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Rottweilers are big, beautiful, powerful dogs, Trained properly they can become great family pets. Learn how to train your Rottweiler in this video. Don’t forget to rate this video, leave comments and subscribe to my channel. You can also get my FREE ebook “101 Ways To Improve Your Dog’s Behavior” at: www.amazingdogtrainingman.com
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A calm, obedient and faithful dog – it’s what we all want, right? To begin with, obedient and trained dogs are happier dogs, less likely to get into tussles with people or with other dogs. Another reason is that many communities require that the dogs living in their neighborhoods be well trained. This is especially true for many breeds thought to have aggression and behavior problems – large dog breeds such as german shepherds and rottweilers to name a couple. And of course pit bulls are almost synonymous with aggression in many people’s minds.
Now, I have a rottweiler myself, and she’s the soppiest thing out. So I don’t personally subscribe to the view that particular breeds are necessarily aggressive. But nevertheless, large dogs certainly do need to be adequately trained, just because of their size. Larger dogs can be very intimidating to people.
And of course, training your dog well will also make he or she a much better family companion, especially in households where there are young children. Many studies have shown that proper dog training makes a big impact when it comes to cutting down the number of dog bits and other behavior problems encountered by dog owning households.
When considering training your own dog, or having someone else help you train it, there are certain basic commands that must be mastered in order for a dog to be considered truly trained. These basic commands include:
No – The word No is one word that all dogs must learn. Training your dog to respond to this important word can save you a ton of trouble.
Sit – Training your dog to sit on command is a vital part of any dog training program.
Down – Lying down on command is more than just a cute trick; it is a key component of any successful dog training program.
Stay – A well trained dog should remain where his or her owner commands, so Stay is an important command in dog training. (The Stay command is not used by all dog trainers. Some are of the view that the command to Sit means “Sit, and stay there until you’re given another command” – this makes a lot of sense. But many people do like to use the Stay command).
Heel – it is important that any dog learn to walk beside its owner on a loose lead, neither pulling ahead nor lagging behind
Dog training does much more than just create an obedient, willing companion. Training your dog properly actually strengthens the bond that already exists between dog and owner. Dogs are pack animals, and they look to their pack leader to tell them what to do. The key to successful dog training is to set yourself up as that pack leader.
Establishing yourself as pack leader is a very important concept for any potential dog trainer to understand. There is only one leader in every pack of dogs, and the owner must establish him or herself as the dominant animal. Failure to do so leads to all manner of behavior problems.
A properly trained dog will respond properly to all the owner’s commands, and will not display anxiety, displeasure or confusion. A good dog training program will focus on allowing the dog to learn just what is expected of it, and will use positive reinforcement to reward desired behaviors.
In addition to making the dog a good member of the community, obedience training is a great way to fulfill some of the dog’s own needs, including the need for exercise, the security that comes with knowing what is expected of it, a feeling of accomplishment and a good working relationship with its handler. Dog training gives the dog an important job to do, and an important goal to reach.
Giving the dog a job is more important than you may think. Dogs were originally bred by humans to do important work, such as herding sheep, guarding property and protecting people. Many dogs today have no important job to do, and this can often lead to boredom and neurotic behavior.
Basic obedience training, and ongoing training sessions, provide the dog with an important job to do. This is especially important for high energy breeds like German shepherds and border collies. Training sessions are a great way for these high energy dogs to use up their extra energy and simply to enjoy themselves.
Incorporating playtime into your dog training sessions is a great way to prevent both yourself and your dog from becoming bored. Playing with your dog helps to strengthen the all important bond between you – the pack leader – and your dog.
Brigitte Smith runs two websites dedicated to dog training, dog care and dog health:
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Meet Jack…an English Bulldog with a great outdoor job and an exciting story to tell. Sadly, Jack’s career was almost derailed due to an unexpected injury. Like so many NBA stars and skiers, Jack hurt his knee and was sidelined for many weeks. Thankfully, prompt care and a great surgery team got Jack “back on the road again!”
Just one look at Jack and you can tell that this is a dog meant for bigger things. From blogging about his travels as New Mexico’s Canine Travel Reporter to his awards from the governor, Jack oozes confidence and excitement. So, when Jack ruptured his cruciate ligament, neither he nor his human partner, Jill, were going to let anything stand in the way of his speedy return to the spotlight.
Normal Stifle x-ray
Like people, dogs have two cruciate ligaments to help provide support for the knee. Their presence keeps the femur and tibia from sliding around and destabilizing the joint. According to veterinary surgeon, Dr. Phil Zeltzman, repairing torn a cruciate is the most common surgery at veterinary surgery centers. He adds that certain breeds (Labradors and Rottweilers) show up with this injury more frequently than other pets.
Dogs can rupture these ligaments with sudden twisting movements while running or even from slipping on ice. In Jack’s case, a sudden meeting with a child’s snow sled was enough to cause the injury. After seeing Jac
k limp into the house that snowy day, Jill knew an appointment with his veterinarian was needed.
In most cases, diagnosing a cruciate tear simply requires a veterinarian’s examination and, if the patient is not cooperative, a touch of sedation. Palpation of the knee joint is the key to the diagnosis although it is also a good idea to take x-rays of both knees to look for any other problems.
The next step is surgery. According to industry experts, pet owners spend more than $1 billion dollars on cruciate surgeries for their pets each year. A variety of procedures exist to help stabilize the knee, but most surgeons will utilize one of three procedures. Because of Jack’s anatomy, breed and size, surgeons at the New Mexico Veterinary Surgery Center determined that the Tibial Tuberosity Advancement surgery would be the most effective solution.
Radiographs to the left show a ruptured ACL ligament in one of my patients, Luna. Compare it to the normal knee and you can see at the 90 degree angle of the x-ray on the left, the femur or the big thigh bone sits almost behind the tibia or the lower leg bone. The cruciate ligament stabilizes the knee. Luna had a TPLO surgery (Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy) performed by Dr. Payne of North Houston Veterinary Specialists. Dr. Payne is a veterinary orthopedic surgeon and travels to the veterinary clinic that requires his services.
The surgery requires very special instruments and surgical skills for a successful outcome and at Luna’s 6 week check up, she was walking great.
As with any pet surgery, cost certainly is an issue. It is not unusual for these cruciate surgeries to range in cost from $1200 to more than $3000. David Goodnight, CEO of PurinaCare pet insurance says that nationwide, the average cost for this type of surgery is $2500.
Some pet owners will question the need for surgery as fibrous tissue in the dog’s body will eventually stabilize the joint. Sadly, this could lead to bigger problems, including severe osteoarthritis or even a rupture of the ligaments in the other knee. Certainly this route only increases the pet’s discomfort.
After surgery, most dogs feel much better. In fact, it’s a challenge for owners to keep their pets rested during the recovery. Jill recalls her experience with Jack, “Luckily I remembered to always keep him on a leash outside…by day three after surgery, I could see him wanting to run!”
This 8-10 week recovery period is crucial. Too much activity can delay healing at the site or even cause enough damage that a second surgery might be needed! The doggie patients need to stay in a crate when they can’t be supervised, go outside ONLY on a leash and only for bathroom breaks until the surgeon says short walks are ok. Running, jumping and stairs should be avoided.
Jack has made a complete recovery and is now back educating people about the wonders of New Mexico. But he is not out of the woods yet. About half of dogs who rupture one cruciate will tear the opposite knee’s ligaments. Along the course of his recovery, Jack’s veterinarians have made several recommendations to help him avoid this fate.
First, weight control! Excess weight creates additional stress on joints and can lead to ligament tears.
Next, daily exercise is important. Spending about an hour each day engaged in moderate exercise is not only a good way to keep your dog healthy and limber…it will probably help you too!
Finally, don’t overdo it! You wouldn’t run a marathon without training, so don’t expect your dog to hike 4-5 miles with you immediately.
Your veterinarian will also have some helpful ideas to protect your pet’s joints. Nutraceuticals, like glucosamine or rehabilitation exercises can help strengthen and support the knees.
The dog’s skin is the largest organ of the body, yet it has a very limited number of ways in which it responds to trauma. “Hot Spots” or acute moist dermatitis are areas on the dog’s skin due to your dog’s itching, biting and scratching and may often show up quite abruptly. A lot of these spots may become pretty big and may appear anywhere on the dog. I find it quite often in the spring time once the temperatures are hotter as well as the humidity is high. The dogs with the thick undercoat, including Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers and rottweilers are susceptible to developing these spots on their face and neck. Quite often, areas located at the base of the tail are more than likely because of fleas since fleas love to gather in these spots. Many dogs happen to be so allergic to fleas, the bite of one flea is sufficient to cause the dog to itch all over. Any type of injury can begin the process which the dog then exacerbates by endless chewing and licking which often creates a vicious cycle and will cause the hot spot to spread.
The dog normally has bacteria that resides on their skin and as long as the skin is healthy, the germs almost never trigger any trouble. However when something develops, such as a fleabite, cut or allergies, the dog starts to lick, bite, chew and scratch which disrupts the defensive layer of the skin. When that occurs, the bacteria on the skin, in addition to the germs in the mouth, set up housekeeping in the skin. This creates a fast spreading infection which may be rather painful. The spot on the skin is red, raw and seems moist because the wound oozes serum and pus. The hair then mats down over the wound and the infection then spreads beneath the hair.
A trip to the veterinarian is often warranted. In many cases the fur has to be clipped away to prevent the spread of the infection. Sometimes, these hot spots are so painful, the dog may need to be sedated in order to have the region cleansed and shaved. Antibiotics are prescribed to manage the infection and follow-up antibiotics are sent home. Sprays, ointments and medicated shampoos can also be prescribed to continue treatment at home.. For some dogs, a special collar may be used to help prevent the dog from chewing at the spots.
The root reason for the insult should likewise be tackled. If fleas are present, then all year round flea control may be recommended.(over the counter flea control is not recommended) Pollen, food, and other allergens can also precipitate an attack. Sometimes special diets with essential fatty acids and a novel protein source for instance salmon, lamb or venison might be recommended to help heal the skin. Blood and skin tests can be preformed to help identify what the dog is allergic to and special allergy injections or prescription diets can be offered.
Check your dog daily for itchy spots and use flea control suggested by your veterinarian year round to help prevent hot spots caused by flea allergies. Daily grooming and brushing can keep mats from developing. If your dog is itching continuously, take him to the veterinarian to handle the itching before the infection can progress.
Our hearts go out to Oprah Winfrey who recently adopted a puppy from a local Chicago Shelter that had been exposed to parvo virus while at the shelter. Her other puppy is clinging to life at a local animal hospital. Please be sure your puppy is vaccinated and de wormed regularly to prevent this tragic disease. Also make sure that your puppy has been vaccinated before you adopt them and make check the shelter for any other sick puppies they may have been exposed too. (see the whole story here and here)
Parvo is a devastating virus that attacks young puppies causing severe vomiting, diarrhea and sometimes even toxic shock. Here is some more information concerning parvo virus
1) Canine Parvovirus arrived in the US in the late 1970s causing great concern among dog breeders, dog showers, veterinarians and all pet owners. Fortunately, development of effective vaccines helped check the spread of parvo.
2) Today, parvo is still a concern among specific breeds of dogs (Rottweilers, Dobermans, pit bulls), any young dogs, and any dogs who don’t receive routine veterinary care (unvaccinated pets).
3) The original strain of parvo virus that arrived in the 1970s is known as CPV-2b. Recently, Internet rumors have started circulating describing a new strain of parvo known as CPV-2c.
4) New strains of most viruses occur regularly due to mutations in the genetic code. It is not surprising that a new strain of canine parvovirus has been found.
5) Many Internet sites, chat rooms, and pet blogs have been buzzing with this knowledge, claiming that the new strain is deadlier than the older strain.
6) All research to date shows that dogs who have been vaccinated with current vaccines are still protected against this newer strain of parvo.
7) Furthermore, there is no evidence that the new strain (2c) is more virulent, harder to kill (more resistant to disinfectants) or more difficult to diagnose. Variant strain 2c will show a positive reaction on commercially available test kits at your veterinarian’s office.
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Rottweilers Wall Calendar: Intelligent and loyal, the Rottweiler is both guardian and friend. A hardworking dog, it has a confident, calm, and reliable demeanor to go along with its exceptionally powerful physique. Though Rotweillers are not known for making quick and easy friendships, they do make devoted companions. Rottweiler fans will enjoy this fabulous wall calendar.
When you shop for a purebred dog, you will probably notice that many breeders use the initials AKC when they talk about their purebred puppies. What exactly is the AKC? These initials stand for the American Kennel Club, a registry for purebred dogs born in the United States. The AKC holds dog shows and obedience competitions, helps maintain breed standards, and registers puppies of recognized breeds. The AKC registers dogs from over a hundred different dog breeds.
For a dog to be registered with the AKC, the breeder needs to have AKC papers for both parents. Each litter is registered as a group shortly after the puppies are born. When the puppies are eight weeks old, the breeder gets a registration application for each puppy. This form goes with the puppy to his new home. The new owner chooses a name to register the puppy under and sends the application in to the American Kennel Club.
The AKC has divided the dog breeds it recognizes into eight different groups. These groups are the Sporting Group, the Hound Group, the Working Group, the Terrier Group, the Toy Group, the Non-Sporting Group, the Herding Group, and the Miscellaneous Class. Each dog breed recognized by the AKC is placed in one of these groups and will compete in its breed and then its group in the show ring.
Dogs in the Sporting Group are an active, hard working bunch. These dogs need plenty of exercise, since they were bred to spend long hours spotting and retrieving game. Some popular members of the Sporting Group are the Golden Retriever and the Cocker Spaniel.
The Hound Group also is made up of dogs that work with hunters to catch game, but these guys are all about the chase. Hounds can be slow and methodical, like the Bloodhound, or fast and impatient, like the Greyhound.
If you are more concerned about protecting your home, you will want to take a look at dogs in the Working Group. These big dogs are powerful animals with strong protective instincts. Doberman Pinschers and Rottweilers are just two of the dog breeds in this group.
Dogs in the Terrier Group love to hunt mice and rats. This group includes the dour Scottish Terriers and the personable Miniature Schnauzers.
The Toy Group may be made up of dogs that are small in size, but their hearts are just as big as those of any other dogs. The Yorkshire Terrier and the Miniature Pinscher are both Toy dogs.
Dogs in the Herding Group have a strong herding instinct. The Collie and the German Shepherd are members of this group.
The Non-Sporting Group contains dogs that don’t quite fit anywhere else. The Boston Terrier and Standard Poodles are members of the Non-Sporting Group.
The final group, the Miscellaneous Class, is where the AKC puts breeds that are still proving themselves. The Redbone Coonhound is a member of this group.
While the AKC may be the most popular kennel club in America, it is far from being the only kennel club. If your dog is not registered with AKC, you may be able to still register it with another group. The United Kennel Club, the American Canine Association, the Canine Kennel Club, and the North American Purebred Dog Registry are a few other American kennel clubs.
Of course, foreign born dogs have ancestors, too. There is some type of dog registry in most countries. Most dogs born outside of the United States must be registered with their country’s breed registry and then brought to the United States before the AKC will consider registering them.
British dogs are registered through the Kennel Club, while dogs born in Australia are registered by the Victorian Canine Association, which is part of Australia’s National Kennel Council.
The Canadian Kennel Club, or CKC, is Canada’s version of the AKC. Dogs registered with the CKC do not have to come to the United States to be registered with the AKC.
As you look into the different registries available, just remember that even if you can’t register your dog, the most important thing about him is not his pedigree. Enjoying his loving, loyal companionship is more important than knowing who his ancestors are!
