While Rottweilers can be an affectionate breed, do they pick a favorite person?
My family and I would argue all the time about who our dog liked the most, and I know others do the same thing. We, therefore, explore whether the Rottweiler usually picks a favorite person in the family home or treats everybody equally.
Rottweilers are well-known for bonding with the entire family. Despite this, it is still common for them to choose one person as their leader or “alpha”. They tend to favor the person that spends the most amount of their time feeding, exercising, training, and playing with them.
In this article, we explore the various elements needed to be a Rottweiler’s favorite person.
Why Do Rottweilers Pick a Favorite Person?
Let’s go over exactly why so many Rottweilers tend to pick a favorite person. They’re meant to love everybody, right?
This is technically correct, but the breed of your dog impacts its personality. You can’t compare the behavior of a golden retriever to that of a chihuahua.
Did you know that Rottweilers are one of the oldest known dog breeds? It’s true! Throughout history, they have worked alongside humans as guards of cattle and property.
This purpose is still common in the modern rottweiler, which is evident when someone intrudes on their home or tries to take a toy!
“Rottweilers specifically are known for being highly intelligent, confident, and excellent guardians.“
With proper exercise, this makes them a perfect family dog! Their confidence and intelligence also give them the potential to become aggressive or territorial, so they must be trained appropriately.
As a guard dog, Rottweilers love everybody in their pack. They are also predisposed to recognize a leader, and this leader will appear to be their favorite person. Rottweilers may only easily listen to the command of their leader or even refuse to obey the commands of anyone they don’t recognize as their leader.
There you have it! Rottweilers pick a favorite person as their leader due to their long history as pack protectors. While they will always care deeply for every family member, there is naturally always someone they prefer. This chosen person can even change over time.
How Can You Tell When a Rottweiler Has a Favorite Person?
Here’s a scenario for you: you beg your mom for a dog, and she agrees as long as you promise to take it outside and clean up any messes. When the dog arrives, you forget to feed it or let it out at night, and your mom picks up the slack.
You may play with the dog all day, but your mother is the one who feeds it and trains it. Who do you think the dog will listen to?
This scenario is especially true for puppies. Dogs tend to bond the hardest with the ones who provided the important stuff when they were young. The one who feeds the puppy, potty-trains it, and generally oversees upkeep is the most likely the favorite once the puppy ages.
“However, there is more to being a Rottweiler’s favorite than just giving them food and water.”
Attention and affection are also huge motivators! If your rottweiler gets incredibly excited when a particular family member gets home (more excited than they were for anybody else) there is a good chance that person is their favorite.
To determine who your rottweiler has chosen as their favorite person and leader, watch their body language. Remember when I said that rottweilers are guard dogs? This means they are unlikely to engage in cuddling or submissive positions unless they are completely comfortable.
Positions such as laying their head in your lap or leaning against your side mean that your rottweiler loves you and wants to show it!
If your dog rolls over and asks for a belly rub, that means they recognize you as a leader – and probably their favorite person!
The stomach is a very vulnerable area, so offering it up to you for affection is a definite sign that you’re among the chosen few.
Ways to Become Your Rottweiler’s Favorite Person
The best way to train and bond with a rottweiler is to begin when they are puppies. It is easiest to socialize your dog when they are young to get used to seeing other people or objects. Growing up, my grandmother’s dog would bark at every man that he saw!
This behavior occurred because he wasn’t socialized or used to interacting with men when he was a puppy.
Socializing your Rottweiler is a great time to cement your bond as a favorite person. By being the one to introduce your dog to new sights and sounds, you establish yourself as their safety net.
Don’t worry if you missed the puppy stage with your rottweiler – older dogs and rescues are just as likely to bond. They will need more reinforcement.
Here are some methods for establishing yourself as your rottweiler’s favorite person:
Food
This one may seem obvious, but it is a guaranteed way to ensure your dog knows you are a leader and provider. Make sure that you prepare your dog’s food and the one giving it to them, so they associate you with their most important need!
Exercise
Rottweilers are a breed that needs plenty of exercise, with the general recommendation being at least two hours of exercise each day. This doesn’t need to be all intensive – sometimes outside or on a walk will be just fine! Accompany your rottweiler outside for some games of fetch, a long walk, or a run.
It is a sure way to make them happy when they see you!
Affection
Dogs are always eager to receive affection from their family, so it’s crucial to remember their needs even when you get busy with work and deadlines.
Fancy toys are great, but one-on-one time with lots of petting cannot be beaten in terms of bonding with your dog. Just make sure to learn your dog’s body language to see when they are ready for some alone time.
Training
As an intelligent breed, Rottweilers benefit from training to teach them who is in charge. A formal training school can be expensive, but you can also follow videos at home for free. The most important thing is to be consistent and establish yourself as the clear boss of your dog – not the other way around.
If you are consistent from the start with these examples, you should become a rottweiler’s favorite human in no time!
When Does a Favorite Person Change?
Believe it or not, dogs can switch their preferred human over time; sometimes, it seems like it happens at the drop of a hat! Growing up, my family dog would rotate who he came to when it was time for bed, and he was always sorely missed when he inevitably moved on to someone else.
A significant change in the home environment, such as a move or adding a new person to the household, can result in a dog needing lots of time and attention to adjust. If their chosen person is too busy, dogs might seek out affection or reassurance from a more present member of their family.
For example, if your family is moving to a new home, it is normal for everyone to be pretty stressed out! The parents (usually the primary caregivers of the dog) will briefly be busy trying to get everyone settled.
“If another member is available to act as a support or caregiver for the dog, the switch to “favorite person” can occur relatively quickly.“
Generally, Rottweilers can sense who is spending the most time with them. A change in routine, like a new job or a sudden engagement, might mean that a new family member is suddenly providing food and exercise.
Don’t be hurt or confused – think about who is taking over these responsibilities, and you’ll be more likely to understand why the change occurred.
Things to Remember As a “Favorite Person”
With Rottweilers in particular, one person is chosen as their leader. This is something that professional trainers encourage since Rottweilers who are left untrained may start to view themselves as the head of the household.
That may sound adorable or funny, but it results in a dog who may act out because he never learned how to listen!
If you are the person your rottweiler listens to the best, there are several essential things to consider.
Give out rewards and punishments as soon as an event occurs
As a rottweiler’s chosen person, you may be the one they listen to best regarding rewards and punishments. This is especially true during training.
Training and teaching a dog relies a lot on association, associating good things (like treats) with good actions and bad things (like yelling) with bad actions.
Whether you are rewarding your dog or punishing them, you must take action as soon as possible. Even though rottweilers are intelligent, they will quickly forget what has occurred. When you reward or punish them after a delay, they will not understand what is happening, and no progress will be made.
“Yelling or intense punishment for no reason is never the way!“
If you want your Rottweiler to trust you and consider you as a favorite person, it is important to always keep your emotions in check. Your rottweiler may be frustrating or not doing what you want them to, but physical punishments should never even be considered.
Instead of learning, your dog will become frightened and your bond may not recover.
It is the same for yelling or venting when your dog has done nothing to earn punishment. Actions such as biting, tearing up furniture, or using the bathroom in the house are typically viewed as punishable offenses.
With proper training, your rottweiler will understand this. Yelling out of frustration will only confuse them and make it harder to enforce the training.
Rottweilers can pick up on tension or attitude changes
Have you heard the stories about dogs that can sniff out illness? While not entirely true, dogs are highly empathetic creatures and pick up on cues that even humans might miss! When a household member is sick, dogs can notice the change in treatment and shift their attitudes accordingly.
As a highly intelligent and protective breed, rottweilers are skilled to pick up nonverbal cues or body language in a favorite person. Research has shown that dogs can sense when their owner is stressed, sometimes to the point that they begin to feel worried!
Emotional bonds like this mean that managing your mental and physical health is beneficial not only for you but for your furry friend as well!
Training can be expensive but worth it!
As we’ve mentioned before, paying for a professional trainer or taking time out of your day to train your rottweiler can seem exhausting. If you both seem to be getting along fine without it, what’s the rush?
Training can help you maintain your bond with your dog in the long run. A well-trained Rottweiler (especially confident, stubborn rottweilers) is able to meet new people and venture outside without any issues.
They are also able to follow commands and listen to their owners.
This means there is little need to be yelling and punishing your dog, which will increase your bond with them.
As a breed that needs lots of exercise and guidance, Rottweilers can be intimidating for first-time owners.
That’s why it’s important not to shy away from training so that you can continue being your dog’s favorite person without any outside tension!
