The Rottweiler was originally a working breed and so they are happiest when they have a job to do providing them with mental and physical stimulation on a regular basis. Obedience training is essential, but there are many other types of training that you can do with your dog and in which the Rottweiler excels.

We choose to do working trials, which is essentially civilian police dog style training which covers obedience, nosework and tracking as well as protection elements.

IGP is another dog sport with many Rottweilers competing – formerly known as Schutzhund or IPO, it is similar to working trials, but with less variation of exercises, a different tracking style and without the scale and long jump elements of working trials and bitework at all levels excluding the initial BH.

Some Rottweilers do well in Agility although most are unlikely to compete at the higher levels due to the speed of the most commonly used Border Collie, but as a fun sport the dogs enjoy it.

Competitive obedience is also a fun activity, but requires more precise actions than some other dog sports.

The majority of Rottweiler breed clubs conduct temperament tests at their open and championship shows. These are designed to assess the dog’s temperament, confidence and obedience. Successfully completing three tests under three assessors you will achieve your ‘excellence’ in breed temperament.

Scent work is relatively new and increasingly popular in the UK – teaching dogs to detect an array of specific scents. There are many competitions and levels to complete. The dogs typically love this and it is physically less demanding than many other activities.

Many people also compete in ‘Heelwork to Music’ or ‘freestyle’ with their Rottweiler. They also make excellent working security dogs, personal protection dogs and search and rescue dogs.

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