How to Train a Rottweiler to Be a Guard Dog

Co-authored by Lauren Novack

Last Updated: October 29, 2021 References

Rottweilers are naturally calm and protective dogs, which make them a great pet. Those characteristics also make Rotts great guard dogs. To teach your dog to guard your house, you first need to teach them basic commands you’ll use later in training. Once it has the basics down, move on to training your dog to guard the house specifically. Introduce distractions while you're training your Rott to teach it to focus on guarding the house.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Training Your Rottweiler on Basic Obedience

1
Start with the “sit” command. Take your Rott to a quiet, calm room and get its attention by showing it a treat or a toy. Using a calm, friendly tone, say “sit” as you raise the treat or toy above your Rott’s head. As your Rott follows what you have in your hand, it will lose its balance and sit its butt on the floor. Once they’re sitting, immediately give them the treat or toy.^{[1]
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- You should repeat this process often, so your dog learns the command.
- If your Rott isn’t putting its butt down, gently press on its back above its tail so it learns that “sit” means putting its butt on the ground.
- You can use toys or treats to teach this command, but since Rotts are notorious for easily becoming overweight, toys might be the better route.
2
Teach your dog the “no” command. When you see your dog doing something they shouldn’t, say “no” in a firm voice, in a lower tone than you normally use. Your dog will learn that this tone of voice means they are being disciplined. If “no” doesn’t work right away, repeat it while showing your dog what you don’t want them to do. As soon as your Rott stops, continue with whatever you were doing as normal.^{[2]
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- For example, if your dog is chewing on a shoe, tell them “no” in your disciplining voice. If they keep chewing, repeat “no” in the same tone of voice and take the shoe away.
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3
Teach your dog to “stay” last. Put your Rott’s collar and leash on it. Ask your dog to sit first (and praise it when it does). Say “stay” in a firm, clear voice, and slowly back away, letting your dog’s leash run through your hand. If your dog walks toward you, tell them “no” and “sit.” Once they do, continue walking backwards. Repeat this process until your dog actually stays. Then walk to your dog and give it a toy or treat.^{[3]
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- Don’t tug on your Rott’s leash, since this will tell it to move.
- Don’t have your Rott come to you for its reward, since this is the opposite of what you’re trying to teach them with “stay.”
4
Teach your dog to “speak.” Since dogs bark from time to time, this is an easy command to teach. When the doorbell rings or someone knocks on the door and your Rott barks, say “speak,” and give them a treat. This associates barking, the command “speak,” and a reward in your Rott’s brain and teaches them the command.^{[4]
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- If you don’t have a doorbell, show your Rott a treat and get it excited about it by using an excited voice yourself. Get your Rott to sit, and then show it the treat and say “speak.” Even if your Rott makes a soft grunt, praise it and give it the treat.
5
Teach impulse control. Once your Rott has the basic commands down, use them when you have other people in your home. If there’s a lot of people around and you tell your Rott to sit, it will learn that it doesn’t have to protect your home from everyone who comes in.^{[5]
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6
Socialize your dog. You don’t want your Rott to think that all strangers are a threat. Take your dog for walks frequently, including at dog parks. Invite friends and family over and let your dog get used to them. This way, your Rott learns that not all strangers are threats.^{[6]
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Consider professional training.^{[7]
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Expert Source

Lauren Baker, DVM, PhD
Veterinarian
Expert Interview. 29 May 2019.} You can train your Rott to be a guard dog, but you can also have them trained professionally. Professional trainers will know exactly how to treat and teach your dog safely and quickly.
- If you don't want to get your dog trained by a professional, you can read a book on dog training. Many bookstores have "animal" sections, or you can find training books online.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Practicing Guarding the House with Your Rottweiler

1
Run your properties boundaries with your Rott. This teaches your Rott what is “theirs” and what they should eventually protect.
2
Leave your dog alone where it should be guarding. Once your Rott has learned basic commands and knows the boundaries of your property, leave it alone there. This will teach your Rott that this is their area to guard, because you’re not there to do it.
3
Ask someone your dog doesn’t know to come up and make noise. If your dog is in the yard, this person can knock on or shake the fence. If your dog is inside, ask this person to knock on the window. They shouldn’t make a lot of noise, just enough to get your Rott’s attention.
- The person you ask should not be familiar to your dog. If your dog catches this person’s scent and it’s someone they know, they won't guard the house against them.
4
Have the stranger pretend to be frightened and run when your dog barks. This teaches your dog that when someone they don’t know causes a disruption, they should bark to scare them away. It will also increase your dog’s confidence.
- If your dog instead runs up to the stranger with its tail wagging, try it again.
5
Restrain your dog if necessary. When you're having a "stranger" help you train your dog, keep their safety in mind. If your dog has a tendency to snap at others, make sure they have their leash on and that their leash is secured. This keeps your dog from being able to bite anyone.
6
Reward your dog’s protective behavior. Once the person you’ve asked to help runs away, go to your dog and praise it and give it a treat. This will teach it that there certain situations in which it should protect your home.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Introducing Distractions in a Controlled Environment

1
Stay near enough to your dog so that it can hear you. But you shouldn’t be close enough that it can see you, since that will tell the dog you’re there to protect your territory. You need to be there to give your dog the proper commands when they become distracted.^{[8]
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2
Ask the “stranger” to introduce distractions. The stranger can start with something like a piece of meat. If there is anything that particularly distracts your Rott, ask the “stranger” to repeat the process with those things.^{[9]
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3
Tell your dog “no” when it goes to investigate. When your dog stops barking and goes to inspect the distraction, say “no” from where you are. This will teach your dog that although their job is protect this area, they shouldn’t be distracted by other things.^{[10]
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4
Reward your Rott when they ignore the distraction. When your Rott begins barking at the “stranger” again, have the stranger run off and then reward your Rott. This will teach it that what is should do is ignore the distraction and protect your home.^{[11]
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Community Q&A

Question

Does this training apply to other breeds, like Boerboels for example?

Community Answer

Yes, these techniques can be used on most dogs. The reason for the name is that this is a common guard dog breed, but it could be used on a Boerboel.
Question

Are rottweilers naturally aggressive?

Community Answer

Not if they are properly trained and socialized from an early age. People get aggression mixed up with protection, they are very protective of their families.

Warnings

It’s important that you socialize your dog so it has positive interactions with people, even as it learns to guard your home. Otherwise, it will learn to distrust everyone and might act aggressively.

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