Rottweilers are a dog breed that needs to be walked often. At the same time, they appreciate guidance and discipline and fall easily into following your commands. Can these two traits be united to help you train a rottweiler to walk beside you?
Yes, rottweilers can be trained to walk beside you, provided that you are consistent with training and rewards. As a strong breed, rottweilers need to learn not to tug or pull on their leash. They respond well to commands, so training them to walk beside you can help to prevent this.
There are many different factors to keep in mind as you attempt to train your rottweiler to walk beside you. Aspects such as positive and negative reinforcement, the breed’s personality traits, and more will assist in your training. Keep reading to find out all you need to know about training a rottweiler to walk beside you.
Your Rottweiler Will Most Likely Want to Be in the Lead Position
Remember the personality of this dog breed: intelligent, confident, and loyal. These traits mean that rottweilers without proper training will often try to assume a leadership position in their family unit; walking and leash training are no exceptions.
There isn’t anything wrong with your rottweilers trying to lead during walks as long as you correct the behavior.
Leash pulling or trying to direct your course should never be encouraged, but you can try to let your Rottie walk at least a little bit ahead so they can feel like they are helping and protecting you.
Rottweilers are also very athletic and enjoy exercise. This makes them more likely to walk ahead of you during your daily walks, even if it is just because their pace is a bit faster.
This lead position does not mean they think of themselves as more dominant. With proper training, it will not be an issue at all.
Use a Leash and Reward Them with Treats as They Follow Along
Positive reinforcement is a powerful tool when it comes to training any dog. However, rottweilers especially respond well to training and naturally want to please their owners.
First, try to get them used to walking on a leash without feeling stressed or resorting to pulling; starting in your home or backyard is an excellent foundation to build on.
Reward your rottweiler with treats each time they follow along easily, and soon you will have a dog who is used to wearing a leash and naturally follows you as you walk. You do not have to give out a treat for every single instance of following along; if you did, you would run out of treats very quickly!
However, completing a lap or leg of your walk is a good time to give out a treat.
Ensure Your Rottweiler Is On the Correct Side of You
That’s right: there’s a correct side your dog should be walking on! It may not seem important, but choosing a side and sticking to it helps establish you as the leader and makes it easier to train your dog. Traditionally, the left side is the correct side your dog should be walking on.
For dominant dogs like Rottweilers, walking on the left side establishes you as the pack leader and makes it easier for them to heel. On the more obvious side, it also leaves your right hand (usually the dominant one) free for other tasks.
Make Sure That When You Stop Walking, So Does Your Dog
Once again, you must establish yourself as a leader to ensure your rottweiler does not try to make their own decisions. One way to ensure they are properly trained to walk beside you is the “stop test.”
The stop test is pretty simple: when you stop, your dog should stop too. This signals that they recognize you are the one guiding the walk, not the other way around. Bringing both of you to a complete stop at the same time is an important part of training.
Give Plenty of Praise Where Required and Reward Good Behavior
Rottweilers are incredibly loyal. When they have been properly trained, it is extremely unlikely that they will do anything to displease their owner. They respond incredibly well to positive reinforcement and rewards, such as treats, attention, and praise.
It may seem strange, but don’t be afraid to encourage your rottweiler with lots of praise when they demonstrate good behavior. Even something as simple as standing still while you put their leash on them should be verbally praised to reinforce the action.
Good behavior, such as stopping when you do or following your commands, even when distracted, should also be rewarded.
Rewards can be physical, with treats being the most obvious example. However, attention and petting or scratches can also be used as rewards for good behavior. As long as you are consistent with praise and rewards, your rottweiler will always engage in good behavior when walking.
Use Negative Reinforcement to Discourage Bad Behavior
Let’s get something out of the way: harsh punishments for a dog are never okay, and this includes rottweilers. Harsh punishments include loud yelling or physically punishing your dog for bad behaviors.
While it might seem like this helps, harsh punishments break down your relationship with your dog and make it harder for them to trust you.
With that being said, negative reinforcement is needed to discourage bad behavior. As loyal dogs, rottweilers always seek the approval and attention of their owners. Negative reinforcement can include a very stern reprimand and completely ceasing to give them attention or physical touch.
You can also refuse to take your dog on a walk at that moment to reinforce the fact that bad behaviors have consequences. Negative reinforcement relies on taking something away to make your dog connect bad behaviors to loss.
Try Using a Harness to Better Distribute Weight Across Their Chest
Not many know about the benefits of using a harness when walking a dog, but they are very useful. Rottweilers, in particular, are an athletic breed who may occasionally attempt to pull on their leash and walk ahead.
As you can imagine, putting all that weight against a leash around their neck is not always the best choice.
Harnesses go around a dog’s upper body, distributing weight across the chest instead of focusing it all on their neck. This also helps you since your arms and back will no longer be pulling a large amount of weight that is not distributed.
Harnesses can also help eliminate pulling. Essentially, a leash allows a dog that is pulling to move forward and makes them think the action was successful. A harness stops this action and can help to discourage the behavior.
Keep in Mind That All Dogs Need Daily Exercise
Yes, training a rottweiler to walk beside you can be frustrating and time-consuming. However, it is definitely worth it and will be one of the most important aspects of training your rottweiler! Dogs need exercise every single day, especially athletic and energetic rottweilers.
Experts recommend that rottweilers get at least two hours of exercise each day, and brisk walks are a great way to make sure you and your dog stay active. You don’t need to walk for two hours, but even twenty minutes can make a big difference in helping your dog get rid of excess energy.
Be Patient! Training Does Not Happen Overnight And Takes Time and Patience
Patience is definitely a virtue for both you and your Rottweiler. Training a Rottweiler to walk beside you is something that will not happen overnight. It requires consistency and lots of time and effort from both of you.
Positive and negative reinforcements are big parts of training a rottweiler, and they will not be learned after simply one encounter. It takes many different repetitions of the same actions to ensure your dog properly learns which behaviors are accepted.
That means it is something you’ll need to do each time you take your rottweiler on a walk.
Don’t let yourself get frustrated or give up! Be patient and consistent, and you’ll be amazed at the results once you have a rottweiler who walks happily beside you.
Final thoughts
In short, you can definitely train a rottweiler to walk beside you! There will need to be an emphasis on encouraging good behavior, such as stopping with you and keeping your pace, and discouraging bad behavior such as pulling on the leash or walking too far ahead.
As long as you are consistent with your training and are patient with your rottweiler, your daily walks together will become a whole lot easier!
A dog that walks beside you without pulling on the leash or disobeying your commands is a great resource, and rottweilers have more than enough capacity to do so. It just depends on your bond and repeated training!
