Many of you might be wondering if it is better to have a purebred Rottweiler as a pet or service dog, or one of its several popular mixtures with other breeds. That is why today we present you the most important information of the Rottweiler Labrador mix and what to expect from Labrot in terms of physical appearance, character, health, care and grooming.
Interestingly, many people are still unfamiliar with what qualities to expect from mixture breeds, not just in terms of Rottweilers but other dog breeds as well. Questions that bother them the most are what are the genes of such a puppy, is it going to be an obedient or a stubborn doggie if parents have both qualities, what would his coat be like, what care would he need, and many more. Guidelines often don’t offer enough help, so read on if you want a real life story on what to expect when you breed Rottweilers with Labradors.
Rottweiler Labrador crossbred names
One of the first aspects of this kennel mixture, in fact, are its names.
Most often, they are referred to as Labrot, or, more affectionately, Labrottie.
We, however, tend to use Rot-Lab more often, since we work with Rotts primarily.
You, however, as a pet owner, and a potential owner of this stunning mixture, are free to call your puppy whatever you like – even to come up a new name!
Is Labrottie crossbred or mixture?
If you remember one of our previous articles on purebred Rotts, crossbreeds or mixture breeds, we clearly defined that purebred dogs have parents of the same breed, crossbred dogs have parents of two purebred breeds, while mixture dogs could be descendants of virtually any breed mixtures, most often not even pedigree dogs.
With that in mind, the Labrot type we have in mind in this article is the crossbred dog, whose parents are usually pedigree Rottweiler and pedigree Labrador, which is a combo of quality traits present in both. At the same time, that means that flaws present in both breeds are also relatively controlled, or at least known for sure.
Bear in mind that it is also common to refer to Labrot as a Rot-Lab mixture, even though it is officially a crossbreed.
Rottweiler Labrador appearance
A mixture of Rottweiler and Labrador is surely a bull’s eye in the US at least, since Rot is among the 10 most popular breeds there, and Lab holds the number one spot!
This combo might result in a Lab-looking doggie with Rot coloring, or vice versa, or even a random combination along the potential spectrum of both dogs.
In terms of size, Labradors are set at 65-80 pounds, while Rots generally weigh up to 110 pounds. Also, Labs grow to a maximum of 24.5 inches to the shoulder, while Rottweilers could grow to as high as 27 inches at the shoulder. That means that their Labrottie offspring is most likely to fall in the middle of these measurements, but you won’t know for sure as long as it doesn’t reach its adult size.
Rot-Lab personality
The main difference between Rottweilers and Labradors is their personality.
While Rotts are best known as guard dogs, Labs are known as faithful retriever dogs. Labs are also friendly, trained to return hunting game to their owners, and comfortable around all sorts of people. Rotts, on the other hand, have a fierce and distrustful attitude toward strangers, and that is why they are reliable as service or guardian dogs.
Most likely, Labrot could look like a Rottweiler and have a Labrador personality, or turn out as a protective Labrador. Statistics so far say that Labrot certainly appears to be among the aggression-prone breeds. Once again, you can only be certain of what traits you get only when the dog is mature enough.
Labrot training relies on socialization
Labrottie could be slightly difficult to train, since it takes up after its Rottweiler parent with a strong and stubborn personality. However, if trained properly, Rottweilers are actually quite easy to work with, hence a Labrottie should be no exception.
Hence, the most important step in their training is socialization from an early age, as with all dogs, especially in families with lots of friends who often come over. Allow them contact with other dogs and other people to show them that there’s nothing to be afraid of.
Let them play with children so they could socialize better. That is one of the ways for them to form their character and behave in unexpected situations.
Rottweiler Labrador health
Although mixed breeds might be healthier in some cases, it doesn’t always have to be the case.
Rotts are prone to elbow dysplasia; to neurological disorders such as nueroaxonal dystrophy and leukoencephalomalacia, which get worse in time – they are degenerative illnesses so there is no cure for them. That is why we advise you to get your puppy from a certified kennel, where both parents are issued a health certificate and closely monitored from their earliest age.
On the other hand, Labradors tend to suffer from exercise induced collapse, a genetically inherited condition which passes on from one dog to another.
Furthermore, Labradors and Rottweilers regularly suffer from hip dysplasia, meaning their hips are improperly formed. Hence, their mixture puppy might even end up with a hip dysplasia complication called degenerative joint disorder.
Any of these ailments could potentially be passed on to your Rot-Lab mixture, although he is probably less likely to suffer from these diseases than a purebred dog. The risk is still out there, hence regular health checkups and visits to a vet are a vital part of quality breeding practice for just any dog breed, not just pedigree breeds.
Rot-Lab care and grooming
One of the advantages of Labrottie mix is its low maintenance, thanks to having both parents with the same quality.
Both Rot and Lab have short coats that are quite easy to groom, hence Labrottie is fine with being brushed once a week. Labradors have a double coat that keeps them warm in winter and are prone to heavy shedding, whereas Rottweilers shed a little less. When and if this Lab feature of vigorous shedding takes over, brush your Labrottie more often.
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Instead of a conclusion, let us just say that you never actually know what your mixture dog is to be like until mature enough for his qualities to fully manifest themselves. Rottweiler-Labrador mix might take up after both parents, so Labrottie is either going to look like a Rottweiler and behave as a Labrador, or vice versa, or anything in between.
Learning about qualities of both breeds is the safest bet on how to train your Labrot because only that way you know what to expect.
Don’t forget to keep in touch with dog breeders and other owners, as they might be your best source of information on your dog. Here in Fere Perfectum dog kennel we like to stay in touch with you after you receive your puppy from us, because we enjoy being in the know on how our pups do after they go from us and gladly share all news and info with you!
Last but not least, treat your pet with love and affection, no matter the breed. Only that way can you offer him (or her) a loving family, and you both gain invaluable experiences.