Part of the reason I wanted a bigger dog was for guarding my home while I was away at work, or home alone. I didn’t want a breed that would follow a burglar around wagging its tail while the burglar burgled LOL!
Before I selected my Rottie, I had to know, Are Rottweilers good guard dogs? So, I did some research and this is what I found out…
Are Rottweilers good guard dogs? Yes, Rottweilers are good guard dogs. They are naturally very protective of their owners/family. But shouldn’t bark, growl or lunge at random people or animals. Find out what basic training can help your Rottie’s guarding skills.
This breed was just what I was looking for! Rottweilers make great guard dogs for the following reasons:
- Their Size
- Their Loyalty to Their Owners
- Their Intelligence
- Their Inherent Instinct to Protect
- Their Bite Force (if necessary)
Rottweilers are Big and Intimidating!
Just seeing a Rottweiler on the premises has the potential to make a burglar think twice about coming near a house and trying to break in!
A full-grown female Rottie stands at about 2 feet tall (.61 meters) and can weigh from 75-110 pounds (34-50 kg)!
A full-grown male stands at almost 3 feet tall (almost a meter) and can weigh from 110-130 (50-60 kg)!
I don’t know about you, but a dog that size would make ME think twice about approaching!
Loyalty Means Protection!
Rottweilers are known to be extremely loyal to their humans. Part of this loyalty includes coming to the defense of their owners!
Have you ever played the game where one human pretends to “assault” a dog owner to see just how protective even a Chihuahua can be? Imagine the protection offered of a dog more than ten times the size of a Chihuahua!
A degree of loyalty is inherent in canines, and proper training and responsible “mastering” will help your Rottie master the skill of protecting you and your home, yard, car, or any other space you’re occupying!
Remember, obedience training leads to your Rottie being more confident and helps with social issues some dogs may experience. Be patient and loving. Rottweilers love to learn and they love to please you!
FUN POLL: Are Rottweilers Good Guard Dogs?
97% Yes, Rottweilers are good guard dogs.
3% saying no, Rottweilers are not good guard doga
*147 people on “I Love Dogs”
Rottweiler Characteristics
Intelligence is Beneficial to Human and Rottweilers Alike
The “Canine Journal” reports that Rottweilers rank in the top ten for intelligent breeds! Rotties require frequent exercise to maintain a healthy weight and adequate levels of mental stimulation in order to prevent them from becoming bored and acting out.
When proper training is added with this adequate exercise and stimulation, Rotties become strong dogs who are quick to learn and fast to obey.
However, it is important to thoroughly research the genetic line of a Rottweiler in order to avoid any temperament or serious health conditions before purchasing one to be a guard dog.
Rottweilers are “Hard Wired” to be Protective
A dog who snaps or growls when their owner approaches his full food bowl is not necessarily being mischievous. Like all canines, Rotties will protect their food and what they perceive to be their space.
A female will protect her pups, as well, as any good parent would do! A responsible owner will lovingly train their Rottie to know the limits and expectations of protection. This will take some time, effort and patience.
Training should begin as soon as the pup is weaned from its parent. Never train or discipline your Rottie by hitting them!
Calm reinforcement, combined with a rewarding method, are the two best training tools. Training is an ongoing process from the weaning stage well into adulthood. Responsible Rottie owners know that training takes place daily!
A Rottweiler’s Bite is Certainly Worse than his Bark!
You may have heard the adage, when it pertains to humans, that “His bark is worse than his bite!” This is NOT the case for a Rottie!
A Rottweiler has an intimidating, silent, fixed stare that communicates to the stranger that…Dude, I mean business here! Walk away and you won’t get hurt 🙂
Rotties also have a deep and impressive bark! In most cases, it’s loud enough to be a sufficient warning to anyone thinking of trespassing on the dog’s “territory”.
If the warning isn’t heeded, and the Rottie is trained to be a guard dog, he WILL attack an intruder with the potential to inflict great bodily harm.
A Rottweiler has an impressive bite force!
Want to know how crushing it is? Check out …The Bite Force of a Rottweiler
Combined with his sharp teeth, confidence, and size, a burglar will wish he’d picked another home to burgle!
Rottweiler Basic Training
Training Your Rottweiler for Guarding
As soon as your Rottie has been weaned, you can begin his/her training of basic commands. Naturally, guarding will not be the first skill he masters. Obedience is established first through the 5 basic commands every dog should be taught. These are:
- Sit- Teaching your Rottweiler to sit exercises his intelligence and helps establish your authority in the relationship. This is probably the easiest command to teach a Rottie.
- Down- An extension of the “sit” command, training him to lie down helps promote calmness.
- Stay- This is an important command that will help your Rottie learn to be patient and to watch you and learn what’s expected from him next.
- Come- Young pup and adult alike are happy to approach you! It’s can also be the most important command because obeying it has the potential to ensure the safety of your dog should he be running toward traffic or the safety of a human or animal he may be running toward in an aggressive manner.
- Heel- This will ensure your Rottie walks at your pace and not pull on the leash when you walk him.
It’s essential for a Rottweiler to master the basic training skills before you begin more precise guard training so that he fully understands what’s expected of him.
A dog who is disobedient, especially a dog as big as a Rottie, can have tragic consequences! For instance, you wouldn’t want him to attack the mailman, but if someone were to attempt an assault against you, “ATTACK!” would be an appropriate command!
Are Male or Female Rottweilers More Protective?
Male Rottweilers are generally more aggressive than females, but female Rottweilers often show aggression when meeting another female dog or when protecting her pups. Female Rottweilers exhibit less dominant behavior, overall. For these reasons, combined with size and stature, male Rotties are often preferred for police patrolling and guarding.
Not all Rotties are Fierce!
Like every species on this planet, Rottweilers have unique personalities. Some are timid and skittish, while others plot in secret to take over the world! There is nothing wrong with a timid Rotties, it is simply a personality trait.
If you’re getting a pup with the eventual goal of him being a guard dog, however, you will want to select one who isn’t timid at all when you meet them. The dominant pup of a litter is often bigger than the others, and he will happily greet you with no hesitation or reservation! A “scaredy-cat” pup has the potential to grow into a “scaredy-cat” adult.
BITE TRAINING is Essential for a Rottweiler on Guard Duty
Bite inhibition, often called bite training, teaches a dog to control the pressure of his mouth when biting to cause little or no damage to the recipient of the bite. Reinforcing bite inhibition is a verbal training, and the reward system (praise and affirmation) should be used when your Rottie starts to catch on to what you want.
When he bites you, calmly tell him “No” and remove him from the situation for a few minutes. Expect to repeat this command often! Since he doesn’t want to be separated from you at all, he will quickly catch on to the behavior you desire of him, and begin to learn to lighten the pressure of his bite so that it isn’t painful.
NEVER use punishment as a training incentive!
Top 10 Guard Dogs for Home Security…
- German Shepard
- Rottweiler
- Bullmastiff
- Doberman Pinscher
- Great Dane
- Boxer
- Fila Brasileiros
- Great Pyrenees
- Bernese Mountain Dog
- Saint Bernard
Remember, obedience training leads to your Rottweiler being more confident and helps with social issues some dogs may experience.
Be patient and loving. Rottweilers love to learn and they love to please you!
*This article has been reviewed in accordance with our editorial policy.
