[Anne]

Please take the advice given and find a positive reinforcement trainer to teach you how to train your dog. Zeus is cowering because he's afraid of you and you've given him good reason. I don't get how anyone can hit a dog, especially a puppy and at 5 months of age when you say you stopped hitting Zeus, he was definitely a puppy. He still is a puppy at 9 months of age.

Now that you're aware that you were doing most things wrong you will need to undo the damage you have done by starting from the beginning. At least you're on the right track now and I wish you and Zeus well.

Since he is papered you evidently bought him from a registered breeder. Did the breeder not speak with you about training and care of the puppy? My intentions about training was one of the first questions my breeder asked me along with many other questions that I was happy to answer.

BTW unless you imported your puppy from Germany you have an American Rottweiler. My Rottweiler is fully papered from excellent lines and she is an Australian Rottweiler because she was born in Australia.