but so is regular exercise. Walk your Rottie daily and play games such as fetch and tug with them. Physical activities and mental stimulation can go a long way in enhancing the quality of your dog’s life.
Closing Thoughts
In addition to scoring high in all three dimensions of canine intelligence, Rottweilers are highly trainable, fiercely loyal, and extremely protective of their family. And with the right training and dedication, Rotties can be the loving dogs many families need. So let’s celebrate this wonderful breed and the people who take care of them!