There are fewer things cuter than a Rottweiler puppy, but these dogs grow quickly into the intimidating looking, stereotypical guard dogs that many folks fear. In fact, some cities have actually banned the ownership of Rottweilers due to their reputation for being mean, unpredictable animals.

The truth is that with proper Rottweiler training, you can have a dog that will make a wonderful family pet. The key is in beginning your Rottweiler training in the early puppy days, and continuing with training sessions for about the first two years of your dog's life.

Establishing dominance over your dog is an important step in training and the key to avoiding potential Rottweiler problems. Because dogs are pack animals, they are accustomed to a pack leader that guides that pack and leads the way. This dog is called the alpha dog. There are many ways that you can become the alpha dog in your Rottweiler's eyes. The first is to never let your dog go through a doorway ahead of you.

This never means depriving your dog of a meal, but it does mean that you should be able to pick up his dish during a feeding session without him growling or snapping at you. It can also be established by eating your own meal first, before you feed your pet.

If your dog sees you as the new leader of his pack, you have already done plenty to avoid many of the Rottweiler problems that plague some dog owners. When your dog submits to your authority, you have the ability to modify and change his behaviors for the better nearly all of the time.

There are horror stories abounding regarding Rottweiler problems that many owners have run into. Keep in mind that most of these problems probably could have been avoided if the owners had trained their dogs properly in the beginning and established their authority over their dogs as the leader of the pack. Rottweilers need regular training sessions until about the age of two, since this is when a Rottweiler is considered fully mature. If you are consistent in your training, you will more than likely end up with a Rottweiler that will obey your commands and respect your authority.

Any dog is a long-term commitment for the owner and Rottweilers are no exception. The time and effort that you put into training your puppy in the beginning will lead to many happy years with your pet and few Rottweiler problems to speak of.

A dog is a commitment that will last many years, so the time that you put into training your Rottweiler will come back to you tenfold in a long and happy relationship with your pet. A well-trained dog will exhibit few, if any, Rottweiler problems, and will be an enjoyable friendly member of his family for many years to come.