The American Kennel Club (AKC) recognizes Rottweilers as working dogs. They’re dominant, strong, and simply powerful.

But, can these dogs be sweet? Why do Rottweilers make good pets? And, finally, are Rottweilers good with kids?

Surely, no one has a Rottweiler as their first choice for a family pet. After all, they’re not dogs meant for everyone. Rottweilers need someone dominant too to guide them. A firm hand is recommended if you want your Rottweiler to function well.

Any dog breed can be a good fit for a family pet if trained well. Socialization and training are crucial for Rottweilers.

I suggest you rush to Amazon and order a book on dog training before jumping into this article.

But, until your book arrives, let’s discuss whether Rottweilers are good with kids! The answer will surprise you!

Are Rottweilers Good With Kids?

When looking at the list of top family dogs, no one thinks Rottweilers would be on it. Usually, family dogs featured on all kinds of lists are Goldendoodles, Poodles, Golden Retrievers, Labradors, and a bunch of small-sized dogs.

But, these standard suspects are no better than our dog of the day, the Rottweiler. Rottweilers are equally as sweet and as kind as any dog breed. Unfortunately, because of their tough looks, they make people feel intimidated.

If only they knew there’s nothing to fear about Rotties. What I’m personally trying to achieve is to break stereotypes and help people learn that a Rottweiler can be the perfect family dog, just like any other canine.

The truth is, there is not a specific dog breed that’s 100% safe with children. I suggest no kid is ever left alone with a dog. I mean, how many times have you heard that a sweet, little Chihuahua was aggressive to someone?

You get the point, don’t you?

I reckon that if people knew a thing or two about a Rottweiler’s temperament, they wouldn’t be so afraid.
So, what are Rottweilers like? What kind of temperament do they have?

Well, the first thing you need to know is that Rottweilers aren’t aggressive dogs by default, as I like to say. Only untrained and unsocialized dogs show aggression. Even the adorable Yorkie can be aggressive if not trained properly.

Every Rottweiler puppy should be socialized from birth. Socialization means that the puppy is submitted to numerous unknown people, animals, and situations so he learns how to behave properly.

These lessons should continue even after the puppy gets to its new, furever home.

What you can notice on the first date with your Rottie pup is that even puppies have a calm temperament. They may be playful, but they still have one of the best temperaments.

In fact, Rottweilers aren’t overly-aggressive even if not trained completely. They’re simply guardians looking over their family, making sure there’s no threat detected. So, yes, you can say your Rottie will always have your back.

All dogs are pack animals. Rottweilers, particularly, have a strong sense of belonging to the pack. If you train them the right way, you will be the alpha dog, and your dog and the rest of the family will be one big pack.

This makes Rottweilers bond tighter with their humans. I like to say these dogs manifest your emotions. If you’re happy, your dog will be thrilled and full of joy. If you’re feeling down, your dog will feel down, too, but he’ll try to make you smile again.

Get them to the dog park for a daily dose of exercise, and you two can snuggle on the couch later. Correction, you two AND your kids can snuggle together. These dogs don’t attach to one person only.

Rottweilers think of children as equal pack members. They don’t see any difference between you, your kids, or your spouse. You’re all equal in your pup’s eyes, especially if he has been with you since early puppyhood.

As people-oriented dogs, Rottweilers seem to get separation anxiety easily, even if your kids are not at home so often, mainly because of after-school classes.

A childhood friend of mine had a Rottweiler while growing up. He was an only child. The moment he went to college, Astor began acting weird. He wasn’t in the mood and was constantly feeling down.

The only moments when he was like himself was when Tuck came home from college for a quick visit. So, the family added two and two together, and figured it was the best for Astor and Tuck to find a place off campus and live together.

Separation anxiety never kicked in again, and Astor lived a long and happy life.

You see, this was all because the dog was raised as an equal with kids. I like to say that puppies growing up with kids think they’re siblings. If you look at it from another perspective, they kind of are.

I mean, kids and puppies play together, snuggle, and watch over each other. Isn’t that what siblings do?

The answer to the question: Are Rottweilers good with kids can be found in the fact that these dogs are a delight to play with!

Imagine your little one playing with a small puppy like a Yorkiepoo. Small children aren’t always careful and they can end up hurting the puppy. Larger dogs are always a better choice, but playing with a Mastiff or a Doberman won’t be as great as with a Rottie.

Rottweilers handle rough care better than any other dog breed. They have the much-needed patience to endure tail or ear tugging and tight hugs. It’s like they understand the kids are doing that because they love their family dog.

With up to 27” at the withers, and around 100 pounds, Rottweilers are mighty dogs, durable, confident, and ready to stand on all four through everything. If bred according to the breed standard, these dogs may achieve full potential, even up to 135 pounds!

Having a large dog doesn’t mean you should fear them. You should be grateful for having a dog so big that you don’t have to worry about fragile bones.

All in all, Rottweilers do make good family dogs mainly because of their devotion to the family. Now, let’s talk about how loyal Rottweilers are as pets. You may already know the answer, but you will be amazed with some new facts.

How Loyal Are Rottweilers As Pets?

Rottweilers are extremely loyal dogs. Period.

Okay, well, that’s not all! I’d like to explain their loyalty better to those of you who aren’t familiar with this dog breed.

You see, we have loyal dog breeds like Doodles who absolutely adore their families. However, they’re not that good as guardians. Rottweilers are that and even more.

Did you know that Rottweilers are the third most loyal breed? Well, now you know!

Rotties are even positioned better than German Shepherds, which are fourth.

Remember when I said your Rottweiler will always have your back? That’s right, he will! You and your kids will always feel safe around this dog because he won’t show aggression towards you, but he will defend you from intruders.

My hometown had a Mr. Johnson, and his Rottweiler went to live with Mr.Johnson’s son because this kind old man wasn’t capable of taking care of the dog anymore. That dog used to run away from his new home everyday just to see his old friend.

I hope this little story helped you figure out how loyal Rottweilers are as pets. If I were you, I wouldn’t dwell a second on getting a Rottweiler no matter if it’s a female or male Rottweiler.

Your new Rottweiler dog will show its protectiveness from the moment you pat its back. Still, you need to ensure that proper socialization and dog training are in order for your new best friend.

More on how to train your Rottweiler soon.

But first, I want to show how amazing Rottweilers are as guardians!

Are Rottweilers Good Guard Dogs?

The simple answer would be yes, but I like to complicate my answers a bit, so don’t hate me. You’ll be satisfied with what you’ll hear.

Fun fact about the Rottweiler breed: these dogs are among the top 10 best guard dogs in the canine kingdom!

No wonder why you see many Rottweilers protecting facilities or houses.

It’s their alertness that makes them great guard dogs.

But, I want to put out a little disclaimer: Rottweilers are guard dogs. They are NOT nannies like Huskies. In fact, no dog is a nanny, so better be careful around dogs and young kids.

Are Rottweilers Intelligent Canines?

Oh, Rottweilers are one of the smartest cookies in the jar!

Seriously, this breed of dog is so smart that it placed as number 9 on the list of the smartest canines. Considering how many dog breeds we have, this is absolutely fantastic!

Rottweilers are working dogs eager to learn new things. You should always give them a task in order to help them feel appreciated and needed.

All Rottweilers respond well to training no matter if they’re learning tricks or basic commands. There were some studies conducted on their intelligence, and the results will amaze you.

Dog experts have found that a Rottweiler takes less than five repetitions of one command to master it. In fact, these dogs have a 95% success rate of performing given commands.

It only takes a couple of minutes for a Rottweiler to learn a command like sit or shake.

What’s so great about having an intelligent dog is that they’re kid-friendly, too. This means that your Rottie can also be trained by your young children. This makes them not only family pets, but playmates and equal family members, too.

Dog training can be so much fun and terrific playtime for the entire family. Still, you should first learn what proper training is and how to conduct it.

How To Properly Train A Rottweiler

Now, I know Rottweilers are intelligent dogs, but being smart isn’t the only thing that qualifies them as dogs good with kids. It’s the many obedience training lessons that help with the positive answer to the question: Are Rottweilers good with kids?

You should realize that dog training is a never-ending game. Sure, your Rottie will be obedient and loyal, but you’re still very-much needed in order to keep the relationship between your dog and your kids functioning.

What you need to know first is that you don’t just train your dog, you socialize it, and train your kids, too. But, it’s a matter of teaching them how to handle the dog properly. More on that soon.

Socialization is something that starts at a young age. Usually, puppies are submitted to their first socialization lessons between three and twelve weeks of age. This is the period of their puppyhood when puppies learn everything fast.

At this stage, puppies are curious beings. If they learn to perform something that’s bad, and you don’t correct it, you will have problems later. For example, if you don’t correct barking at unknown people, it will become a huge issue.

Socialization means that the dog gets introduced to different people, kids, dogs, and other animals. While introducing your Rottweiler to different people, you’re showing him new sounds, surroundings, and smells that are something good.

Dogs that are socialized are less prone to showing aggression. You see, aggression isn’t something dogs like to exhibit because they’re bad. It’s a natural reaction to unknown situations in which dogs feel threatened.

I recommend you organize a bunch of playdates with other puppies at the dog park or anywhere else while your dog is growing up. Obedience school is also a terrific solution, but there isn’t one in every area.

That’s why including your kids in the training program is very useful. Your kids can teach simple commands (sit, stay, heel, down, come, leave, etc.), but they can also feed the dog, give it treats, or help with walking it.

Remember how I said you should train your kid how to approach your dog? Well, now, it’s time to show you how.

All kids should learn that dogs must be approached with care. No one likes too much noise or rough handling, especially dogs. Just imagine how small dogs might feel if you’re acting too dominant and aggressive… it would even bother your Rottweiler!

Teach your kid that pulling on a tail or ears is never okay. Also, riding on the dog’s back is simply out of mind, so don’t even think about it. Kids, and adults, too, shouldn’t come too close when a dog is eating. Leave him be until he finishes his meal.

Here’s something to think about: if you don’t want your dog to show aggression, don’t act aggressively either. This means no yelling around your dog or running at it. Approach your dog gently and handle it calmly.

Since Rottweilers are big dogs with lots of energy to spare, it’s important to exercise them daily. At least two hours a day are needed for a Rottie to drain its energy. Exercised dogs are much calmer and will handle kids better.

Excess energy leads to destructive behavior and rough play, but that’s not something you want around your kids. You can even include your little ones into exercising the dog. Throwing a ball or a frisbee is a great way to bond and stay fit.

Lastly, I want to address something that not all dog owners think about until it’s time. It’s about Rottweilers around babies.

Now, no dog breed should be left alone with a baby. Even if your dog is as sweet as honey, he might unintentionally hurt your precious bundle of joy. But, owning a Rottweiler and bringing a baby into the world can go hand in hand.

Rottweilers, unlike some other breeds, are very quiet dogs. They won’t hurt babies with their barking or howling like Huskies, for example. Rotties are extremely flexible and will adapt to the new situation. Just give them some time.

I urge you not to ignore your dog when the baby arrives. If you’re not capable of handling both at the same time, ask another family member to feed the dog or take him for walks.

Still, hand out cuddles and kisses so your fur baby doesn’t feel left out. Remember, Rottweilers are always one step close to separation anxiety. You don’t need that on top of all of it.

Top Reasons Why Rottweilers Aren’t THAT Good With Kids

No matter how sweet they are, Rottweilers can still be a handful. Maybe some of these reasons would be the one as to why Rottweilers aren’t a good fit for you and your kids.

Based on their appearance, Rottweilers are big, dominant dogs. And, they’re very strong, too! They aren’t gentle giants like Bernese Mountain Dogs. Being this big and strong means they will try to put themselves in first place, making them pack leaders.

Kids are kids. They’re not dominant at all. Their weak personalities and lack of experience may show Rottweilers that they can establish dominance over them. This mostly happens with dogs that aren’t properly socialized or trained.

Such cases end up with attacks on children outside their family. The kids inside their family are something they protect from intruders, so they will never attack them.

There is a fine line between rough play and aggression. I understand that many dogs get extatic while playing with their humans. But, this too should have a boundary. If you sense that the game has gone too far, end it with simple commands.

Keep in mind that male Rottweilers, since they age slower and stay puppies for a long time, might be prone to rough play just because they’re feeling overjoyed. Still, rough play is rough play.

If you don’t stop such situations, your Rottweiler’s prey drive might come to the surface. This instinct is strong with Rottweilers, but it can be curbed through socialization.

When getting a Rottweiler, you should look for a good breeder who starts socializing puppies from an early age. As a new dog owner, you should continue the hard work and make sure your Rottie is completely socialized.

To Sum Up…

So, are Rottweilers good with kids?

Absolutely! But, everything comes with a price.

Rottweilers, along with Pitbulls, are those dogs with a really bad reputation. This is mainly because of their dominance and some attacks from the past that happened because of their owner.

All dogs can show aggression, but also, all dogs can be the sweetest things!

I urge you to socialize and train your dogs no matter which breed they are. Provide them with exercises, make sure they have enough mental stimulation, take them to vet check ups… Basically, do everything your dog demands from you.

Only then will you have a happy puppy that’s good with kids, the entire family, and the rest of the world, too!