The Rottweiler is brave, strong, obedient, and self-assured. They are excellent guard dogs and will defend the property and the family till the end. They demand attention from their handlers. If human contact is not consistent with this breed they can become destructive or mischievous by barking for attention or chewing. They are very bright playful animals that bond very well with children and make a wonderful playmate. Rottweilers need early exposure to other pets in the household. They also need a strong confident handler because of their dominant nature. It will probably be necessary to be more forceful with the males than the females, because the females are not as dominant. Rottweilers may try to assert themselves and try to dominate another dog. In recent years Rottweilers have recieved negetive publicity because they were the number two breed in terms of fatal human attacks from a 1979-1998 CDC reoprt. Rottweilers are banned in many cities and some countries and are targets of the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act. In Germany and France many owners are forced to obey leash and muzzle laws.