How to train a wonderful rottweiler

Oz in Training

CHECKLIST AND SOCIALIZATION FOR YOUR NEW ROTTWEILER

Congratulations on your new companion and family member. 

 They are going to be A LOT of work.  They will challenge you, love you, frustrate you, but remember they are puppies and they need YOU TO TEACH THEM, TRAIN THEM, LEAD THEM, LOVE THEM, FEED THEM, SOCIALIZE THEM, POTTY TRAIN THEM, WALK THEM, PLAY WITH THEM, AND THE LIST GOES ON & ON & ON....  Its up to you to have if you want them to be an ambassador of the breed, a therapy dog, a canine good citizen.  

They are all wonderful dogs and they will be your BEST FRIEND IN THE WORLD!  It is up to you to show them the ropes.  They will be a reflection of you.

CHECK LIST FOR YOUR NEW PUPPY 

when should i start?  NOW.

1.  Teach your puppy to stay.

2.  Teach your puppy to lay down.

3.  Teach your puppy to sit.

4.  Teach them to come when called.

5.  Teach your puppy to shake.

7.  Teach your puppy to walk on a leash (if he pulls you, STOP - When he stops pulling you     WALK)  

8.  Teach your puppy lay on each side. 

     (This is useful for vet exams)

9.   Teach your puppy to enjoy a hug around their neck
     
10.  Teach your puppy to lie on their back and get their belly rubbed.

11.  Teach your puppy to love having their toes and feet touched (Oz loves this) 

12.  Teach your puppy to allow you to rub their gums.

- and allow you to stick your fingers in their mouth and touch their teeth 

(don't ever force something. Make it pleasurable. Use treats to reward them)

13.  Touch your puppy's ears. Rubbing their ears can calm them. 

14.  Touch their face and their nose.

15.  Teach them to enjoy car rides.  Start with short rides and give em treats :)  

16.  Teach them to love baths (I would feed Oz his part of his dinner while bathing him or give me treats)       See my video on You Tube "how to train a wonderful rottweiler" you

        see me doing this with oz.

17.  Teach them to like things like a blow dryer.  

Also on  "how to train a wonderful rottweiler"  I feed Oz his dinner while blow drying him.  He loves the blow dryer. 

18. Teach them to like being brushed.

19.  Take him to the vet just for a hello and a treat :)

20.   Share their toys with them.  Hold one side of his toy while they chew the other. Also on "How to train a wonderful Rottweiler"

21. When they are eating add something yummy to their bowl (a treat or a little peice of chicken) or you can add    the other half of their food bit by bit so your hand in their   bowl is NEVER A THREAT but invited because you are adding something good :)  

REPEAT THE ABOVE LIST WITH FAMILY MEMBERS & FRIENDS WORKING WITH YOUR PUPPY.

*NOTE*

 PARVO IS VERY PREVALENT WITH PUPPIES ESPECIALLY ROTTWEILERS SO UNTIL YOUR PUPPY HAS GOTTEN HIS PUPPY SHOTS YOU NEED TO AVOID PUBLIC PLACES, DOG PARKS, STRANGE DOGS, SIDEWALKS. KEEP THEM IN AREAS YOU KNOW ARE SAFE LIKE - YOUR YARD, YOUR FRIENDS HOMES, SOCIALIZE W/ FRIENDS DOGS THAT YOU KNOW ARE HEALTHY, TAKE THEM WITH YOUR FOR CAR RIDES (DON'T LEAVE THEM UNATTENDED IN A CAR), TAKE THEM INSIDE THE HARDWARE STORE, THE SHOPPING CENTER IF YOU CAN, and CARRY THEM WHEN IN PUBLIC DURING THE UNSAFE PARVO PERIOD.  REMEMBER PARVO IS VERY DEADLY.  THE VACCINATION SCHEDULE IS USUALLY 6 WEEKS, 9 WEEKS, 16 WEEKS.

CHECK WITH YOUR VET.

SOCIALIZATION YOUR PUPPY WITH

• Men 
  
• Women
  
• children
  
• babies
  
• elderly man
  
• elderly women
  
• handicap people in wheelchairs
  
• People in uniform (mailman, ups man, policeman)
  
• Man with beard
  
• Lady with hat
  
• Man with hat
  
• Lady with umbrella
  
• Kid skateboarding (take him to a skateboard park)
  
• Children playing
  
• Loud people
  
• Person with deep voice
  
• Crowded place
  
• Timid shy person
  
• dogs
  
• cats  
• birds
• and many more... 

  

ONCE YOUR PUPPY HAS FINISHED HIS PUPPY SHOTS USUALLY 16 WEEKS BE SURE TO SIGN THEM UP FOR PUPPY CLASSES AND SOCIALIZE SOCIALIZE SOCIALIZE.  THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!  YOU SHOULD CONTINUE TO TAKE HIM TO TRAINING CLASSES AS AN TEENAGER AND ADULT.  THE LAST THING YOU WANT IS A 80-130 POUND ROTTWEILER THAT IS IN CHARGE OF YOU AND IS NOT TRAINED, NOT GOOD!  SO DO THEM AND YOURSELF A FAVOR AND DO THE RIGHT THING.

The above list is certainly not a complete check of all the things you need to it is a excellent start!  These are all things I did with Oz plus a lot more.  Oz met over 75 strange adults and over 50 strange children by the time he was 18 weeks! 

Lost you to Cancer

My Ulla

Lost you to Osteosarcoma.  

A cancer that runs rampid in the breed. 

Read my blog below "Ulla the Hula girl- lost you to cancer"

*All videos clips shown are after Ulla's Diagnosis of Osteosarcoma (Bone Cancer)

A Happy Rottweiler (but no food before or after Exercise)

A BIT ON BLOAT

Oz at the park yesterday.  As we all know or should know a happy dog is an active dog. Especially a working breed like the Rottweiler.  They need to get outside for a walk, jog, or swim, everyday!  When you talk them on their daily excursions it is a great time to work on your training too!  Oz and I continuously do trainging.  HE LOVES IT!

EXERCISE AND BLOAT

Do NOT allow vigorous exercise at least one hour before or 3 hours after your dogs has eatten. However, exercise is only one contributer to Bloat in dogs.  Dogs that eat fast and drink large amounts of water after eatting.  Deep chested dogs with smaller waists have the highest incidence like Great Danes but also St Bernards, Rottweilers, Weimaraners, Irish Setters, German Shepards, Doberman Pinchers, Wolfhounds, Bloodhounds, etc...  But Bloat can affect dogs of all sizes. 

This is a very serious and life threatening situation.  This condition involves swelling of the stomach from gas, fluid, or both.

If you think your dog has bloat it is a Veterinary EMERGENCY! 

SEEK VETERINARY HELP IMMEDIATELY as Bloat can often lead to death!

Symptoms to look for in your dog - they can be subtle (there is no HOME REMEDY)

* Panting 

* Excessive drooling

* Whining

* Cannot get comfortable

* Pacing

* Agitated

* Stomach is swollen

* Can't get comfortable, pacing

* The act of vomiting but produces no vomit (except maybe frothy foam, but small amounts)

HOW CAN I HELP PREVENT BLOAT? This however does not guarantee prevention from bloat but can help to decrease the risk of your dog getting bloat.

*  Dry foods that expand in the stomach and this is a major contributor to bloat.

So if you feed a dry dog food go to a reputable dog food store with a knowledgeable staff that can help you find a dry food that DOES NOT EXPAND WHEN MIXED WITH WATER.  

* Feed your dog a breakfast and dinner.  Even better feed them 3 times a day.  Do not feed one large meal a day.

* Do NOT allow your dog to drink large amounts of water after eating his meal.

*  Do NOT allow vigorous exercise for at least one hour before or 3 hours  
 after the dog has eaten.

* If you have a dog that is at risk of Bloat be sure you know of a REPUTABLE Emergency vet along with their number and address posted in a place you will not forget along with your Veterinarian.