Taking care of a Rottweiler can be a big commitment. With such a big and active dog, you may quickly find yourself getting overwhelmed if you don’t follow some of the basic Rottweiler ownership tips.

Here are a few things you would be expected to do if you own a Rottweiler:

• Try to walk your Rottweiler at least once a day for 20 minutes or more. Your Rottweiler wants to be active and will soon get bored if tied day in and day out in the back yard.
• Always keep your Rottweiler on a leash when you leave home; strange noises and surprises can make the Rottweiler aggressive.
• Do not try and economize when it comes to meals for your Rottweiler. Give him the best food you can afford.
• Most Rottweilers possess an inherently strong protective instinct and will want to protect your home from strangers. Keeping this mind, you may not want to leave your dog alone with visitors in your home, unless your dog has seen them around often enough to be completely familiar with them.
• Play with your Rottweiler as often as you can but make sure you are always the dominant player. Never let your Rottweiler get the better of you even when fooling around. He needs to be reminded that you at the Alpha Dog around, failing which you will soon find your roles reversed as Rottweilers very easily slip into the dominant role and can then be difficult to control.
• Watch out for ailments that typically plague Rottweilers, including hip and elbow dysplasia, lameness of limbs, Von Willebrand’s Disease and heart disease.
• Keep your Rottweiler up to date on all of their shots and de-flea him regularly.
• Make sure you keep your dog’s hair, nail and teeth in good shape. The good news is, a Rottweiler’s hair does not have to be brushed as often as you would think and his high activity level will help keep his nails short. Get your dog’s teeth regularly checked by the vet.

Observe these few basic tips with your Rottweiler and you will have a healthy, happy, well-behaved pet.