Rottweilers For Dummies

Introduction 1 So Who Am I? 2 How This Book is Organized 2 Part I: Getting to Know Rottweilers 2 Part II: Searching for Your Soul Mate 2 Part III: Living with a Rottweiler 3 Part IV: Keeping Your Rottweiler Healthy 3 Part V: The Part of Tens 4 Icons Used in This Book 4 Part I: Getting to Know Rottweilers 5 Chapter 1: So What Exactly is a Rottweiler? 7 Understanding What Sets the Rottweiler Apart 7 Looking at the Purpose of Breed Standards 9 The German standard 10 The AKC standard 12 Knowing Whether Your Rottweiler Has to Fit the Standard 14 Taking a Quick Tour of Rottweiler History 14 The Rottweiler’s German roots 15 The changing role of the Rottweiler 16 The transplanting of Rottweilers to the United States 17 The Rottweiler’s role in modern day 18 Chapter 2: Is a Rottweiler Right for You? 19 Being Honest with Yourself about What You Have to Give 21 Knowing the kind of time and energy dog ownership requires 21 Understanding that Rottweilers aren’t perfect 22 Knowing Whether You Have What It Takes to Own a Rottweiler 23 Seeing how ready you are to own a Rottie 23 Looking at the specifics of what dog ownership requires 24 Weighing Your Decision Carefully 27 Part II: Searching for Your Soul Mate 29 Chapter 3: Knowing What You Want in a Rottweiler 31 Remembering That Each Dog is Unique 31 Deciding Between a Male and a Female Rottie 33 Considering the Age of Your Dog When You Bring Him Home 34 Birth to 7 weeks 35 Seven to eight weeks 35 8 weeks to 6 months 36 6 to 12 months 36 The adult Rottweiler 36 Chapter 4: Finding and Choosing Your New Friend 37 Knowing the Difference between Responsible Breeders and Backyard Breeders 38 Working with a Responsible Breeder 40 Understanding which health tests and guarantees the breeder provides 41 Asking the breeder which puppy he would choose for you 42 Considering the Rescue Option 43 American Rottweiler Club rescue 44 Independent rescue groups 44 Humane societies and animal shelters 44 Choosing a Puppy 45 Pay attention to the puppy’s health 45 Don’t overlook the puppy’s personality 50 Observe the puppy’s behavior 51 Knowing Which Important Papers You Need When You Walk out the Door 52 Health record 53 Pedigree 54 Registration application 54 Sales contract 55 Part III: Living with a Rottweiler 57 Chapter 5: Preparing for Your Puppy 59 Making Your Shopping List 60 Finding the Right Leashes and Collars for Your Rottweiler 61 Getting the Right Equipment to Confine Your Dog When Necessary 62 Crates and cages 62 Outdoor runs 64 Stocking up on Puppy-Proofing Supplies 64 Supplying Your Pup with All the Toys His Heart Desires 65 Chew toys 66 Play toys 66 Toys to avoid 67 Finding the Right Grooming Tools 67 Chapter 6: Welcome Home!  71 Being Prepared for Reality 71 Bringing Your Pup Home Safely 73 Surviving the Difficult First Week 73 Dealing with Inevitable Baby Behavior 75 Dealing with a lonely pup 76 Addressing house-training problems early 77 Redirecting your puppy’s chewing 77 Surviving your pup’s bursts of energy 78 Managing play biting and growling 79 Knowing What to Expect from Your Adolescent or Adult Rottweiler 79 Recognizing the Instincts of the Breed 80 Guarding 80 Dominance 81 Dealing with Stress in Your Rottweiler 82 Being sure you don’t pressure your dog too much 82 Understanding separation anxiety 83 Housebreaking Your Rottweiler 84 Chapter 7: Understanding How to Communicate with Your Rottweiler  87 Understanding Why Your Rottweiler Does What He Does 88 Instinctual creatures 88 Thinking creatures 89 Figuring Out How Behavior Gets Reinforced 90 Knowing How to Respond to Your Rottie When He Misbehaves 91 Socializing Your Rottweiler for His Own Happiness 92 Getting children to help in the socialization process 93 Continuing socialization in your pup’s new home 94 Listening When Your Rottie Speaks 96 Active versus passive behavior 96 The hidden meaning behind a dog’s behavior 96 What your body language says to your dog 97 Chapter 8: Training Your Rottweiler 99 Assuming Your Role as Leader of the Pack 99 Knowing What to Expect of Your Rottie 100 Starting with the Basics 101 Name recognition and “no” 101 Using a collar and leash 102 Teaching Your Rottweiler the Most Important Commands 103 “Come” 103 “Sit” 104 “Stay” 105 “Down” 105 “Heel” 106 Attending Training Classes with Your Rottweiler 109 Finding a Good Dog Trainer 109 Dealing with Emotional Conflicts 111 Chapter 9: Having Fun with Your Rottweiler 113 Playing Games with Your Rottie 114 Following the bouncing ball 115 Playing a rousing game of fetch 116 Getting a game of hide-and-seek going 116 Taking Advantage of Dog-Friendly Parks 117 Enjoying the Water with Your Dog 118 Hitting the Trails with Your Rottie 120 Helping Your Rottie Do What He Was Bred to Do 120 Herding tests and trials 121 Schutzhund 123 Guard work 125 Carting 126 Search and rescue work 126 Keeping in Mind Some Other Fun Things to Do with Your Rottweiler 127 There’s no business like show business 127 Competitive sports for Rottweilers 133 Canine Good Citizen 135 Helping Your Dog Help Others 135 Part IV: Keeping Your Rottweiler Healthy 137 Chapter 10: Getting to Know Your Rottweiler Inside and Out  139 Exploring the Anatomy of the Rottweiler 140 Identifying Inherited Health Problems and Diseases 142 Hip dysplasia 142 Osteochondritis dissecans 143 Eye problems 144 Demodectic mange 145 Checking Your Dog’s Health Regularly 145 Deciding Whether to Breed Your Rottweiler 146 Spaying or Neutering Your Dog 148 Looking for the Best Veterinarian on Your Dog’s Behalf 149 Chapter 11: Feeding and Exercising Your Rottweiler 151 Answering Your Questions about Your Rottie’s Nutrition 151 Which food should I feed? 151 How much is enough? 152 How much protein and fat does my dog need? 153 Will that inexpensive grocery-store brand be good enough? 153 Adapting Your Dog’s Diet as His Needs Change 154 Feeding puppies 155 Maintaining your dog’s current weight 156 Feeding an aging Rottweiler 156 Meeting Your Rottweiler’s Special Nutritional Needs 157 Chicken soup for the ailing pooch 157 What to do for the tubby Rottweiler 157 Getting Your Rottweiler the Exercise He Needs 158 Puppy exercise 159 Adolescents and healthy adults 159 65 and counting: Exercise for seniors 160 Chapter 12: Preventing Health Problems 161 Vaccinating Your Dog Against Deadly Diseases 161 Canine parvovirus 162 Canine virus distemper 162 Hardpad 163 Infectious canine hepatitis 163 Leptospirosis 163 Rabies 163 Bordatella 164 The Great Vaccination Debate 164 Paying Attention to Parasites 165 Fleas 166 Lice 167 Ticks 167 Mange 168 Tapeworms 169 Heartworms 169 Whipworms and hookworms 169 Roundworms 170 Grooming Your Rottweiler for Health and Beauty 170 Brushing 170 Ears 171 Teeth 171 Eyes 172 Feet and nails 172 Anal glands 174 Chapter 13: Being Prepared for Emergencies 177 Setting Up Your Own First Aid Kit 177 Figuring Out When to Call the Vet 178 Knowing What to Do When You Need to Do It 180 Muzzling an injured dog 180 Moving an injured dog 181 Treating burns 181 Responding to shock 182 Attending to bites and bleeding wounds 182 Responding to poisoning 183 Handling broken bones 184 Removing foreign objects and responding to the choking dog 184 Responding quickly to bloat 185 Dealing with heatstroke 185 Responding to hypothermia 185 Attending to stings and bites 185 Removing porcupine quills 186 Responding to the dog who has come across a skunk 186 Giving Your Rottie the Medicine He Needs 187 Medications and ointments 187 Pills 187 Liquid medicines 188 Chapter 14: Knowing What to Do When Your Dog Gets Sick 189 Living with Chronic Conditions 189 Hip dysplasia 190 Bone disorders 190 Eye problems 190 Skin disorders 191 Bloat 193 Considering Alternative Therapies for Your Ailing Rottie 194 Herbal therapy 194 Homeopathy 195 Bodywork therapies 196 Part V: The Part of Tens 199 Chapter 15: Ten Reasons to Own a Rottweiler 201 You Know What You’re Getting 201 You Can Find Out Anything You Want to Know about the Breed 202 Rottweilers Have Good Temperaments 202 Rottweilers Are Highly Trainable 202 Rottweilers Are Easy to Care For 203 Rottweilers Are Protective 203 Rottweilers Do Good Work 203 Rottweilers Know How to Have Fun 204 Responsible Breeders Are Everywhere 204 Rottweilers Give a Lifetime of Friendship 204 Chapter 16: Ten Reasons Not to Own a Rottweiler 205 The Neighbor Down the Street is Selling Rottweilers for Next to Nothing 205 You Think Having a Dog to Pet Every Once in a While Would Be Fun 206 You Want to Feel Needed 206 You’re Not Prepared to Be the Leader of the Pack 207 You Lack Physical Strength 207 You Tend to Procrastinate 207 Your Living Space is Restricted 208 You’re Not Sure How You’re Going to Pay Your Next Credit Card Bill 208 Patience is Not Your Virtue 209 You’re a Loner 209 Chapter 17: Ten Tips for Training Your Rottweiler 211 Remember That Training is Something Your Rottie Needs 211 Teach Your Rottie Your Rules 211 Give Positive Reinforcement 212 Be Consistent 212 Start Training Right Away 212 “No!” Means “No!” 213 Keep Your Lessons Short and Sweet 213 Curb Certain Instinctive Behaviors 213 Be in the Right Frame of Mind for Training 214 Do the Minimum in Basic Training 214 Chapter 18: Ten Tips for Traveling with (Or without) Your Dog 215 Get the Right Car for Your Rottweiler 216 Think about the Weather Before You Leave 217 Buckle Up for Safety 217 Remember Your Rottweiler’s ID and Medication 218 Bring Along Your Travel Necessities 219 Plan a Vacation for the Whole Family to Enjoy 220 Find Dog-Friendly Lodgings 220 Fly Well with Your Rottweiler 221 Find a Good Kennel If Your Pal Can’t Go 223 Consider Getting a Pet Sitter 225 Appendix A: Glossary  227 Appendix B: Resources  231 Books 231 Magazines 232 Videos 232 CD-ROMs 232 Web Sites 232 Organizations 233 Index 235