Adopt Rottweiler Shelter Dogs

If you want to give a dog a second chance and decide to adopt a Rottweiler, you'll gain an exceptionally loyal, loving and self-assured companion. Beneath the muscular appearance – males reach a shoulder height of 61 to 68 cm and a weight of 42 to 50 kg – is a very people-oriented nature that wants to be closely involved in family life.

When a Rottweiler ends up in a shelter, it rarely has anything to do with a bad character, and often with changed circumstances or underestimated breed traits. Originally bred in Germany as a drover and guardian for cattle herds and for pulling carts, the Rottweiler has a maximum energy level (5/5). Grooming the short, dense coat with undercoat takes little effort (2/5), but the mental and physical demands are high. The breed is also only suited to cramped city life to a limited extent (2/5). When there's no time in everyday life for consistent leadership and exercise, or the living situation changes, owners are often left with no option but the difficult step of giving the dog up.

A rescue Rottweiler comes with its own history. Because the breed is highly trainable (5/5), even adult dogs quickly learn new rules with clear, confident leadership. Still, they need time to build trust. Tolerance of other dogs and suitability for children are in the middle range (3/5 each) – here the individual dog's socialization is what counts.

Take a close look at health, too. Rottweilers are considered robust and have a life expectancy of 8 to 10 years, but they show a clear pattern: hips, elbows and the heart often remain issues for life. Relevant health issues include hip dysplasia (HD), elbow dysplasia (ED), aortic stenosis and the nerve disease juvenile laryngeal paralysis & polyneuropathy (JLPP). A health-focused breeder has the hips and elbows X-rayed and the heart examined clinically, watches for dental malformations and how often stud dogs are used, and uses a DNA test for JLPP. A DNA test like this shows whether a parent dog is clear, a carrier or affected, so carriers are only paired with clear partners; X-rays and cardiac ultrasound significantly lower the risk for the puppies.

If a shelter dog is of uncontrolled origin or comes from a puppy mill, however, this preventive care is often missing. The breed also has other risks such as wobbler syndrome, cataracts, ectropion/entropion, demodicosis, pancreatitis, familial nephropathy, histiocytosis or neuroaxonal dystrophy. With your adopted Rottweiler, focus from day one on careful management of weight and exercise and regular vet checkups, because without good preventive care, joint problems and vet bills rise considerably later on.

A Rottweiler puppy from a breeder costs between 1,800 and 3,500 EUR. If you choose a Rottweiler from a shelter, you pay a considerably lower adoption fee instead. It usually covers vaccinations, a microchip and a check on arrival; ask the shelter to show you the paperwork. Put the money you save straight into reserves for solid basics (a sturdy harness, an orthopedic dog bed for those heavy joints) and for future health checks such as joint X-rays or a cardiac ultrasound.