People give up their Rottweiler dogs for a number of reasons. The Rottweiler is a large breed of dog, and some owners who move to smaller living spaces think it would be unfair to move their Rottweiler to such a confined area. Other Rottweiler owners, through circumstances perhaps beyond their control, may move from owning their own home to renting an apartment in a building with restrictions on the size of dog permitted. Other owners become ill or die, and there may be no one among their friends or family members willing to take on the care of a Rottweiler.
Whatever the reason, every year hundreds of Rottweilers find new homes through the assistance of Rottweiler rescue organizations. Rottweiler rescue groups get to know every single dog they place and match each new home carefully with a dog. The groups match abandoned dogs with new homes where they are loved and thrive.
The Rottweiler is a confident breed, and a strong-willed owner needs to show the dog who is in charge. An adult Rottweiler weighs eighty to one hundred thirty-five pounds, and an out-of-control Rottweiler can be harmful to itself and its human companions. Rottweiler puppy training should begin at eight to ten weeks of age. However, owners of rescue dogs often know little or nothing about the training their dogs have received, so they can't assume their dogs were trained as puppies. Depending on the circumstances, the Rottweiler rescue group may not have information about what kind of training a dog has already completed.
Rottweiler rescue dog owners should take obedience training with their dogs. These classes are an enjoyable experience for both the owner and the dog, and they will either be a welcome review for a dog that may have received training earlier in life or provided much-needed structure for a Rottweiler who has never had formal training.
Confidence is a trait of most Rottweilers' personalities, but the Rottweiler longs for a pack leader. A rescue dog owner should provide the Rottweiler with enough exercise to fulfill the dog's need for vigorous recreation and with enough discipline to establish the owner as the leader of the pack.
Rottweiler rescue groups will only accept Rottweiler dogs that are in good health, with current vaccinations. Each dog that is accepted as a rescue dog undergoes a health and temperament evaluation by a veterinarian, and the owner who turns the dog over is required to pay a nominal fee to cover intake expenses. The fee is also meant to discourage owners from dumping dogs on the rescue groups, and encourages owners to think long and hard before surrendering their dog.
Prospective Rottweiler rescue dog owners must apply to adopt a dog and must provide proof of home ownership or written permission from the homeowner where the dog will live. Applicants must also get the written permission of all other adults in the household. These restrictions are meant to ensure that the dog can stay in its new home. Rottweiler rescue dogs enjoy the companionship of other dogs, but any other dogs in the household must have current vaccinations and be temperamentally disposed to living with an additional dog.
The Rottweiler rescue group will match you with a dog and place the dog temporarily with you in foster care for a trial period to see how you and the dog get along. You will be required to pay a nominal fee, commensurate with the age and health of the dog you adopt. Charging adoption fees helps to defray the rescue organization's expenses and helps to reinforce the commitment involved in adopting a dog. The process eliminates would-be adopters who are not willing to make the personal sacrifices needed to help the adoption succeed.