Police look for naturally protective dogs, brave, eager to please, and highly intelligent. So why not Rottweilers? Here are some reasons why police choose to work with German Shephard compared to Rottweilers:
1.Protective Instinct Vs. Working Dog
Rottweilers are ingrained to protect their owners or home. Thus, when a Rottweiler is commanded to chase down a suspect, it will keep stopping and turning to check if the police officer is okay. This makes them not best suited to chase down criminals.
German is a working dog; it follows the command given until it is fulfilled. For example, when the German shepherd is ordered to chase down a suspect, it follows the command with a single goal of taking down the suspect.
2.Speed
Rottweilers are large dogs; a fully grown male weighs up to 130 pounds. In addition, their heavy bone structure and big frame limit their running speed. Rottweilers max out at about 25 miles per hour, while German Shepherds can run as fast as 30 miles/hour.
3.Biting Power
Rotts rank high on dogs with the most biting power, so if it is commanded to chase down a suspect, it might inflict more damage than intended.
4.Short Working Life
Rottweiler is a large dog; thus, it takes a long to fully mature; this would delay the training; the police dog begins to train under the age of three.
Rottweilers have a lifespan as short as nine years; police dogs work until they are 11 to 12. Police dog training is expensive and time-consuming, thus it couldn’t be practical to work with Rottweilers!
5.Sniffing Out Power
Rottweiler has a good nose but is not so accurate when sniffing out danger. When it comes to sniffing out things like people, bombs, or drugs, German Shephard holds the record for MVP.
6.Miss Conception
In the past, Rottweilers have been used as fighting dogs, which made people look at them as mean, with unpredictable temperaments, and over aggression. Public opinion hinders their use by the police!
However, when trained well from an early age, they turn out to be the most kind-hearted, brave, and loyal dog dogs you could own.
Have The Rottweiler Ever Served with The Police
Yes, they served in the German Police force during WWI, becoming the fourth official police dog, and after that, recognized as official military dogs.
They still occasionally serve as police dogs in different capacities, K-9, border patrol, guard dogs, and military and rescue units.
