Male Rottweilers are some of the largest, strongest, bravest, fiercest dogs on the planet. A fully grown male Rottweiler can easily reach 140 pounds and stand 27 inches tall or taller, as the American Kennel Club (AKC) reports.
That is a really big dog!
To many Rottweiler lovers’ minds, this means that if one male Rottweiler is great, two male Rottweilers will be even better. But this is not a decision that should be made without careful research and a game plan in mind.
Read on to learn whether two male Rottweilers can reasonably be expected to get along from puppyhood into adulthood.
Will Two Male Rottweilers Get Along?
Just like not all people easily get along, it is dangerous to assume two dogs will get along well. This is especially true if the two dogs in question are two male Rottweilers.
However, it is possible, like the video, you are about to watch in the next section here attests. But you will need to devote significant time and training to make sure the two dogs can live peacefully side by side.
You will also need to have a Plan B just in case the pairing simply does not work out.
Watch Two Expert K-9 Trainers Socializing Two Intact Male Rottweilers
As this YouTube video aptly showcases, expecting two intact male Rottweilers to just find a way to get along is really unrealistic and can even be dangerous.
The trainers emphasize it took a great deal of time and patience and persistence to help the two dominant male Rottweilers – both young males about a year and a half apart in age – learn to tolerate each other’s company.
Adding a second male Rottweiler to a home where a single male Rottweiler already lives should never be done without an initial period of extended socialization in a neutral area to be sure the two dogs can learn to get along.
Otherwise, this second YouTube video shows you the likely outcome if you imagine that the strong chain link fence has been removed.
Why Might Two Male Rottweilers Not Get Along Well?
Rottweilers are known to be a dog breed with a strong and dominant personality. This is because these dogs have been bred since the time of the ancient Roman Empire to work in difficult and often dangerous jobs.
In fact, as von der Musikstadt Rottweilers breeder explains, Rottweilers have never been a breed that is kept purely for “pet dog” purposes until only recently.
Traditionally, as the American Kennel Club (AKC) explains, these dogs worked as drovers and cart-haulers, often pulling double duty herding and guarding livestock and the soldiers those animals were meant to feed.
These dogs have been bred to be fierce, powerful, brave, and willing to fight to the death to do their duty. They are not used to the idleness of pet life after centuries of long work hours in harsh weather under dangerous conditions.
When you understand more about the Rottweiler dog’s history and breed background, as well as the purpose the original breed developers had for creating this dog breed, it makes more sense that two male Rottweilers live in a family might not instantly get along.
Is It Better If the Two Male Rottweilers Are Fixed?
The question often arises, “would it be easier for two male Rottweilers to become friends if both dogs were neutered?”
The answer is, “not necessarily.”
As Meisterhunde Rottweiler breeders highlight, some potential temperament and personality differences distinguish adult male Rottweilers from adult female Rottweilers.
However, both adult males and adult females tend to bond less easily if there is another Rottweiler of the same gender in the family.
While not every Rottweiler breeder and owner agrees with this assessment, in general, male Rottweilers are considered to be more aggressive, more dominant, and more challenging to train and socialize.
As a sidetone, it is true there can be some differences based on genetics, diet, breeder knowledge, time spent with the mother dog and littermates, and overall health that can influence temperament.
However, gender is typically considered to be the number one influence in the behavior of Rottweilers with other Rottweilers as they grow up.
Two Rottweilers Can Experience “Littermate Syndrome”
If you haven’t yet heard of “littermate syndrome,” now is definitely the right moment to learn about it.
As Peach On a Leash Dog Training & Behavior Services explains, many dog owners are so smitten with a puppy they decide to adopt two instead of one.
So the new owner brings home their two new adorable puppies and all goes well until the littermates hit puberty. At this time, several difficult issues can begin to surface.
Some littermates become so attached they cannot bear to be separated for any reason. Other littermates end up developing complex behavior issues related to the owner’s extra challenges caring for and training two puppies instead of one.
For Rottweiler littermates – especially male Rottweilers – inter-dog aggression is the most commonly reported problem. Here, Rottweilers will play-fight as part of socialization, but as they get bigger and stronger the playing gets dangerous.
Finally, some littermates will bond together, but will then become aggressive towards all other dogs. And if one aggressive male Rottweiler is bad, two aggressive male Rottweilers is definitely worse!
Why Would Two Male Rottweilers Fight One Another?
As Tex Vet Pets explains, one of the prime reasons that any two dogs living in the same home might fight each other is because of dominance.
This is related to puberty and reaching sexual maturity. It may happen even if both Rottweilers are fixed. It is nearly as common with two female Rottweilers living together as it is with two male Rottweilers.
The main difference is that male Rottweilers are definitely up to 20 pounds heavier and two inches taller than are female Rottweilers. So when they fight, they can do more damage.
Interestingly, wild canid packs (wolves, coyotes, et al) usually form around one dominant breeding pair – one male and one female canid pair.
In other words, males will deal with hierarchy within their gender, as will females. But they will not compete with one another for dominance across genders.
So when your home includes one male Rottweiler and one female Rottweiler, you are less likely to have two Rottweilers battling it out at every turn.
Of course, not every canine behaviorist subscribes to the pack mentality for the modern dog, as VCA Animal Hospitals points out.
This in part relates to how the maturation process of the modern pet dog differs from that of their wild modern wolf relatives. But it also arises from decades of study of how wild wolf packs actually function.
The truth is when a young male wolf achieves puberty and becomes ready to mate and reproduce, that young male doesn’t challenge their pack leader male for control of the pack.
Rather, the young male leaves the home pack and starts a new pack with their mate.
This is perhaps the best explanation of all about why keeping two male Rottweilers in the same home – whether they are intact or neutered – can create more problems than it is worth.
There are deep, ancient, and primitive animal instincts at work that can make two adult male dogs feel like one of them should not be there.
Whether they solve the problem they perceive by hyper-bonding or constant fighting, there will be problems that could have been avoided.
A Better Option Than Adding Two Male Rottweilers to Your Family
As we mentioned here earlier, there are always exceptions to any theory or even any canine generality.
You may know someone who has successfully kept two male adult Rottweilers together with no adverse effects. Or perhaps you are that someone.
But if you are a first-time Rottweiler owner or an inexperienced dog owner or trainer, choosing to adopt or purchase two male Rottweilers is a risky proposition overall.
This choice is going to create more work and may not be in the best interests of family harmony or your ability to meet the needs of each Rottweiler you are caring for.
Rottweilers are “people” dogs. They bond deeply with their people and crave human companionship and interaction all through life.
If there is constant conflict or hyper-bonding between two male Rottweilers, it will likely interfere with these other very positive drives.
You may end up depriving yourself of the full joy of life with a Rottweiler by bringing two male Rottweilers into your family. And you will likely deprive each dog of the same.
For anyone who truly wants two Rottweilers, a male and a female Rottweiler make a much better pairing. However, if breeding Rottweilers is not in your future plans, be sure you get your Rottweiler dog pair neutered and spayed as soon as it is safe to do so.
