Rottweilers and Pitbulls are both beloved breeds, but there is a common question of which one is smarter. Apart from their physical prowess, I’ve often wondered which breed is more intelligent.
To understand whether Rottweilers are smarter than Pitbulls, we should first look at the different types of intelligence and how these can vary between the breeds.
You might be surprised at what we discovered. We’ll also share some helpful tips to increase the intelligence of your furry companion.
How to define a Rottweiler or Pitbulls intelligence?
Instinctive intelligence
The first type of intelligence is instinctive intelligence. This is the intelligence determined by how well an animal or person can read their surroundings and act accordingly.
A dog with high instinctive intelligence will be better at doing things like protecting themselves, improving hunting skills, caring for their young, and avoiding dangers.
Instinctive intelligence can also include some more subtle traits that are not necessarily linked to survival.
For instance, many people consider dogs who do tricks without formal training as having very high instinctive intelligence because they can pick up on what you want them to do through body language and facial expressions.
Rottweilers vs Pitbulls
Rottweilers are known to have high instinctive intelligence. They are very good at protecting their family from danger and will put their own life on the line to do so.
Like some other breeds, Rottweilers can be mean or aggressive towards strangers without proper socialization training. If a loving family raises a Rottweiler, they will be loyal and dedicated to their owners and fiercely protective of them.
They also tend to be very independent, which means that training them takes patience and consistency to learn what you want them to.
Luckily, Rotties are quick to pick up on social signals and body language, so they are good at reading your moods and intentions.
A Rottie’s intelligence level combined with their protective instincts makes them a great guard dog as long as their owners train them properly.
Pitbulls, on the other hand, have lower instinctive intelligence.
They lack the protective instincts that Rottweilers have, which means that you can’t depend on them to protect you or your family in an emergency situation if they are not properly socialized from puppyhood.
Pitbulls do, however, make excellent guard dogs because of their strength and loyalty to their owners. This means they will protect you from any danger regardless of whether you want them to or not.
The only issue with a pitbull’s strong instinctive intelligence is that this breed can get into trouble quickly if its owners are not monitoring them properly.
As an example, if a pitbull hasn’t been raised around children, it may become aggressive towards them without meaning to. This can happen sometimes when a Pitbull worries that its food or toys may be taken away from them.
This type of aggression is known as resource guarding and can be extremely dangerous if young children are left unsupervised with this breed.
Intellectual Intelligence
The second type of intelligence is intellectual intelligence. This is the ability to learn new things and solve problems, but it does not necessarily have to do with survival.
Dogs who are very intellectually intelligent might take a little longer to learn how to do specific tasks, but once they have mastered them, they will be able to do them every single time without trouble.
For instance, a dog who can figure out how to open a door or a gate on its own would be considered very intellectually intelligent. Going through that process requires learning the proper sequence of movements needed to complete your goal.
Rottweilers vs Pitbulls
Rottweilers have high intellectual intelligence. They are very good at problem-solving, which means that you will have to change how you train them if you want them to learn something new.
They are also exceptionally good at learning tricks. The best way to teach your Rottie any kind of trick is to be patient and consistent with them while praising them for doing well.
Positive reinforcement methods, including lots of praise and rewarding with a yummy treat work very well with this breed.
Like many breeds, Rotties will occasionally act up and not listen to simple commands. Owners should avoid any type of negative reinforcement, whether that be yelling at them or hitting them.
Rotties are very intuitive, and this type of response will only make them anxious and confused. In some cases, they may even turn on their owners with aggression if they are being mistreated.
On the other hand, Pitbulls also have a moderate level of intellectual intelligence.
Whilst this isn’t too bad compared to many other breeds, they are inclined to be more stubborn than most other dogs.
This is because they have been selectively bred for generations to become hunting dogs rather than companion dogs.
Positive reinforcement and lots of patience are therefore required, especially when they become defiant and refuse to listen to their owner’s commands.
Having said that, Pitbulls are quick to learn new tricks and skills and love playing many different types of dog sports. If this breed enjoys what they are doing, you will rarely have a problem with them!
Adaptive Intelligence
Rottweilers vs Pitbulls
Adaptive intelligence is a level of intelligence that refers to how well your dog can learn from their own mistakes and change how they do things to get better results.
Some breeds simply give up when it comes to performing a task because they are used to receiving negative feedback from their owners with very little focus on positive reinforcement.
In contrast, other breeds can adapt over time and continue taking on a particular task even if they’ve struggled with it previously.
Rotties are a great example of this. When issuing them a new command, you should be prepared to reinforce that command with rewards such as treats, toys, or praise.
Through consistent positive reinforcement, Rotties typically respond well and will learn the required commands without needing the treats or praise to follow.
On the other hand, Pitbulls are not always as easy to train with positive reinforcement. They will likely take longer than Rottweilers to learn new tricks or commands due to their stubborn nature and lower level of adaptive intelligence.
Obedience Intelligence
The final type of intelligence to compare is obedience, which refers to how well your dog can learn commands, tricks, and tasks when giving them verbal instructions.
If you want your Rottweiler to sit down on command or roll over for a treat, they need to be trained to do these things.
This includes positive reinforcement methods such as giving treats or toys every time they perform the task successfully.
On the other hand, Pitbulls were bred as hunters, which means that they are naturally more stubborn and independent. They are quick to make their own decisions about whether or not they want to follow a command.
Patience is clearly required for this breed. While they may take a little longer than Rotties to learn commands, they will pick them up eventually.
How can you increase the intelligence of your Rottweiler or Pitbull?
One of the most rewarding experiences of owning a dog is seeing its intelligence grow over time. Whether it’s a Rottweiler or Pitbull, there are several effective ways to increase your pup’s intelligence and make them smarter.
The easiest way to do this is through positive reinforcement and reward-based training.
Over time, both breeds can learn new commands as well as more complex tricks that require problem-solving skills.
Aside from training, you can also stimulate their minds by providing them with interactive toys such as treat dispensers and puzzles that allow them to exercise their problem-solving skills.
Furthermore, exposing these breeds to new experiences will help develop their natural instincts and awareness of their surroundings.
Trainability
Are Rottweilers Easy to Train?
As Rotties are intelligent dogs, they tend to learn quickly given the right guidance and motivation. However, because of their dominant nature, they require an experienced hand when it comes to training and socialization.
Consistent training is therefore required from an early age. While basic commands can start when Rotties reach 8 weeks of age, owners can progress to more advanced commands after a short period.
It’s also important that you set boundaries for Rotties as early as possible, so they know their place in your home and family.
Positive reinforcement is an essential component for successful training; so always be generous with treats and praise to reinforce good behaviors!
Are Pitbulls Easy to Train?
Pitbulls often have a reputation for being aggressive and stubborn. However, they can also be incredibly loyal and loving when treated properly.
With consistent training and socialization from an early age, this breed can pick up basic commands reasonably quickly.
They may take more time with complex skills like agility or other sports activities, however, will thrive on these once they get the hang of it.
Due to their stubborn nature, Pitbulls take a little longer to train than Rotties but are worth persevering with!
Are Rottweilers and Pitbulls Smarter than other Dog Breeds?
A 2007 study by Veteran Canine Researcher Dr. Stanley Coren (The Intelligence of Dogs) ranks over 100 dog breeds according to their working and obedience intelligence. This was based on surveys completed by over 200 dog obedience judges.
The survey yielded consistent results across the entire judging panel.
Rottweilers rank 9th across all dog breeds, which highlights how intelligent this breed really is.
Pitbulls on the other hand, ranked 44th on the list.
When compared to other breeds, the border collie, poodle, and German shepherd topped the list as the most intelligent breeds.
Whereas the bulldog, bloodhound, and chow chow ranked at the bottom of the list and were considered the least intelligent according to each of the judges.
So, are Rottweilers smarter than Pitbulls? Well, the research confirms they are definitely the smarter breed! We hope this article gave you a greater understanding of the differences in intelligence across both breeds.
