Can Rottweilers Live in Apartments? A Complete Guide.
There is so much to consider when getting a new dog. One of the major things you must think is if your living space is suitable for your new friend. If you may be unsure as to what rottweilers require for living conditions than this post can be really helpful.
Rottweilers can live in apartments. Apartments are more suitable for grown-up rottweilers as oppose to puppies because of the energy level changes as they grow. However, rottweilers still need a lot of exercise each day, so adaptations must be made.
The actual apartment itself is not really important. Inside rottweilers are basically inactive, so the living conditions on the inside do not really matter. However, what does matter is the time they spend outside of the house or apartment exercising. If you are willing to take your dog to the park often enough for exercise and bathroom breaks then an apartment should be no problem.
Perks for a Rottweiler Living in an Apartment
Despite what many people think about rottweilers, they are very friendly dogs. They love being with and around their owners and members of their family very much.
Regardless of the place you live, they are going to take the saying “follow you around like a puppy” to heart. Living in an apartment makes it easier for them and also for you.
If there is less space in the place you are living, it is more likely that they won’t need to follow you around and they will be able to see you or be around you from most places in the house.
They will feel comfortable knowing at all times where you are without having to follow you. This can reduce separation anxiety which at times can be common among some dogs, including rottweilers.
This can be nice for you because you won’t have your rottweiler joining you in the kitchen to make dinner, or cramming into a small room to do laundry. They will feel safe knowing you are constantly so close.
Cons of Living in an Apartment with a Rottweiler
Many of the cons that come with this living circumstance are associated with the age of your rottweiler.
- Frequent bathroom trips
- No fence
- Might be around dogs that are not vaccinated
- Boredom and small spaces may equal a destructive dog
- Apartment rules
If you don’t live in an apartment that has access to grass or an area for your rott to use the bathroom, you will be making very frequent trips to the park, and depending on how far from your apartment the park is, this may become a burden to you and your family.
Additionally, rottweilers absolutely need exercise. So much of how they live is dependent upon whether or not they receive adequate exercise.
If you are renting the apartment you are living in, pent-up energy could also be a problem. There is no way to know for sure that your rottweiler isn’t going to damage or have an accident inside your apartment. This damage can be very expensive, especially if it isn’t your house.
If your rott isn’t vaccinated, you will want to watch out for the disease Parvovirus. This is a virus that dogs who are not vaccinated can get from areas where other dogs who aren’t vaccinated.
This is a disease that is spread through feces. If a dog makes contact with another place a dog has lived and they aren’t vaccinated, they are at risk of getting this disease.
Another con to living in an apartment with a rottweiler is that if you plan on working all day, your rottweiler will just have to sit inside of the apartment. They are not dogs that can just be left alone inside all day.
Normally those that work all day have a way that their dog can access a backyard or somewhere outside, and if they don’t have this access in an apartment, then they probably shouldn’t live there. This can cause lots of problems inside of the apartment.
Boredom can bring out the worst qualities in your rottweiler.
Many people hear stories about rottweilers, and many of these stories do just highlight the worst traits found in this breed of dog. While these traits are not always obvious, when they are bored from being stuck inside all day, these less favorable traits begin to become more obvious.
They can become more aggressive and violent. They might try to dig holes or chew on things that are not theirs to chew on.
Some apartment complexes do not allow dogs, and more specifically, some apartment complexes do not allow rottweilers because of their reputation. Before you decide to either get a rottweiler or move your rottweiler to an apartment, make sure that management is dog-friendly.
Puppies vs. Adult Dogs
Like mentioned earlier, many issues with rottweilers living inside an apartment come with age. Puppies are much more active than grown-up dogs. They require a lot more attention and a lot more exercise.
Puppies need to go to the bathroom every 30 minutes to an hour, sometimes even throughout the night. If you don’t have a place they can go to the bathroom at your apartment, then this could mean going on walks every 30 minutes to the park.
It is not wise to designate a place for your rottweiler to go to the bathroom inside if they are just a puppy because this will make it harder for them to transition to going to the bathroom outside when that time comes.
Puppies are very curious, and they often get into things that they shouldn’t. This can be a problem again if you are renting the apartment you are living in.
Rottweiler puppies are also very active, they don’t just sit down like grown-up dogs will. Small spaces aren’t a great place for their wandering selves.
However, having fewer places for them to be mischievous can be a good thing because it will make it easier for you to keep track of them.
Adult rottweilers mostly just sit around when they inside regardless of the size of the house. They will not mind living in a small space, quite frankly, it won’t make much of a difference for them.
Rottweilers need to be socialized regardless of age. They need to spend time around other dogs and people, so it is not wise for puppies or adults to just be stuck inside an apartment all day.
This problem can solve itself. Often times a dog that lives inside an apartment will get most of his or her daily physical activity at a dog park. If this is the case, this opens the door for more socialization than dogs who may only visit the dog once a week or so.
Training Rottweilers to Live in Apartments
Moving to an apartment is a big step for your rottweiler. It will be different for them, especially if they are used to living in a house where no one else lives.
Before you train your dog to live inside an apartment, you need to prepare your apartment for a dog to live there.
You need to make sure the floors and furniture are protected. It is wise to have one spot in your apartment that can be assigned to your rottweiler. In this designated area, your dog can chew on bones, eat, drink, play with toys, etc. This helps to prevent the need for major repairs (if needed) across the whole apartment, and limits that to just one place.
If you are bringing an older dog to an apartment and they have already been raised to go to the bathroom outside, it is okay for them to go to the bathroom in a specific place either on a patio or on a bathroom pad that you again, have a specific place for.
It will be necessary for you to help them get used to noises around you. If you’ve ever lived an apartment, you know that neighbors can be noisy and that the walls are ot too thick. Helping your rottweiler become comfortable with the noises that come with living in an apartment complex will be very beneficial – for your dog and you.
Not only will your dog need to adjust to the sounds of other people in the apartment, but he or she will need to adjust to the sound of other dogs. Rottweilers are very protective dogs and don’t get along super great with other dogs. Hearing other dogs might startle or worry them. Proper socialization can help this. If they are used to being around other dogs at the dog park then this adjustment might not be as hard.
Create a schedule for when you will go on walks, go to the park, or go to the bathroom. If you set up a schedule immediately for these things, then your rottweiler will know when he or she can expect those things. If he or she is used to living in a house this might be a hard adjustment because chances are they will be used to being able to go in and out whenever they want or need.
If you absolutely cannot take your puppy to go to the bathroom outside, you can train them to go to the bathroom on a puppy pad. This, of course, comes second to having access to a grassy area to go to the bathroom, but it is okay if you have to. Do research before going to this situation. There is a proper way to train them to go to the bathroom on these potty training pads.
How Much Exercise Do Rottweilers Need Each day?
Rottweilers absolutely need exercise. They need multiple hours of exercise each day.
Regardless of where you live, you should take your rottweiler on two walks a day. In addition to that, they should have at least an hour of outdoor playtime each day. This should include going to a dog park for them to really get their energy out.
Rottweilers need exercise for a couple of different reasons. First, they often struggle with their weight. Their weight is typically managed by good eating patterns and lots and lots of exercise.
This is especially important to remember while your rottweiler is a still a puppy. Exercise helps to get all of their extra energy out. Rottweiler puppies, just like little toddlers, have a lot of energy.
Rottweilers are high energy puppies and low energy grown-up dogs. However, even as dogs it is important for them to get out and play each day to keep their bodies healthy.
Getting their energy out by playing outside helps to eliminate unwanted or undesirable behavior. Like mentioned earlier, many of their innate traits come from boredom and can be eliminated if they have sufficient exercise time.
Getting enough exercise can drastically improve their temperament.
What Exercise Requirements Must you Adapt to?
Due to the fact that exercise is such high need for rottweilers, if you plan on living in an apartment, you must be willing to do a few things to meet the needs of these sweet dogs.
If your rottweiler is a puppy, you have to be willing to take them to the park or a grassy area as often as they need to go to the bathroom. Each time they go to the bathroom, give them a few minutes to run around and get out some energy that might be built up from sitting inside the apartment.
Again like I mentioned earlier, if taking them to the bathroom often is an option, train them to go on a puppy potty training pad.
Rottweilers any age you must be willing to walk them every day, often times twice a day. Walking them helps to keep them physically healthy and it gets them out of the apartment for a little while.
If you are living in an apartment you also need to be willing to take them to a dog park once a day. This makes up for the lack of backyard. They need to be able to just run around and play.
Things to Keep in Mind:
To sum it all up, there are a few things you need to remember when deciding whether or not it is a good idea to live in an apartment with a rottweiler as a pet.
Rottweilers love their family:
Your rottweiler will likely stay by your side regardless of where you live. When you are in your house, they are just going to want to follow you around and be near you.
For this reason, apartments are really good for rottweilers, because they can see you and be near you from any area of your apartment depending on its size.
Adult Dogs Do Better in Apartments than Puppies Do
Adult rottweilers are much lower energy dogs than puppies are. Puppies have so much energy and want to play. It is a much better idea to bring home an adult rottweiler to an apartment as opposed to a puppy. Puppies need more attention and space.
Rottweilers need Exercise
The most important thing to remember from this post is that it is not okay for your rott to just stay inside all day. He or she absolutely needs exercise. Daily, sometimes more than once a day, your rottweiler needs to go on walks. He or she also needs some play time outside each day. Exercise affects their:
- Weight
- Temperament
- Energy level
- Less desirable behaviors
Taking 2 or so hours each day to let help them exercise can help with each of these things on this list. Each of these things are super important when it comes to your rottweiler living a happy, healthy life.