Ten Rules of Potty Training

1. Set a routine and stick to it. Feed, exercise, play, and sleep at exactly the same time everyday. Dogs respond to routines and set schedules.

2. Feed a single diet during house training and don't vary your dog's diet until your dog is reliable in the house. Digestive upsets can lengthen the training process.

3. Take your dog or puppy out periodically throughout the day and as soon as your dog has finished a meal, ten minutes after drinking, after each play session, as soon as the dog wakes up from a nap.

4. Take the dog or puppy to the exact potty area. Praise for good potties in appropriate places.

5. Never discipline for an accident unless you catch the dog or pup in the act. Pick puppies up, taking them straight outside to the potty area where you put them down. Take adult dogs by the collar and rush them out to the potty area. Praise the dog for even standing in the potty area.

6. Never return a dog to the scene of the accident. No matter how much you scold, yell, or act upset, your dog will NOT understand why you're angry. Their guilty looks are only a response to your demeanor.

7. Never let a dog see you clean up messes. Crate the dog or place it in a different room and then clean up.

8. Always use or white vinegar and water with baking soda or products made to remove urine to clean up messes. Using other products leaves scent behind and may encourage the dog to use the same spot again.

9. Remember that any accident is your fault. Your dog cannot open the door and may not have learned to ask. Be on your toes to prevent accidents.

10. PRAISE and REWARD good behavior. Ignore accidents unless caught in the act.

The first step is to determine if there is a problem-is the behavior really undesirable? For example, some Rottweilers are vocal, expressive dogs. Though not inclined to nuisance barking, some do vocalize and this trait often surprises novice owners. Is the dog really growling or is the dog vocalizing pleasure at a vigorous scratch of an itchy spot? Many people are unaware that Rottweilers often rumble in pleasure or play. While these rumbles tend not to be intense or high pitched, they can intimidate novice owners. On the other hand, a dog that deep rumbles with increasing intensity while eating is probably serious about guarding his or her meal.

There are annoying behaviors; there are dangerous behaviors. We cover a few of each to give you a starting point; however, you will learn more about behavior when you enroll yourself and your Rottweiler in an educational program with a professional trainer, preferably one using motivational methods and having experience with working dogs. We cannot stress this point enough: You will need help at some point in your retraining.

Motivational retraining redirects the dog's attention from an undesirable task to a desirable one. For instance, pica is the ingestion of material of no nutritional value (i.e. grass, rocks, feces, remote controls, lingerie etc). The object is to distract the dog with a favorable object (toy or acceptable chewy), remove the undesirable object, and say "Mine." The dog is not punished for the behavior because it is not the behavior that is unacceptable - it is the article. The dog, after a period of time, will learn certain things are "mine" and are not to be chewed.

This redirection technique can be used in many situations and works well with dogs having a history of abuse or harsh treatment. Abused dogs don't respond well to physical punishment-they shut down-and anyway, abuse has no place in a home. Motivational and redirection techniques are the way to train a dog that will trust you and respect your authority. Consistency and attention are your keys.

If a dog is on lead and barking at a passerby, redirect the focus of the dog's attention to you and away from the passerby. Do this by saying the dog's name, showing your dog a treat or toy, or giving a quick tug and release on your dog's collar. Once the dog's attention is on you and you become the focus, reward the dog. Give your dog the treat or toy or praise and pet your dog. Do not give your dog the treat or praise your dog until the behavior has completely stopped; otherwise, you reinforce the bad behavior. Timing is critical in motivational training. It is harder work than compulsory methods and is one reason why many people don't use it and even shun it. Don't be a lazy trainer. Use motivational methods and you will end up with a dog that is more dependable and trustworthy than a dog that responds only because it fears painful stimulus.

There are cases where a swift, hard correction is necessary. These are situations where the dog is in danger or the dog is putting someone else in danger. It is then your responsibility to use whatever means necessary to prevent a problem. Similar to breaking up a fight, there is no right or wrong way to issue a serious correction over a serious issue, such as a dog in drive, or one chasing a child. Use whatever is at hand to accomplish what needs accomplishing.

When the episode is over, however, remember that the episode was your fault. You put your dog in the situation in the first place. As the human and the one in charge, you must always be responsible for thinking ahead of your dog and anticipating what may happen. Rottweilers are extremely intelligent and will keep you on your toes. Don't let your dog down.

Aggression
There are several types of aggression in dogs. None are acceptable but some are more understandable than others, including aggression related to dominance, irritation, predatory, resource, and territory.

· Dominance aggression is not something you encounter if you have done your bonding and training exercises. If your dog respects your position as head of the pack-sees you as alpha dog-your dog will never challenge your right to lead. Aggression related to dominance is behavior you may see if you adopted a dog that is aggressive to other dogs. Such dogs do not want to relinquish status to another dog. These dogs can be either male or female. Common dominance behaviors are mounting a dog or person or placing a paw in your lap to gain attention. While the paw in the lap can also be a submissive posture, your dog should not progress to placing both paws in your lap, and should certainly not get into a position where the dog is standing over you in a truly dominant position.

Nudging or pushing for attention are both dominant gestures, since alphas demand attention from pack members whenever they wish. Failure to obey a known command on the first request, yawning, or grooming under these same circumstances indicate an unwillingness to submit. The dog should immediately be gently and firmly placed in the appropriate position. Reinforce and reward submissive posture from dominant dogs as often as you can.

Dominant dogs often resist being petted on their necks or heads, as this is reminiscent of another dog asserting dominance over him or her. Reward submissive behavior, doing so only after the grumbling has stopped and the dog is truly submissive. Make dominant dogs earn rewards of petting and feeding by having the dog work for them, by sitting or doing a simple trick.

If confronted by an aggravated dominant dog, avoid making eye contact and back slowly away. Call your local animal control officer and report the dog.

· Irritable aggression usually has roots in a health-related problem. If your dog suddenly becomes growly or obstinate, and these behaviors occur regularly under the same conditions, suspect an illness as being the source of the aggression. Make a veterinary appointment to determine the cause.

· Predatory aggression (prey drive) can be a serious behavioral problem if not redirected. The dog could injure itself (chasing cars) or someone else (chasing bikes or people). Fast moving objects seem to trigger this instinct in most dogs. It is your responsibility to recognize this behavior in your dog and prevent its expression by confining the dog in such a way as it cannot be harmed or do harm. If your dog chases cars, a fence will keep your away from the road. If your dog is inclined to chase running children or animals, the dog must be kept on lead or crated when small children are present. It is also wise to teach children to use "walking feet" when moving near dogs so not to elicit the dog's prey drive. "Freeze tag"-standing motionless when a dog runs towards you and not looking at the dog-is something even small children understand.

· Resource aggression, the guarding of prized possessions, toys, or food, should not be confused with dominance aggression, because even submissive dogs will guard resources. Prevention is the best way to deal with guarding behavior: Remove favorite hiding places or make them inaccessible. Don't give the dog items it may guard. Teach the dog that giving up a possession is rewarded with a game, a treat, or a different possession. To take a guarded object from your Rottweiler, don't bend over the dog and reach for it; instead, call your dog to you and distract your dog with something equally wonderful--a game, petting, or a yummy food treat. After the dog is distracted and has forgotten about the object, pick it up and resolve to not let your dog have the item again. Continue to retrain the behavior out of your dog with fun relinquishing games like fetch.

One solution to food aggression is to approach your dog's bowl while your dog is eating with something really tasty. Call your dog by name to get your dog's attention, then give your dog a bit by hand, eventually adding the yummy treat to your dog's food bowl. Soon your dog will be delighted to see someone approaching his or her food bowl.

· Territorial aggression usually manifests itself in a mature dog. Don't encourage territorial behavior in a Rottweiler-your Rottie will guard when the need arises. Encouraging your dog will likely make your dog a nuisance at best, a danger at worst.

  10 rules for dealing with aggression (K-9 Motivations, 1997):

1. Train your dog on a regular basis to establish your rank as alpha.

2. Give no freebies because NILIF (nothing in life is free). Make your dog win every reward or good thing by working for it. Your dog must complete a task before he or she gets any attention, treats, or food.

3. Limit petting to 15-second intervals that your dog must work to earn. Do not pet your dog mindlessly at his or her insistence.

4. Don't let your dog walk ahead of you or anyone else. You go through all doors and upstairs ahead of your dog.

5. Only allow your dog one single toy. All others are yours and your dog may only play with them if you wish to share them, and then only after he or she earns the right.

6. Fetch is the only game you play with your dog. Don't engage your dog in any contest of strength such as tug of war or wrestling.

7. Make your dog practice five long downs a week for the rest of his or her life. Start with three minutes and work up to 15.

8. Give your dog daily grooming sessions during which the dog must stand, sit, or lie still. Make the initial session short and lengthen them to 10 minutes. Remember, praise lavishly when your dog behaves.

9. Never walk around or step over your dog. Always make your dog move out of the way whenever he or she blocks your path.

10. Take things slowly and have patience. Never engage your dog in a battle of wills, and always end all lessons on a winning note.

Barking
This is a most undesirable habit, annoying to both your family and neighbors. A barking dog is reacting to a stressful stimulus, and excessive barking can jeopardize your dog's health. This habit can be one of the most difficult to retrain. In order to curb barking behaviors, it is important to determine when they occur and what initiates barking.

Dogs bark for various reasons: territoriality, to signal to other dogs, barrier frustration, fear, separation anxiety, inactivity, boredom, or paranoia. You'll need to determine which is the cause of your dog's barking and work from there to curb the habit. There are several devices you can buy for the purpose of teaching your dog not to bark; some use an electrical stimulus, a noise stimulus, or a citronella spray to discourage barking and are activated by barking. A big problem with these devices is that they cannot distinguish between acceptable (e.g. alarm bark) and unacceptable barking.

The best way to discourage barking behavior in your dog is to prevent the situation that causes your dog to bark in the first place.

Keep bored dogs active, retrain separation anxiety (this will be discussed), or eliminate that which causes fear and stress in your dog. Eliminate barrier frustration by not chaining your dog or leaving your dog in a fenced yard for extended periods of time. Don't leave territorial dogs outside to disturb neighbors. Since some dogs bark at a fence if they believe the fence is theirs to protect, keep these dogs away from visual stimulus by preventing them seeing or hearing other people, animals, or objects on the other side of the fence. Consider crating your dog inside your house where your dog's barking won't disturb neighbors. Tying your dog is only acceptable if you are within eyeshot of your dog and a fence is not available. Many dogs strangle to death each year because they are left tied without supervision. Rottweilers are strong dogs and can break away when straining at the tether and barking in a protective manner. Without a barrier or some sort--a fence or hedge, for instance--many dogs cannot distinguish where their territory ends. Once loose, they can viciously defend what they believe to be their territory--small children can be mauled and killed by dogs. And focused on pursuing the perceived invader, your dog may run into traffic and be killed.

Begging
While this is not a dangerous habit in and of itself, it is an annoying one. Unchecked, begging can escalate to the habit of grabbing-and this is a dangerous habit if your dog grabs from children. Begging can be dangerous to both people and your dog if he or she is underfoot while meals are being cooked. Don't run the risk of having your dog seriously burned in your kitchen or suffering serious internal burns by eating hot, spilled food. Teach your dog boundaries when people are eating and preparing food: People always eat first and dogs wait unobtrusively and patiently to be fed.

It is useful to train your dog in practice sessions instead of waiting until you sit down to enjoy a hot meal to begin training your dog. Until your dog is trained, confine him or her in a crate or separate room at meal times or while cooking. Show your dog an acceptable place or position to wait in until you are finished. A down stay is a good position or your dog can wait just outside the room. Reward your dog for good behavior and place your dog back in the appropriate position if he or she breaks. And, never, ever feed your dog snacks from the table.

Car Chasing
The best way to retrain car chasing is to PREVENT it. What is your dog doing near the road, anyway? If your dog doesn't have a PERFECT, 100% recall, your dog has no business being off lead and unconfined by a fence. If your dog decides to give chase while it is on lead, you can easily deliver a correction and praise your dog when the behavior is stopped.

Counter Surfing
Again, prevention is the best method. Keep food and other appealing items away when adults can't supervise your dog. Another option is to crate or confine your dog in an area where it can't make mistakes.

Chewing
Chewing is a natural behavior in dogs. It is a natural means of removing debris from the dog's teeth, it helps alleviate boredom, and is calming to dogs. Your Rottweiler is a powerful chewer and can be destructive if his or her behavior is not modified. Correct the dog for chewing undesirable objects by first reprimanding the dog verbally, taking the object away, saying "MINE," then replacing the object with an acceptable object to chew. Remember to praise your dog when he or she chews on acceptable objects.

Digging
Digging is another natural habit that can occasionally be undesirable. Dogs dig to relieve boredom, make a comfortable sleeping area (newly turned earth is much cooler than surface dirt), and leave scent. Give your dog a good place where digging is acceptable. Fill in undesired holes with his or her own feces; doing so usually cures your dog from inappropriate digging.

Jumping Up
A dog who jumps up on people is one that is out of control. This dog is a threat to people's safety, particularly where children and the elderly are concerned. Dogs jump for a couple of reasons. The first is a joyful greeting jump. The focus of the jump is to gain access to the person's face. Dogs learn to identify people by their breath as well as their body odor. Dogs also associate human communication with our faces, thus dogs jump up to be near our faces for greetings.

When your dog greets a stranger, have him sit for attention, then ask the stranger to bend down to interact with your dog. Your dog receives no attention until he or she is sitting quietly--no vocal greeting, no eye contact, no petting, no acknowledgement of his or her dog's presence. The stranger rewards your dog by greeting him or her when your dog is sitting quietly and calmly.

If your dog is a chronic jumper and will not sit appropriately, then other measures to ensure people's safety are needed while you work on your dog's sit stay. Until the behavior is under control, introduce your dog to people on lead wearing his or her training collar. Your dog is allowed to approach for the greeting and is asked to sit. If your dog jumps, give a strong correction and say "OFF!" at the same time. Place the dog in a sit and reward for the sit, even if the sit is only a couple of seconds long. If you consistently only reward for the sit, your dog will eventually get the idea.

If your Rottweiler is jumping on you in greeting, an extended arm with the palm out in the traditional "stop" position accompanied by a good firm "stop" command usually halts even totally untrained dogs in their tracks. Follow that by a "goooood dog" and then walk past your dog. After your dog settles down, then you can greet your dog. If your dog persists and refuses to OFF or SIT, you may need to use more forceful means to prevent an injury. At the same time your dog launches him or herself for the jump, raise your knee to a height where it will catch your dog hard in the chest and say "NO! OFF!!" Ask for the sit and instantly praise a good sit. This method means you may have to stop what you are doing and praise or correct, but that's what owning Rottweilers is all about. This method works; the intelligence of your Rottie probably only requires you to do this several times before your dog begins to mind his or her manners.

Shyness
Many dogs entering our program have come from uncertain or abusive situations and, consequently, have some shyness issues. Under-socialized dogs are often shy. The key to overcoming shyness is socialization--exposure to a variety of people and situations-in a positive fashion. It is important though, not to over stimulate a shy dog as often it can lead to severe behavioral problems and fear biting. Below are a few hints you and the people your dog meets can use to help your dog overcome shyness:

• avoid use of force.

• initially, eliminate stressful stimulus.

• avoid face to face confrontations.

• If your dog does trust someone, use that person to build the dog's trust in other people; if the object of the dog's trust trusts some other person, then the dog may also place its trust in this person. Have the person your dog trusts shake the new person's hand and smile and chat with the new person while neither person focuses on the dog at all.

• If you need to take the leash of an untrusting dog, always have the trusted person put the leash on the dog and hand the leash to you. The dog will recognize that transfer and it will help build trust.

If you're thinking there's an awful lot of training needed and you're wondering how you'll find the time, you're right: There is an awful lot of training required and you're going to have to find the time and spend the time. Well-trained Rottweilers aren't born, they become that way because of the time their owners spend on them and with them.