Rottweiler Vs German Shepherd To Choose The Better Dog For You

Muhammad Asim Khan
7 min readJul 4, 2022

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The Rottweiler and the German Shepherd are two of the most popular breeds of dogs in the world, both native to Germany, one raised for guarding purposes and the other for herding purposes. They are strong and protective and are two of the smartest dogs in the world. Both of these dogs are popular and are used for a variety of purposes. They can be used for family protection, police work, and military operations. If properly trained and socialized, Rottweiler and German Shepherd can make excellent guard dogs and can be used for personal defense purposes.

Both the Rottweiler and the German Shepherd have similar strengths, alertness skills, and levels of intelligence but there are some differences between the two breeds such as shedding, friendliness with humans, and other animals to consider when choosing between the two breeds. Rottweiler and German Shepherd are active dogs with strong ethical standards and are ranked as the top police dogs among other breeds.

The German Shepherd is considered a good dog because it is used for police work and is very loyal to its owners. However, the Rottweiler did not pay much attention to humans because they were generally considered to be aggressive dogs.

In this article, we will discuss what makes one type better than another and what makes the difference between one type and another.

Origin of German Shepherd and Rottweilers

Rottweiler dogs were established in the Roman Empire. The ancient Romans used the ancestor of our modern Rottweiler as working dogs and their job was to herd cattle for the army. Many people believe that Rottweiler is of German origin but it is not true. They came to Germany with people who wanted to settle there.

The German Shepherd is originally from Germany and is a shepherd dog but is bred for slightly different purposes. The German Shepherd was created by Max Emil Friedrich von Stephanitz, a German army officer. He was impressed by the keen intelligence and agility of the German dogs that he saw at his place of residence.

Physical Appearance of German Shepherd and Rottweilers

The Rottweiler is a squire and stocky dog ​​best known for its awesome appearance. These dogs have square heads, heavier and taller than the German Shepherds.

The male Rottweiler weighs between 50 and 60 kg. The average length of a male Rottweiler is between 24 and 27 inches. They are well-built dogs with a flexible body that enables them to perform a variety of heavy tasks, such as pulling carts. Rottweilers are almost completely dark red, with tan, rusty, or mahogany patches on the face, chest, and body. They are built with a compact body that farmers and butchers used in the past to pull carts.

German shepherds are more agile and faster than Rottweilers. They are taller and more athletic but are smaller than the Rottweiler. The average weight of a male German Shepherd ranges from 30 to 40 kg and the height is between 24 and 26 inches. German shepherds are available in a variety of colors and shades that include purely black, black and tan, black and silver and red and black, etc. German shepherds can be distinguished by short coats and long coats.

The temperament of German Shepherd and Rottweilers

If both of these dogs are raised separately they may be aggressive towards humans and other dogs. However, if properly trained and socialized well from the puppy stage, Rottweilers can become a devoted member of the families and friendly towards children. They are excellent guard dogs and capable defenders with strong bite power. They are regarded as excellent guard dogs and will not hesitate to protect their owners, buildings, and families. Because of their aggression and bad reputation Rottweilers are banned in several parts of the world.

German shepherds are also very loyal to their owners and will do many things to please their owners. They have an instinct of watchfulness and do not need certain guard dogs training to become the best protection dogs to protect their owners and their homes. They always wanted to be around their owners. Being highly trainable, a less experienced dog owner can easily control and manage them. Like Rottweilers, they are also considered the best guard dogs and family dogs. They are loyal and best family companions.

Life expectancies of German Shepherds and Rottweilers

The average life expectancy of a Rottweiler ranges from 8 to 11 years and the life expectancy of a German Shepherd ranges from 9 to 13 years. The lifespan of a German Shepherd is slightly longer than that of a Rottweiler.

Both of these breeds are large and have a longer lifespan compared to other breeds. Several factors influence a dog’s life expectancy such as lifestyle, care, health issues, exercise needs, and breed-related genetic disorders.

The bite force of German Shepherd and Rottweilers

The biting power of a Rottweiler dog weighs 328 pounds per inch (psi) while the Bite force of a German Shepherd is 238 psi.

The Rottweiler’s bite force is about 100 times greater than the German Shepherd’s. Both of these dogs are among the top ten breeds of dogs with the strongest bite force.

Intelligence and training of German Shepherds and Rottweilers

Both of these dogs are exceptionally intelligent, versatile, and highly trainable. Such traits make these dogs ideal for military, and police operations. They also serve as service, search and rescue dogs.

The Rottweiler is intelligent and is ranked 9th in the world for most intelligent dogs. They are independent thinkers, and claver and take their time out of any situation. They are very powerful and loyal dogs that need a calm and confident owner who can teach them with confidence and resilience. They are not dogs suitable for novice owners. Rottweilers are also very smart and highly trainable.

German shepherds are intelligent and smarter than the Rottweiler and are ranked third among the most intelligent breeds of dogs. It is a little easier to train and hold compared to Rottweilers. They have a strong desire to please their owners. German Shepherd intelligence is the best among all breeds in the world. They are used as police, military, service, search and rescue, and disability dogs due to their high trainability.

Both German shepherds and Rottweilers are very efficient dogs. They work, guard, and protect their owners and their families and properties. Both of these types needed a calm and consistent owner who could keep them on the right track.

Exercise and grooming of German Shepherds and Rottweilers

Rottweilers are short coats which means they don’t need a lot of grooming every day. They are minimal shedders but need more brushing during the shedding season, especially between spring and autumn. They tend to gain weight easily. Being a working breed Rottweiler can spend hours running and playing. Their coat is needed to be brushed from time to time to keep their coats healthy and shiny.

German shepherds are heavy shearers. Their coats need to be brushed daily and regularly and often multiple times during heavy shedding seasons. The German Shepherd’s long coat version requires extra brushing and watching because their long coat collects dust and dirt from outdoor activities. The working breed of German Shepherds requires a lot of exercise and mental stimulation to be well-balanced and well-behaved.

Best for kids

When properly trained and socialized from an early puppyhood stage, Rottweilers can become very friendly with kids children. Being big, muscular, and hulk they needed to be monitored when they were around children.

There is no doubt that the German Shepherd is one of the best breeds of dogs for children. They love their families and children and want to be close to their family members.

Active and working dogs

The most important thing to understand about these dogs is that they love to work. Rottweilers are of Roman origin and they were used to guard and protect herds. Later, when these dogs were bred with local dogs, farmers began to use them to pull carts to the market. They are also known as the butcher dogs. Due to the industrial revolution when cars and railways were introduced the demand for these dogs dropped dramatically. However, in the 20th century Rottweilers found a new job. They found a new job or worked as police, military, and service dogs.

The German shepherd is traditionally a shepherd or herding dog but also has experience serving in military projects. They were used in the first and second world wars. They also serve as service dogs for years.

General health

Both German Shepherd and Rottweiler are prone to genetic diseases. Hip dysplasia is commonly found in Rottweilers. Rottie’s diet and exercise needs should be considered as these dogs can be treated for obesity. Regular exercise is necessary for these large dogs. Rotties have a delicate or sensitive digestive tract and osteochondrosis of the knees and shoulders are common in this type.

On the other hand later in life, a German shepherd may also suffer from hip and elbow dysplasia leading to arthritis. This breed is also at risk for degenerative myopathy.

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Muhammad Asim Khan

Zoologist, Writer, SEO Expert, Graphics Designer, and Video Editor